Buying guide · Nairobi CBD
Where to Buy Phones in Nairobi CBD: An Honest Shop Guide
iPhone Deals publishes a price for every phone and every repair it handles, which is the one thing you can check before you walk into any shop on this list, including ours.
Deciding where to buy phones in Nairobi comes down to one question: do you want brand new with a manufacturer warranty, or the most phone your money will buy. Those answers point at different shops, and this page names them, including the cases where a competitor is the better choice.
Where to buy phones in Nairobi: the shops compared
Most phone retail in the city centre sits on or just off Moi Avenue and Kimathi Street. These are the names that come up most, with an honest read on where each one is strong.
| Shop | Where | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Place Kenya | Bazaar Plaza, Mezzanine 1, Moi Avenue | Brand new stock across many brands, with manufacturer warranty and installments |
| Mobile Hub | Sasa Mall, 1st Floor, Moi Avenue | Trade-ins and a broad mixed-brand range |
| Apple Center KE | Nairobi CBD | Apple-only focus and a well kept editorial blog |
| Shawtech KE | Ghale House, Moi Avenue | Ex-UK stock with installment options |
| iPhone Deals | Kimathi House, 4th Floor Suite 404, Kimathi Street | Published prices on every model and every repair |
If you want brand new with a manufacturer warranty
Go to a dealer selling new Kenyan stock. Phone Place Kenya states a 2-year manufacturer warranty on its Samsung range, redeemable at authorised service centres. That is a genuinely different product from anything in the used market, and on current-generation Samsung the price gap is often smaller than people expect.
We sell Ex-UK, refurbished and used stock. On a brand new current-generation Galaxy, a new-stock dealer is frequently the better buy and we will tell you so rather than talk you into a used one. Where the used market wins is everything that is no longer sold new, which is most of what people actually want.
If you want the best phone your money will buy
This is where the CBD used market earns its reputation. An iPhone 13 at KSh 43,000 or a Galaxy S22 Ultra at KSh 45,000 does not exist at those numbers anywhere in new retail, because those phones are not sold new any more. You are buying a flagship two or three generations back for mid-range money.
The risk is that condition grading in this market is inconsistent, which is the whole subject of our Ex-UK vs refurbished guide. Ask which of the four conditions a handset is, ask what was replaced, and get both answers before any money moves.
Five checks that apply at any shop in the CBD
- Ask for the condition in writing. New, refurbished, Ex-UK and used are different products at different prices.
- Check battery health yourself in Settings before you pay, not after.
- Run an IMEI check and match the number to the box.
- Ask what the warranty covers and, more usefully, what it excludes.
- Ask what a screen repair on that model costs. If nobody will tell you before you buy, that is worth knowing now.
What we do differently
Every model we stock carries a published price, and so does every repair. Our screen replacement list covers 20 models, from KSh 5,500 for an iPhone X to KSh 35,000 for an iPhone 17 Pro Max. We checked the other CBD shops and none of them publishes repair pricing.
iPhones carry a 6-month warranty covering network, charging, earpiece, microphone and speaker faults plus software issues, with accessories at one month. Cracked screens and physical damage are excluded and units are not returnable once they leave the shop. Those are the real limits, stated here rather than discovered later.
Come and compare
Kimathi House, 4th Floor Suite 404, Kimathi Street. Prices are published before you arrive.
Questions people ask
Where is the best place to buy a phone in Nairobi CBD?
It depends what you want. For sealed new stock with a manufacturer warranty, a new-stock dealer such as Phone Place Kenya on Moi Avenue. For an older flagship at used-market prices with published repair costs, iPhone Deals at Kimathi House. Several other CBD shops carry mixed stock.
Where can I buy Ex-UK phones in Nairobi?
Ex-UK stock is widely sold in the CBD, including at Kimathi House and along Moi Avenue. What varies is the grading, so ask which of New, Refurbished, Ex-UK or Used the specific handset is before you pay.
Where can I buy a refurbished iPhone in Nairobi?
Several CBD shops sell refurbished iPhones. We grade every handset and confirm its condition before you order, and our iPhone prices run from KSh 15,000 for an iPhone SE 3 to KSh 165,500 for an iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Is it safe to buy a phone in the Nairobi CBD?
Yes, if you buy from a shop with a fixed address, check the IMEI, and get the condition and warranty in writing. The risk sits with unverifiable sellers rather than with the CBD itself.
Which CBD shop is cheapest?
No single shop is cheapest on everything, and on current-generation phones a new-stock dealer can undercut used pricing. Compare the specific model you want rather than the shop, and factor in the repair cost for that model.
Do CBD phone shops offer installments?
Some do. Phone Place Kenya advertises a Lipa Polepole option and Shawtech KE lists installment plans. iPhone Deals sells for cash or M-Pesa and does not currently offer an installment plan.
Kimathi House, 4th Floor Suite 404, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD
0747 881573 · Monday to Saturday 8am to 7pm, Sunday 9am to 6pm
Nationwide delivery available. M-Pesa accepted. Trade-ins welcome.