United Arab Emirates Travel Money Guide
The UAE is fully modern and card-friendly. Dubai and Abu Dhabi accept contactless almost universally.
Capital: Abu Dhabi · Currency: United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Paying by card
Visa, Mastercard, and Amex widely accepted. Always pay in AED to avoid DCC.
Cash and ATMs
Use Emirates NBD, ADCB, or HSBC ATMs. Cash is mainly useful for taxis and small souks.
Tipping
10-15% at restaurants if service isn't included. AED 5-10 for valets and porters.
Scams to avoid
Very low. Stick to metered taxis or Careem/Uber. Avoid unofficial 'guides' near Burj Khalifa.
What AED amounts are worth
| AED | USD | EUR | GBP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 AED | 2.72 | 2.40 | 2.06 |
| 50 AED | 13.61 | 11.99 | 10.28 |
| 100 AED | 27.23 | 23.98 | 20.56 |
| 500 AED | 136.15 | 119.90 | 102.78 |
Rates are European Central Bank reference rates for 29 Sept 2026 (published each working day around 16:00 CET; the UAE dirham uses its official US-dollar peg of 3.6725). The live converter loads the latest rate when the page opens.
Over the 30 days of ECB data to 29 Sept 2026, one US dollar bought 0.00% more AED and one euro 2.47% fewer.
Before you go
- When a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pay in AED; the conversion it offers usually includes a wide margin.
- Tell your bank you are travelling and carry two cards on different networks in case one is declined.
- Check your card's foreign transaction fee and put it in the budget converter's fee field.
Budget the trip with the travel budget converter, see all AED rates, or browse more country guides.