Currency in Turkey: Your Complete Guide - 2024

Before you head to Turkey, learn about:

• Using a card in Turkey

• Can you use GBP in Turkey?

• How to buy Turkish lira before your trip

• How to buy currency when you get to Turkey

• What lira notes and coins look like

What currency is it used in Turkey?

Turkey’s official currency is called the lira.

The currency code for lira is TRY, and the symbol you need to look out for is ₺.

Can you use GBP in Turkey?

You can’t use pounds in Turkey. Prices will be shown in lira, and you’ll need to use TRY notes if you pay in cash. If you use a card, you’ll find your bank or travel money card can convert pounds to lira automatically, which can also be a convenient option.

More on how to manage your money in Turkey - including how you can convert currency for your holiday cheaply and conveniently - coming right up.

Using a card in Turkey

As we’ve mentioned, you can usually use a card in Turkey, either to pay in stores or to make cash withdrawals at ATMs. Using your normal bank debit card may mean fees (and using a credit card is even more expensive) - but getting a travel money card can be a convenient and cheap way to spend in lira while you’re away.

Travel money cards are usually issued by specialist providers, and linked to handy digital accounts you can use to manage your money with just your phone. You’ll need to add money to your account in GBP with a bank transfer or using your card,  and then convert to TRY in advance or let the card do the conversion when you buy something or make a cash withdrawal. Travel money cards are normally cheap to get and use, and often have lower fees and better exchange rates compared to banks.

Here are a couple of popular travel debit cards you could take to Turkey, to give an idea of their features:

Cons:

• Service fees apply depending on how you use your account

• No cash pay in or out option

• 7 GBP fee to order your card in the first place

  Read here a complete Wise review

Cons:

• You’ll need to pay a monthly fee to access the full range of features

• Fair usage fees apply once you exhaust your account plan limits

• Out of hours and exotic currency fees apply

  Read here a complete Revolut review

Learn more about how the Revolut debit card can help you

Is it cheaper to convert currency in the UK or Turkey?

Turkey’s currency has seen major fluctuations in value over the past few years. That can make it hard to know whether you should change your money before you travel, or wait until you arrive.

If it looks like the exchange rate is trending in your favour it’s tempting to hold onto your pounds in the hope of getting a better exchange rate once you’re out there. If the rates are going the other way you may want to lock in your travel money as soon as you can.

The reality is that there’s no best way to exchange your travel money - and it becomes even trickier to decide with a currency that has seen swings in value.

Because of the uncertainty, it’s not really possible to say whether it’s cheaper to convert currency in the UK or Turkey. Keep an eye on rates, with tools like those available here on Exiap, and shop around to see what’s available near you.

If you don’t want to carry lots of cash but still want to be able to leave it as late as possible to convert your funds, using a travel money card to make ATM withdrawals on arrival can be a good option. Choose a travel card from a service like Wise or Revolut, and you’ll also get a pretty good exchange rate and cheap or free withdrawals.

Don’t bother changing your money at places like airports and hotels. Services here are convenient, but as there’s no competition you’ll usually find high fees and poor rates. Head to a city centre exchange if you’re switching over cash on arrival instead.

Buying Turkish lira before your trip

Let’s walk through some key options if you’re planning on getting your TRY before you travel.

Using a travel card

Travel money cards from services like Wise and Revolut make it easy to manage and convert your holiday money - even after you’ve left the UK.

You will need to plan in advance to use this option, as you’ll need to open an account online or through an app and have your card delivered to your home. But once you have your card you’re free to add money in pounds and then either switch immediately to lira, or just let the card do an automatic conversion when you make a purchase. Whichever you choose, this can mean better rates than a bank, with low or no fees, depending on the provider and card type you pick.

Online

If you want to carry lira in cash when you travel you may be able to get a better GBP-TRY rate by ordering your travel money online. Some banks, the Post Office, and services like Travelex let you  get your money brought to your doorstep for low or no delivery fees, or allow cash collection at branches around the country.

