The Ethiopian birr, exchange rates, ATMs, cards and what a trip costs.
Updated September 2026 by Dawit Deggu Mohis, Addis Ababa. This page is about the practical act of changing money in Ethiopia: where to go, what to bring, what to expect at the counter, and what to do with the birr left in your pocket at the end of your trip. For what the currency is … Read more
Black-market in Ethiopia Black-market traders do exist in Ethiopia. Unlike previous years when black-market was the most desirable and fair place to exchange all currencies and had fair deals, everything has drastically changed now. Currently, they are characterized by reduced rates and fake notes. Avoid the black-market as much as you can since it is … Read more
Ethiopian birr is the local currency used in the country. Notes available are of 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1 denominations. At the airport, any foreign currency can be exchanged in authorized hotels and banks. ETB 3,000 is equivalent to $100. Banking hours run from 8am to 5pm on Mondays to Fridays and 8am to … Read more
Ethiopian Notes Ethiopian Birr is the domestic currency used in Ethiopia. They have denominations of 100, 10, 20, 5, and 1 notes. Birr has also been divided into cents with a maximum of 100 cents. Cents have been divided into 25, 10, 50 and 5. ETB is the currency’s letter code Since its inception and … Read more