The currency in the UAE is called the Dirham and is abbreviated to either AED, Dhs or DH.
What bills and coins are there in the currency in the UAE?
Banknote denominations: 5 AED, 10 AED, 20 AED, 50 AED, 100 AED, 200 AED, 500 AED and 1.000 AED. There are also the coins 1 dirham, 50 files, 25 files, 10 files, 5 files, and 1 file. The 1, 5 and 10 files are bronze coloured and quite rare in everyday life. The 25 and 50 files and the 1 dirham are silver-coloured and common.
New banknotes have recently been issued. These feel completely different. They’re made of plastic, so they won’t break in the water. So if you put them in the washing machine with your laundry, nothing happens.
An approximate rule for converting your currency in the UAE
An approximate rule for exchanges: 1 EURO is around 4 DIRHAM; 1 USD is a little less. If you’re travelling here and something costs 100 dirhams, that’s the equivalent of around 25 euros. If you want to tip the taxi driver or the bellhop 5 dirhams, that’s about 1.25 euros.
Which means of payment are accepted?
In addition to “cash”, all types of credit or master cards can be used for payment. In the malls, in many hotel lobbies and on the street near banks, there are so-called “ATMs” that are ATMs where you can withdraw cash.
Don’t forget to have your credit card activated at your bank beforehand
Don’t forget that you often first must have your credit card approved for use abroad by your bank. Otherwise, you will be without a working credit card and must communicate with your bank from here.Currency in the UAE,
The questions that concern many people: Do I exchange my money for my vacation at home or on-site? Do I take cash with me at all, or do I prefer to pay by credit card? Which cards are accepted?
Exchange money at home or at your holiday destination?
Basically, you must keep in mind that exchanging cash (including in your home country), withdrawing money abroad or paying abroad is associated with fees. And there is another value to consider: the exchange rate. There are already differences in the exchange rate, the current rate is often not passed on to the customer, but here too there are deductions in favour of the bank or the exchange office. So for 100 euros often only 350 and not 400 dirhams. The euro exchange rate is also very down now. It is currently at 3.69. So 100 euros is about 369 dirhams now.
For credit card payments: local Currency in the UAE or dirham?
A recommendation: just swap a little for arrival at home, pay by credit card (there is always a receipt so that you have your expenses under control. Better swap here at a good rate in an “exchange shop”, then it is in all malls and also on the streets, and when paying by credit card, if you are offered the choice of your own Currency in the UAE or dirham, then it should be better to choose dirham.
