Just landed - wondering what gives the better rate in Kosovo: ATM withdrawal or airport exchange counter?
Best approach in Kosovo is to withdraw from ATMs once you’re in town. Budget €40-60 daily for food, accommodation, and transport. ATMs from Raiffeisen Bank or ProCredit Bank give you fair rates and are easy to find in Pristina and other cities. Exchange a small amount at the airport only for your taxi ride. Since Kosovo runs on euros, there’s no need for constant withdrawals, just take out enough to last several days.
The exchange counter at Pristina Airport felt like a rip-off. I changed €100 and realized later I could have had much more by withdrawing from an ATM. That €10-15 difference was basically the cost of a full dinner. Kosovo isn’t very expensive, but wasting money on bad rates still annoyed me since I budgeted €50 a day. Avoid exchanging large sums at the airport - it’s not worth it.
I exchanged €20 at Pristina Airport to cover my taxi, but the rate was noticeably worse than the Raiffeisen ATM I used later in the city. Meals were around €10-15, and buses under €5, so budgeting €50 daily worked fine. Using the ATM gave me more value for my money. Airport counters are okay for a quick start, but withdrawing from the bank ATMs in town is the better option overall.
In Kosovo, ATMs are almost always the better choice compared to airport counters. Pristina Airport’s exchange desks have weaker rates, while ATMs from Raiffeisen Bank and ProCredit Bank provide close-to-market euro withdrawals. Since Kosovo uses the euro, you won’t deal with major fluctuations. If you’re budgeting €40-60 daily for meals, buses, and sightseeing like Gračanica Monastery, an ATM withdrawal is far more cost-efficient than airport exchange.