Home or Office Delivery

Here’s a quick look at the collection and delivery options for one popular UK service - Travelex:

• Order for home or office delivery - or get your money in a store instead

• Home delivery can be next day if you order Monday - Thursday before 3pm

• Delivery is free if you exchange more than 600 GBP; fees apply otherwise

• You’ll need to be home to collect your cash, and may be asked for ID

• Exchange rates are likely to include a markup - which is a fee

Money Changers

Brick and mortar money changers on your local High Street may be among the fastest ways  to get travel money - but they are also often expensive. Fees vary but there is almost always a markup added to the exchange rate used to convert your pounds to Turkish lira. Call ahead to check the  money changer you’ll use has TRY in stock.

Bank

Some popular UK banks still offer cash currency exchange, but you’ll probably  need to order TRY in advance and collect at a branch a day or two later. As with any currency exchange service it’s worth double checking the rates to check you’re getting good value.

Airport

As tempting as it may be, airport currency exchange services should be avoided if at all possible. That’s because there’s normally no competition nearby, which means they'll usually be expensive.

If you’re going to need cash as soon as you arrive, you’re usually able to get money out of an airport ATM on arrival in Turkey. This can be cheaper as you’ll usually get a reasonable exchange rate - plus you may have no ATM charge and a low (or no) foreign transaction fee if you use a travel money card for your withdrawal.

How to exchange currency in Turkey

If you take clean and undamaged GBP notes with you when you travel, you’ll be able to use currency exchange services in major Turkish cities or popular tourist areas. As always, shop around to get the best available rate and lowest fees.

More about the currency used in Turkey

Get set up for your trip with a quick lesson on the currency used in Turkey.

Denominations of Turkish lira

Let’s take a closer look at the Turkish lira notes and coins, so you’ll be familiar with TRY money when you arrive.

Notes

Turkish lira notes are available in the following values:

•  ₺5

•  ₺10

•  ₺20

•  ₺50

•  ₺100

•  ₺200

Coins

Each lira is split into 100 kuruş (shortened to kr).

The TRY coins you’ll see are:

• 5kr

• 10kr

• 25

• 50kr

• ₺1

Travel money tips for Turkey

Here’s a summary of some of the best tips to do more with your money when you’re travelling in Turkey:

• Use a travel money card - specialist cards from services like Wise or Revolut let you add money in GBP, and spend with the mid-market rate and low fees when you arrive

• Carry different ways to pay - keep a travel money card, local UK debit card, and some cash on hand, just in case your preferred payment method isn’t accepted

• Avoid airport currency exchanges - they aren’t subject to much competition, and travellers may not pay much attention to the costs by this stage, which usually means high fees and bad rates

• When you’re in Turkey, pay in TRY- you may be asked if you’d rather pay in GBP when using your card. In this case it’s best to say no. When you pay in pounds the merchant chooses the exchange rate, which usually means higher overall costs

• Read your card fees carefully - for example, you may pay ATM fees each time you withdraw, making it more cost effective to take out fewer, larger amounts

• Avoid using a credit card to get cash - cash advance fees, foreign transaction fees, and interest add up quickly making this an expensive option

• Don’t carry too much cash - tourists are frequently victims of opportunist theft

How much does a trip to Turkey cost?

Let’s take a quick look at some key costs you may encounter when you visit Turkey from the UK. Each trip is different so you’ll need to research and draw up your own budget as well, but this gives a flavour.

Visa cost: No visa usually required for trips for up to 90 days

Transport in Turkey: Local transport tickets are around 10 TRY each way

Taxi: Around 14.5 TRY to start, then just over 16 TRY per mile

Car hire: Cheapest compact cars are likely to start from 600 TRY per day (around 17 GBP)

Room at a hotel: Very varied - in Istanbul,  the lowest costs for a mid to high end option in central areas may be 2,000 TRY or so per night (in the region of 60 GBP)

Dinner at a mid- range restaurant: 500 TRY for 2 people (around 15 GBP)

Where comparisons are given to GBP, the exchange rate is correct at time of writing, 14th August 2023 - rates and costs change all the time, so do double check before you plan your trip.

Track GBP-TRY exchange rate

It’s easy to keep an eye on the mid-market rate for Turkish lira, so you can compare the rates offered by different currency exchange services.

Use the Exiap rate tracker to view and track the live mid-market exchange rate for GBP - TRY, so you can spot the best deal on offer.