Just landed - wondering what gives the better rate in Tajikistan: ATM withdrawal or airport exchange counter?
I land, pull enough cash at the airport for transport, then wait to withdraw in Dushanbe from Orienbank or Somonbank using my Mastercard. I get mid-market rates and only small foreign transaction fees. If you're planning a month in Tajikistan, ATM withdrawals give much better rates than airport exchange desks, hands down.
Exchanged a bit at the airport for public transport, then withdrew from an AccessBank ATM in central Dushanbe with my Revolut. The rate ended up about 5-6% better. ATMs are king for exchange value here - airport booths are mainly for emergency cash.
I tested both out: airport change booth offered 10.20 TJS per USD, bank ATM gave 10.80 TJS via my Wise card. That’s a solid difference over time. I only exchanged a small buffer amount upon arrival at land border, then relied on city ATMs, which consistently gave better conversion.
I changed $50 at Dushanbe airport right away - got around 10 Somoni less per dollar than ATM withdrawals. Next day, I used a Somonbank ATM downtown with a Sberbank Visa card and got a much better rate, even after bank service fees. So if you're asking what gives the better rate in Tajikistan, definitely use ATMs once you're in the city.