As you can imagine, Dubai’s currency is quite different from what you may be used to. In the rest of this article, we’ll tell you absolutely everything you need to know about AEDs, their exchange rate and, most importantly, how to get them at the best rate (commissions and exchange fees can get expensive in some places!).
In short, this is a complete guide on the currency in Dubai, to help you see things more clearly!
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CURRENCY IN DUBAI
Located in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai naturally does not rely on the euro. Indeed, the local currency is the Dirham! The value of the AED, the contraction for United Arab Emirates Dirham, is about 3.67 for 1 euro.
BILLS AND COINS IN DUBAI
There are several types of coins and bills in circulation in Dubai. In your pocket, you will find :
- 1 AED coins
- 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 thread coins
- 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 dirham bills
HOW TO PAY IN DUBAI?
The United Arab Emirates are very advanced from a technological point of view. In fact, the country has all the necessary infrastructure to allow locals, but also tourists to pay by :
- VISA or Mastercard ;
- Cash
Several ATMs allow you to withdraw money in town, even if this solution is not necessarily the most recommended. Indeed, the bank may impose certain fees ranging from 1 to 2% depending on your establishment.
A final solution is to opt for an online bank, such as N26 or Revolut, which allows you to get a ready-to-use bank card. With a dedicated application, you can change your euros into EDA in a few seconds, while benefiting from extremely low commissions.
You can then pay directly for your purchases with your card loaded in Dubai Dirham or withdraw your change from an ATM, free of charge.
WHERE TO CHANGE MONEY IN DUBAI?
We recommend that you withdraw cash before leaving and exchange your euros directly in Dubai. Yes, but where? We recommend the Deira district. There, you will find several exchange offices offering very affordable rates. Near the Gold Souq for example, some establishments offer real opportunities!