What currency to take to Turkey in 2024?

The question of what money to take when travelling to Turkey is one of the most popular among tourists and those who have temporary or permanent residence in this country. It is difficult to answer unequivocally, what is better to pay or in what to keep savings. Our experts will try to cover all aspects of this issue in a special article. Read on!

Content

1. The main currency of Turkey

2. What currency is accepted in Turkey?

3. Turkish money exchange rate

3.1. Exchange rate of foreign currency into Turkish lira

3.2. Exchange rate of Turkish lira for foreign currency

4. Which currency is better to pay with?

5. Where is it favourable to change money in Turkey?

6. What is the best way to pay in Turkey?

The main currency of Turkey

The national currency of Turkey is the Turkish Lira (TRY). The denomination of banknotes is 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 lira. Banknotes have different colours and are marked with the portrait of the first president of the country, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. There are also coins worth TRY 1 and smaller coins  kuruş, worth 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50. 1 lira is equal to 100 kuruş.

What currency is accepted in Turkey?

In general, Turks are not fastidious in terms of payments. For example, in Alanya shops for tourists the prices are in euro.

The situation is different in areas remote from tourist places. It will be extremely difficult to pay in foreign currency in such locations. However, there are exchangers working there, so you will not have any difficulties in paying for your purchases.

Turkish money exchange rate

The real exchange rate is important for foreigners who plan to make purchases in Turkey. Ratios change daily, but it is useful to know at least approximate values. Such awareness will help to assess how favourable conditions are offered in a particular exchange office, and whether the seller or taxi driver giving you change is not cheating.

Foreign currency exchange rate for Turkish lira

Turkish lira exchange rate for foreign currencies

Which currency is better to pay with?

If your destination is a major city or a tourist location, you can take any money, even euro or dollars. You will be able to pay with them everywhere. Also in popular locations in most places you will be able to pay with plastic cards such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

If you are not going to a tourist destination, it is better to change your money into Turkish lira in advance.

Where is it favourable to change money in Turkey?

You do not need to stock up on Turkish lira at home. You can get local money directly in Turkey. There are several convenient ways to do this:

• At the hotel. Exchange services are offered in almost every hotel at the front desk. Here you need to be attentive to the exchange rate. It is quite unfavourable usually. As a backup option in exceptional cases, this possibility can be kept in mind.
• Currency exchange points. To use a currency exchanger in Turkey, no documents are required. You can walk along the nearby streets and determine the place with the most favourable rate.
• Banks. It is not difficult to find a bank in Turkey as they are almost everywhere. You can exchange for Turkish lira, but the rate in banks is always unfavourable.
• ATMs. There are ATMs at each bank. It is safe enough to withdraw funds from them. You can identify the ATM with the exchange function by the corresponding inscription ‘exchange’ and the image of foreign currencies. However, it is important to check whether the ATMs accept the card of your country.
• Chain supermarkets. It is one of the easiest and quite favourable ways to get lira cash. To do this, you need to make a purchase in Migros, Sok, Bim, or Carrefour supermarkets, which are located in major resorts, and pay with dollars or euro. You will be given change at the exchange rate of the shop. In Migros it is equal to the official rate of the Central Bank of Turkey.

What is the best way to pay in Turkey?

Summarising all of the above, we can conclude that if you go to a large city or a developed tourist destination, it is advisable to take with you a card with the necessary amount of funds and a few dollars (or euro, if you are going to a region that is more often visited by Europeans). Foreign currency should be partially exchanged for Turkish lira in a supermarket or exchange offices. It is better to have the remaining dollars or euro in small notes. This scheme will allow you to pay favourably in any situation. The card can be used to pay for purchases in shops, shopping centres, restaurants and cafes. Turkish lira and small dollars will be useful at markets, when travelling by transport, visiting places of interest, etc.

If your goal is a province far from the resorts, you should be prepared to pay only in Turkish lira.

Those who live in Turkey permanently are recommended to keep savings in dollars or euro because of their greater stability in comparison with the national currency.

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