Can you use US dollars in Africa?
When travelling in Southern Africa, the most useful currency to have with you is South African rand or US dollars. You do not need to carry a lot of cash with you – most places accept credit cards. You can exchange money easily at any bank or airport in South Africa.
Present currencies
There are two different currencies called the CFA franc: the West African CFA franc (XOF) and the Central African CFA franc (XAF).
If a person lives in the village and travels into the city occasionally they might only need $500-1,000 USD per month while living in Africa; however, someone who lives full time in the city would need $2,000-3,000 USD per month for their monthly expenses.
The currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR). If you're travelling in Southern Africa, the most useful currency to have with you is rands or US dollars (US$). In Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya, the most useful currency is US dollars.
1 USD = 18.222875 ZAR May 04, 2023 13:13 UTC
Check the currency rates against all the world currencies here.
Currency. Tips in South Africa are normally done in Rand, though US dollars are also accepted.
The best currency to use is the US dollar, British pound or the euro. Credit or debit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are accepted in most shops, restaurants and hotels. It is also possible to withdraw money from these cards at various cash points.
But a single currency for the entire Africa, if properly implemented, will improve trade by allowing specific countries to specialize at what they are good at, and exchange it for other goods that other countries in the alliance produce more efficiently.
There are limits on the amount of currency you can bring into South Africa. For cash in South African Rand (ZAR), the limit is 25,000ZAR. For combinations of cash in other currencies, the limit is US$10,000 (or equivalent). You should declare any amount higher than this on entry to South Africa.
Is Africa cheaper than the US?
Cost of living in South Africa is 56% cheaper than in United States.
The average monthly salary in Africa is approximately 769 USD (US dollar), as per the exchange rates in April 2023. This is about 10 times lower than in the USA and UK with average salaries of 7,900 USD and 7,795 USD respectively.
As of March 7, 2023, one U.S. dollar could buy 20,190.4 Sierra Leonean leones (SLL), the highest exchange rate among the African currencies.
Cash can be used anywhere and is especially useful when travelling off the beaten path to more rural areas where electronic pay points may not be ubiquitous. However, while it's always advisable to have some SA notes and coins on you, it's certainly not wise to have all of your overseas spending money in this form.
Omani rial (OMR)
The Omani rial is the third-strongest currency in the world, with 1 rial buying 2.60 dollars (or $1 equals 0.38 Omani rial). Oman sits between the United Arab Emirates and Yemen at the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.
500 US Dollar is 8988.265 South African Rand.
So, you've converted 500 US Dollar to 8988.265 South African Rand. We used 0.055628 International Currency Exchange Rate.
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Cost of Living in South Africa.
| Restaurants | Edit |
|---|---|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 67.20R |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 14.27R |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 11.04R |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 31.01R |
| Conversion rates US Dollar / South African Rand | |
|---|---|
| 10 USD | 182.94600 ZAR |
| 20 USD | 365.89200 ZAR |
| 50 USD | 914.73000 ZAR |
| 100 USD | 1829.46000 ZAR |
| Conversion rates US Dollar / South African Rand | |
|---|---|
| 5 USD | 91.05450 ZAR |
| 10 USD | 182.10900 ZAR |
| 20 USD | 364.21800 ZAR |
| 50 USD | 910.54500 ZAR |
What is the strongest currency in the world?
The highest currency in the world is none other than Kuwaiti Dinar or KWD. Initially, one Kuwaiti dinar was worth one pound sterling when the Kuwaiti dinar was introduced in 1960. The currency code for Dinars is KWD. The most popular Kuwait Dinar exchange rate is the INR to KWD rate.
South Africa's currency is the South African rand. When traveling in South Africa, it's smart to carry both ZAR and US dollars. While many shops and restaurants will accept credit cards, merchants at small, local markets may only accept cash — typically in ZAR.
Keeping foreign currency with you for more than 30 days in S.A. is illegal. Only a business person going on a business trip within 90 days of returning to S.A. (from a previous business trip) can retain foreign currency for the next business trip.
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What's the currency in Nigeria? The naira is Nigeria's national currency. You'll find, however, that in airports, hotels, and tourist destinations, USD is commonly accepted. The exchange rates used will vary, though, so it's worth checking you're getting a fair deal before you decide to spend your dollars in Nigeria.
| Country/Territory | Status | Country/Territory |
|---|---|---|
| Bonaire | Netherlands Municipality* | Panama |
| British Virgin Islands | British Overseas Territory* | Puerto Rico |
| Ecuador | Country | Timor-Leste |
| El Salvador | Country | Turks and Caicos |
Yes, all international hotels and most restaurants will accept credit cards but most local shops accept only cash in local currency. A select few will accept payment in US dollars.
The worst hit currency on the continent is the Ghanaian cedi, which has lost 40% of its value against the dollar so far in 2022, according to data on indicative rates supplied by Refinitiv.
Shorts and shirts are quite comfortable on a safari especially during the day, but sometimes during the game drives and short walks in the bushes you might wish you had covered up a little more. So light weight pants in light colors like cream,khaki and Chinos or grey are good for the game drives and walks.
