Need to buy some UAE dirham?
The United Arab Emirates is a country of contrasts in both its culture and landscape. The sprawling sand dunes give way to the colossal metropolises of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where you’ll discover a wealth of things to spend your dirhams on!
Today's rate:
- AED = £1
- °F
What to spend your dirham on:
Soft drink in a restaurant
2 AED
10km taxi ride to see the sharks at Dubai Mall
18.5 AED
Paintballing at Zayed City
180 AED
Entrance to Burj Khalifa in the afternoon
200 AED
Buggy ride for two across the sand dunes
695 AED
A budget
RecalculateMust-sees in United Arab Emirates
- Dubai
- Dubai is every shopper’s paradise, with over 70 malls across the city. When you’ve finished spending, marvel at the grandeur of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
- Abu Dhabi
- Abu Dhabi is a smorgasbord of old and new. The splendour of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is awe-inspiring, whilst the Manarat al Saadiyat art centre is a must for art lovers.
- Sharjah
- Here you can enjoy the hustle and bustle of the UAE’s oldest market: the Souk Al Arsah, but you can also seek the tranquility of the stunning white beaches at Ajman.
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Shell out your dirham
The United Arab Emirates dirham began circulation in 1973 and gets its name from the word ‘Drachmae’, which translates from Greek to English as ‘handful’.
Expect to pay premium prices for most things in the United Arab Emirates, especially in restaurants and hotel bars. Tipping between 10-15% is the norm, but only if the service is good!
In the many souks around the UAE (especially Dubai), the expectation is that you will haggle with the sellers. A typical achievable discount is 50%!
Frequently used banknotes
Dirham notes come in seven different denominations; 5 (brown), 10 (green), 20 (light blue), 50 (purple), 100 (pink), 200 (green and brown), 500 (dark blue) and 1,000 (turquoise) as well as a number of coins. Try to keep plenty of smaller denomination notes as well as coins, as it can be tricky to get change from 500 and 1,000 dirham notes.
Find out more about the Dirham and its performance against the British pound here.
Buying UAE dirham online is easy
Free next-day home delivery on orders over £600
*The figures provided are indicative only and are there to provide an idea of the amount of travel money you may need during your trip.