Money & Payment

The currency of the UAE is the UAE Dirham (AED), sometimes also written as "Dhs" or "د.إ". The exchange rate is pegged to the US dollar (1 USD = 3.6725 AED, fixed), the euro rate fluctuates slightly around 1 EUR ≈ 4.0 AED.

Cash

• ATMs: Available everywhere — in malls, hotels, souks, on the street. All accept Visa/Mastercard/Maestro. Fee: 5–10 AED (1.25–2.50 EUR) per withdrawal + your home bank's fee.
• Exchange offices: Al Ansari Exchange and UAE Exchange offer the best rates — significantly better than hotels or airports.
• Need cash? Not necessarily. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. But for souks, Abra rides, small cafeterias, and tips, cash is practical.

Card Payment

Visa and Mastercard are accepted everywhere — in hotels, restaurants, malls, taxis (RTA), supermarkets. Apple Pay and Google Pay work in most shops and restaurants. Contactless payment is also standard.

Tipping

Tipping is not mandatory but customary and appreciated:

• Restaurants: 10–15% (sometimes a "Service Charge" of 10% is already included — then no additional tip is necessary, but an extra 5% is appreciated)
• Taxis: Round up or 5–10 AED
• Hotel staff: 10–20 AED per piece of luggage for the porter, 20–50 AED/day for room service
• Hairdresser/Spa: 10–20% is common