You can fly with any amount of cash. No law prohibits you from bringing any amount of money on a flight. Likewise, TSA has no rules that limit how much money you can bring through security. In other words, TSA has no cash limit per person.
How much foreign cash should you travel with?
The general consensus is that you should have $50 to $100 in cash per day for each traveler. However, this amount could vary considerably depending on where you are vacationing. Some destinations are more cash-friendly than others.
A contributing factor is low demand, which drives the price up, as well. Yes, high tariffs drive up prices, which drives down demand (which drives the price up further), but demand could also be a function of the local nature of most businesses in African markets.
If you want to travel in Africa on an extremely tight budget, like less than $300 per month, you can if you don't travel around too much. By staying in long term accommodation, you can travel in Africa on a low budget. In small villages, you can rent a basic room for as little as $20 per month.
Infrastructure in Africa is pretty poor on the most part. There are very few good roads, very few good railways; so flying is the only option. However, getting the fuel and parts for the aircraft to certain places in Africa is often very difficult and very expensive. This drives up operating costs for airlines.
Statista and Salary Explorer have compiled a list of the top 10 African countries where workers earn the highest average monthly salaries. Morocco and South Africa top the list with average monthly salaries of $2,031 and $2,026 respectively.
The worldwide highest income is earned in Monaco. The smallest budget per capita exists in Afghanistan. In our comparison over 69 countries, the USA comes 7th with an average income of 70,930 USD. The average income is calculated by gross national income and population.
Ranked by GDP in current USD, Nigeria comes out as the richest country in Africa during the year 2021. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with 211 million residents—nearly twice the population of Egypt—contributing to its GDP.
| USD | ZAR |
|---|---|
| 50 USD | 919.39 ZAR |
| 100 USD | 1,838.79 ZAR |
| 500 USD | 9,193.96 ZAR |
| 1,000 USD | 18,387.92 ZAR |
Is it smart to travel with cash?
While credit cards are easy to carry and more secure than cash, you should always have some local cash on you when traveling. It's just good sense. Besides the fact that some local shops and vendors won't accept credit cards, having some cash provides a safety net in case your bank shuts off your card for any reason.
Cash can also be great to have on hand in case of emergencies. For example, you may find a vendor that doesn't accept credit or perhaps you have a low-limit on your credit card and, in this case, cash is a reliable back-up.
Security: Carrying a wad of cash is rarely a good idea, especially when you're away from home and distracted to the max. If your wallet is lost or stolen, any cash is probably gone forever. If you lose your credit card, you can cancel it online or through the app and get a replacement expedited to you.
(1) the cost to import goods will skyrocket because foreign companies will no longer want dollars; (2) our government will lose its ability to borrow at its current levels – forcing it to raise taxes or print money to cover its shortfalls; (3) inflation will be at levels we have never seen because of higher import- ...
The dollar's value comes from the US' position as a critical global economic power and the country's political and economic stability. While it may hold less value than such currencies as the Swiss franc or the British pound, the dollar's global use makes it a more commercially viable currency.
What is the safest currency in the world? The Swiss franc (CHF) is generally considered to be the safest currency in the world and many investors consider it to be a safe-haven asset. This is due to the neutrality of the Swiss nation, along with its strong monetary policies and low debt levels.
The naira is Nigeria's national currency. You'll find, however, that in airports, hotels, and tourist destinations, USD is commonly accepted. The exchange rates used will vary, though, so it's worth checking you're getting a fair deal before you decide to spend your dollars in Nigeria.
There are limits on the amount of currency you can bring into South Africa. For cash in South African Rand (ZAR), the limit is 25,000ZAR. For combinations of cash in other currencies, the limit is US$10,000 (or equivalent). You should declare any amount higher than this on entry to South Africa.
The Swiss franc is the official legal tender of Switzerland and its tiny neighbor Liechtenstein, and the currency is seen as a safe haven due to Switzerland's political stability.
Should I bring cash to Nigeria?
Nigeria is mainly a cash economy although the use of credit and debit cards is increasing - especially in the big cities. If you intend to use cash, make sure you bring enough foreign currency to cover costs. It is illegal to change money on the street and travellers cheques are difficult to cash.
$100 is around 36,000 Naira which is twice our current official minimum monthly wage. To someone who earns minimum wage, which unfortunately is the bulk of the Nigerian populace, it is a lot of money.
Banks, forex bureaus and many hotels accept all major foreign currencies (travelers' checks and cash). The best currency to use is the US dollar, British pound or the euro. Credit or debit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are accepted in most shops, restaurants and hotels.
Currency. Tips in South Africa are normally done in Rand, though US dollars are also accepted.
Do you tip in South Africa? It's normal to tip for good service in restaurants, bars and cafes in South Africa - especially in touristy or business areas. Tips are also appreciated in hotels and serviced apartments - and other places where staff may not be so well rewarded, like spas or salons.
