Sri Lanka runs on cash more than most visitors expect. Cards work in hotels, supermarkets and the more upmarket restaurants, but the tuk-tuk, the rice-and-curry place, the temple donation box and many ticket offices want rupees. None of it is difficult once you know the pattern, and a little planning saves both fees and awkward moments.
The currency
The Sri Lankan rupee (LKR, written Rs) has been relatively steady since the turmoil of the 2022 economic crisis, moving between roughly 310 and 345 to the US dollar through 2026. Notes come in 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000 rupees; coins are mostly useful for bus fares. Rupees are hard to obtain outside Sri Lanka, so plan to get them when you arrive.
Getting cash
ATMs are everywhere in towns, including in the arrivals hall at Bandaranaike International Airport, and almost all accept Visa and Mastercard. For most visitors they are the cheapest way to get rupees.
- ◆Fees vary by bank. Many Sri Lankan banks charge a few hundred rupees per withdrawal on a foreign card and some charge nothing - and your own bank's fees may be larger than either. Taking out larger amounts less often keeps the total down.
- ◆Always choose rupees. If a machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That 'conversion' comes with a poor exchange rate.
- ◆Limits vary. The maximum per withdrawal depends on the bank and your card, so a machine that refuses one amount may accept a smaller one.
- ◆Remote areas run short. Small beach towns and national-park villages may have one ATM, or none that works. Draw cash in the nearest big town first - Arugam Bay, for one, is notoriously short of machines.
Exchanging money
US dollars, euros and pounds are easy to change at banks, at the airport and at licensed money changers in Colombo and the tourist towns. Bring clean, undamaged notes, because torn or marked ones may be refused. Airport counters give reasonable rates, so changing enough for the first day or two on arrival is sensible. Avoid unofficial street changers.
Cards
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at most hotels, the supermarket chains, larger restaurants and some shops; American Express much less often. Some smaller businesses add a surcharge of a few percent for card payments, and contactless payment is spreading in Colombo. Outside the cities and resorts, assume cash.
Prices in dollars, paid in rupees
The big cultural sites and national parks quote their foreigner prices in US dollars - Sigiriya is $35 - but collect them in rupees at the day's rate. Hotels, safari operators and tour companies often quote in dollars too. Carry enough rupees for entry tickets even where a card machine is advertised, because they fail often. Our entrance fees guide lists what to expect.
Tipping
Tipping is customary and wages are low, so a tip for good service makes a real difference. Many restaurants and hotels add a service charge, usually 10%, to the bill. If it is there, nothing more is required - but if someone looked after you well, handing them a little cash directly makes sure it reaches them. As a rough guide:
- ◆Restaurants - check for a service charge; if there isn't one, about 10% at sit-down places. Round up at local eating houses.
- ◆Drivers - for a private driver over several days, the equivalent of roughly $5 to $10 a day is customary, given at the end. Chauffeur-guides who also show you around sites usually receive more.
- ◆Safari jeeps - a tip for the driver and, separately, for the park tracker who rides with you: a few hundred to a thousand rupees each, more after a great sighting.
- ◆Guides at sites - agree the fee first; a tip on top is appreciated if they were good.
- ◆Hotel and guesthouse staff - small amounts for porters, and a collective tip at the end of a stay, given to the owner or most senior person to share.
- ◆Temples - a donation in the box rather than a tip. Shoe-minders at big sites may ask for a small payment.
Bargaining
Prices are fixed in shops, supermarkets and restaurants. In markets, at souvenir stalls and with unmetered tuk-tuks, haggling is normal and expected - but keep it friendly, because the difference is often less than a dollar. Ride-hailing apps such as PickMe remove the need for it on tuk-tuks entirely.
Practical tips
- ◆Break big notes when you can. A 5,000-rupee note is hard to use at a roadside stall or in a tuk-tuk; supermarkets and fuel stations will change it.
- ◆Keep a day's cash separate from the rest, and a backup card in a different bag.
- ◆Tell your bank you are travelling, so your card isn't blocked after the first withdrawal.
- ◆Spend or change your rupees before you fly home. They are hard to exchange outside Sri Lanka.
For what things actually cost day to day - rooms, food, transport and tickets - see our budget guide, and for paying your way around the island, our transport guide.
