Romania blends Carpathian castles, medieval towns, and buzzing urban hubs – but understanding money in Romania is essential for a smooth experience. The local currency is the Romanian Leu (RON), and while card usage is common in big cities like Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, cash remains vital in rural areas, mountain retreats, and smaller businesses. You’ll need bills for everything from taxi rides to countryside guesthouses. ATM access is reliable, but exchange rates can vary drastically depending on where you change your money. This guide will help you manage currency in Romania smartly and confidently – avoiding fees and hassles along the way.
How to pay in Romania – cash or card?
In Romania, typically you end up needing a combination of both – cash and cards. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in cities and tourist spots. In rural areas and with smaller vendors, you will still need cash.
You can use cash for:
- Budget hotels (especially in rural areas or small towns)
- Hostels
- Local tour operators
- Tips and gratuities (especially in smaller venues)
- Street food
- Small eateries / restaurants (non-touristy places)
- Sit-down restaurants (outside Prague)
- Small purchases
- Local expenses at convenience stores, open-air markets
- Local buses (in smaller cities, some require coin-operated tickets)
- Local taxis (cash often preferred)
- Mobile SIM and phone top-up (many kiosks)
- Laundry services
- Tailoring services
- Nightlife / bars (especially student or casual pubs)
You can use card for:
- 4 and 5 star hotels
- Large tour operators
- Shopping at malls and supermarkets
- Entry fees to museums, castles, historical sites
- Airport transport (airport buses, taxis, express rail)
- Sit-down restaurants (in Prague and tourist zones)
- Upscale restaurants
- Online bookings for upscale hotels, flights, tours
- Spas
- Vehicle renting
- Emergency medical clinics / pharmacies
- Local trains
- App-based taxis (Bolt, Uber)
What’s the best currency to take to Romania?
Romania uses the Romanian Leu (RON), and it’s absolutely the best and only currency to take. While prices might be shown in Euros by international hotels or online travel sites, payment on the ground almost always happens in Leu.
You can’t use USD, GBP, or even EUR in most shops, transport, or local services. Trying to pay in foreign currency will just result in confusion – or a bad deal.
Bring some RON or withdraw from an ATM once you land. If you’re converting cash, stick to licensed exchange bureaus – especially away from tourist hotspots – for better rates.
Where to get the local currency in Romania?
In Romania, you can get the local currency in 3 ways. These are:
ATMs, or
Currency exchange
Money transfer and local pick-up
Pro-tip: Avoid buying Leu in your own country. The currency isn’t very popular around the world (only moderately popular in Europe). It will be hard to find at home, and if you do, the exchange rate will be poor.
Types of cards to swipe in Romania
Visa and Mastercard transactions are commonly accepted for swiping. You might also find some places that accept Amex and other cards, albeit less frequently.
Types of cards at ATMs
Many ATMs in Romania accept Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus, Plus, and Diners cards. Don’t expect many of them to accept JCB, UnionPay, Amex, Discover, or Rupay cards.
Should I exchange currency in Romania or before travelling there?
It’s useful to have some Romanian Leu (RON) when you arrive, especially for taxis, snacks, or local transport – but it’s not mandatory. Leu isn’t commonly available outside Romania, so don’t expect to pick it up at your neighbourhood exchange bureau.
A more convenient option is to use ATMs soon as you arrive. They are easy to find in cities, towns, and airports. Most accept Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus, and Plus cards.
If using foreign exchange to get money in Romania, it is best done at banks or licensed bureaus in the city. Avoid exchanging money at hotels or airport kiosks where rates are often much lower.
While cards are accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and shops in cities, you’ll still need cash for smaller towns, rural areas, public transport, and markets. Bring both options for a smoother trip.
Where to withdraw money in Romania
The best ATMs for foreigners to use in Romania are those owned by popular banks such as:
BCR,
Transilvania,
CEC Bank,
Unicredit,
ING,
Raiffeisen,
First Bank, and
OTP Bank.
There are other banks with ATMs that also accept international debit and credit cards.
For a detailed guide, read Cash and ATMs in Romania.
Discover fee-free and low-fee ATMs on the ATM Fee Saver mobile app for iOS and Android. This app provides ATM PINs and details of leading bank ATMs such as ATM fees and withdrawal limits for foreign cardholders at ATMs in Romania. Moreover, its simple fee calculator helps you determine exact withdrawal charges. You can also find cash tips and tricks on the app for 160+ countries including Romania.
Download now from the App Store or Play Store.
Where to exchange currency in Romania
You can exchange currency in Romania at authorised currency exchanges, banks, airports, and hotels, the most popular being authorised currency exchanges.
Authorised currency exchange centres: You will find them in all touristy destinations near Bucharest main street.
Banks: Bank branches can also easily convert your currency to Leu, especially from currencies like US dollars, Euros, Pounds, Japanese Yen, Thai Baht, and Singapore dollars. Banks’ currency exchange commissions can be 0.5% to 2% for each exchange transaction.
Hotels and airports: Airports have lots of currency exchanges and so do many large and small hotels. But the exchange rates are not great.
Pro-tips:
Stay away from airport exchanges – Poor rates
Avoid the black market – Be wary of being conned.
Include fresh notes – If your notes are damaged or dirty, you can expect to pay more or less.
Is carrying money in Romania safe?
When you’re in Romania, it’s fine to carry a reasonable amount of cash. And its necessary too. Follow these tips to keep your cash safe:
Carry only the cash you need.
Do not keep all the cash in one pocket or wallet.
Put some cash in a safety belt or fanny pack.
Do not flash your money in Romania in public.
When paying, do not remove or display your entire cash.
Keep wallets preferably in front pockets.
Cross-wear your purses if possible.
Hold your purses, wallets and bags close and tight on crowded streets and in public trains and buses.
When withdrawing cash, keep the cash low while you count it so people around don’t see it.
If you’re dining alone, don’t leave your wallet / bag unattented while you go to the restroom.
If sitting outdoors in a restaurant, don’t leave your wallets / bags on the table.
Is it better to use debit or credit cards or pay by cash
Use a card if it is fee-free i.e. your bank does not charge any fees to swipe the card, when the merchant / POS also does not impose any extra charge to use a card, you need to use the insurance of the card, don’t want to block cash of large purchases and card’s swipe fees are lower than withdrawal fees.
Pay by cash by withdrawing cash from ATM or exchanging currency where – fees on ATM withdrawals are lesser than fees on swiping cards, you don’t want to leave any digital footprint of your expenses, it is convenient and easier to conduct transactions.
