United Arab Emirates · Currency & payments · 2026
Paying for things in Dubai
Card-friendly across Dubai and Abu Dhabi — Visa and Mastercard are universal in restaurants, malls, and hotels. The AED is pegged to USD (3.6725 AED = $1), so dollar visitors don't see exchange-rate volatility. Cash is useful at souks, taxis, and tipping.
Cash, cards, and ATM tactics
ATMs are everywhere in malls and major hotels. Emirates NBD, ADCB, and First Abu Dhabi Bank machines don't charge foreign cards on the UAE side.
Currency-exchange windows in malls (Al Ansari, UAE Exchange) often beat ATM rates by 0.5-1% if you're converting >$1,000 in cash. For smaller amounts, ATMs are simpler.
Decline DCC — every POS terminal will offer it.
Many restaurants levy a 10% service charge + 5% VAT + 7% municipality fee on the bill. The 'service charge' line doesn't go to the staff — it's revenue. Tip in cash if you want the staff to actually receive it.
Tipping — what locals actually do
- Restaurants
- 10% if no service charge is on the bill. Cash tips on top reach the staff directly; card-added tips often don't.
- Taxis
- Round up to the nearest 5 AED. Tipping isn't expected but is appreciated.
- Hotels & service
- Hotel valets: 5-10 AED. Bellhops: 5 AED per bag. Spa staff: 10-15% in cash.
The travel-card question
USD-denominated cards work cleanly because of the dirham peg. Wise and Revolut both support AED. Amex is widely accepted in higher-end venues. Apple Pay / Google Pay rolled out in 2024 — increasingly the default in Dubai's malls.
Last reviewed . FX rates are not quoted on this page — they move daily; use Wise’s converter for the live rate.
See also: visa & entry · weather & climate · travel essentials.