Balkans Currency Guide 2026: What Money to Actually Bring
Croatia and Montenegro both use the euro (€). Bosnia uses the Convertible Mark (KM), pegged to the euro at €1 = 1.96 KM. Serbia uses the Serbian Dinar (RSD) and Albania uses the Albanian Lek (ALL). Cards are widely accepted in Croatia and Montenegro; carry cash in KM for Bosnia (many smaller places are cash-only). Use ATMs for the best exchange rate everywhere — never exchange at border crossings. If you're doing a Dubrovnik–Mostar–Kotor circuit, you need euros and KM only — no other currency.
The western Balkans use four different currencies across five countries — sounds complicated, isn’t, once you know the pattern. Two countries use the euro, one has a currency pegged to the euro, the other two have their own floating currencies.
We’ve been picking up tourists across the region since 2018 — Mostar, Dubrovnik, Sarajevo, Kotor, Tirana — and we hear what they pay, what they get charged, and which mistakes cost them. The good news: the Balkans is one of the most card-friendly regions in this price bracket. The bad news: there are a handful of specific traps that quietly cost €30–80 per trip.
The quick reference
| Country | Currency | Code | Rate vs euro | Cards? | Cash needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia | Euro | EUR (€) | — | Yes, widely | Rarely |
| Montenegro | Euro | EUR (€) | — | Yes, widely | Some (small boats, parking, small cafés) |
| Bosnia | Convertible Mark | BAM/KM | €1 = 1.96 KM (fixed) | Hotels + restaurants, yes | Yes — bakeries, cafés, small shops |
| Serbia | Serbian Dinar | RSD | ~€1 = 117 RSD (floating) | In cities, yes | Yes — outside Belgrade |
| Albania | Albanian Lek | ALL | Floating — check the current rate | In cities, yes | Yes — widely needed |
If you’re doing the classic Dubrovnik → Mostar → Kotor route: you need euros and KM only. That’s two currencies for three countries.
Croatia — Euro (€)
Croatia joined the eurozone on January 1, 2023. The euro is the official and only currency. The old Croatian Kuna (HRK) is no longer in circulation.
Card acceptance: excellent. Cards work almost everywhere — hotels, restaurants, shops, museums, taxis, tolls. Contactless works widely.
When you need cash:
- Very small purchases in markets or rural areas
- Some parking metres outside major cities
- Street vendors and very small shops
- Tipping (always nicer in cash than card)
ATMs: widely available in all cities and tourist areas. Your bank may charge a foreign transaction fee — check before you travel.
Operator tip: the airport ATMs in Dubrovnik and Split are reliable. The currency exchange booths inside the terminals are not — rates are 5–8% worse than the ATM ten metres away.
Bosnia & Herzegovina — Convertible Mark (KM)
Bosnia uses the Convertible Mark (BAM or KM). The rate is pegged to the euro at €1 = 1.955830 KM — fixed, doesn’t fluctuate. This dates to the post-war currency stabilisation under the Dayton Agreement and is one of the most stable exchange relationships in Europe.
Quick mental maths: divide KM prices by 2 to get an approximate euro value. €1 ≈ 2 KM is close enough for everyday spending.
Card acceptance: improving but not universal.
- Hotels, larger restaurants, shops in cities — cards accepted
- Smaller cafés, bakeries, market stalls, the Sarajevo Tunnel museum, rural areas — cash only in KM
- Some tourist-facing businesses near the Croatian border accept euros, but give change in KM at a poor rate. Pay in KM when possible.
ATM strategy:
- ATMs are plentiful in Mostar and Sarajevo
- Withdraw KM from an ATM for the best exchange rate
- Never exchange money at border crossings — rates are 20–30% worse than ATMs
- Don’t exchange at airports unless desperate — rates are poor
- Most ATMs offer a “conversion” option at the screen — always decline and let your own bank do the conversion
What we tell customers: withdraw 100–200 KM from the first ATM after entering Bosnia. That covers two days of cash needs (coffee, ćevapi, tipping, parking, museums) for two people. You can withdraw more if needed; banks don’t run out.
Tipping: not obligatory but appreciated. Round up the bill or leave 5–10% in restaurants. Cash always.
Montenegro — Euro (€)
Montenegro uses the euro despite not being in the EU or eurozone. Adopted unilaterally in 2002 (previously the German Mark). There’s no Montenegrin currency — euros are the only legal tender.
Card acceptance: good in hotels, restaurants and shops in Kotor, Budva and larger towns. Less reliable in smaller villages and remote areas.
When you need cash:
- Perast boat to Our Lady of the Rocks — the shuttle boats are run by small local operators and fares vary by operator and season, so check on the day; the church and museum entry is cash
- Smaller restaurants and cafés outside main tourist areas
- Parking metres in Kotor and Budva
The Kotor San Giovanni Fortress is the exception people still get wrong: City Walls tickets are sold online by card, and card payment at the gate is normally available — so it isn’t the cash-only stop it used to be. Carry a little cash anyway in case a terminal is down.
ATMs: available in all towns. Montenegro uses euros, so there’s no exchange rate to worry about if you’re coming from a eurozone country.
Operator tip: plan €60–80 in cash for a full day in the Kotor area (boat, lunch, small shops, tips). Most customers run short and have to find an ATM mid-day.
Serbia — Serbian Dinar (RSD)
Serbia uses the Serbian Dinar (RSD). The rate floats at approximately €1 = 117 RSD (check current rate before travelling).
Card acceptance: good in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and other cities. Less reliable in smaller towns and rural areas.
ATMs: widely available in cities. Withdraw RSD for the best rate.
Note: Serbia is not on the standard Dubrovnik–Mostar–Kotor tourist circuit. Most visitors to the western Balkans coast don’t enter Serbia. If you do, change all your RSD before leaving — it’s hard to exchange outside Serbia.
Albania — Albanian Lek (ALL)
Albania uses the Albanian Lek (ALL), and it is the country’s only legal tender. The rate floats, so look up the current rate before you travel and don’t round it to a convenient number — the old “€1 = 100 lek” shortcut has drifted well away from the market rate, and rounding in that direction makes every price look cheaper than it is.
Card acceptance: improving rapidly in Tirana and tourist areas. Still heavily cash-dependent outside major cities.
ATMs: available in cities and larger towns. Some ATMs dispense euros as well as lek — choose lek for better rates locally.
Note: if you’re transferring from Kotor or Dubrovnik to Tirana, you’ll need lek on arrival. Withdraw from an ATM in Tirana rather than exchanging at the border. Like RSD, lek is hard to exchange outside Albania — spend or change before leaving.
The money mistakes that cost tourists
These are the ones we see customers make repeatedly. Each one quietly costs €5–30.
1. Exchanging at border crossings
Border exchange booths charge 20–30% worse rates than ATMs. Never exchange money at the border. A €100 exchange at a border booth typically nets ~165 KM when an ATM a few kilometres further on would give ~195 KM. That’s roughly €15 lost on a €100 transaction.
2. Accepting “dynamic currency conversion”
When an ATM or card terminal asks “Convert to your home currency?” — always say no. Their conversion rate is 3–8% worse than your bank’s rate. Always pay in the local currency and let your bank handle the conversion. This is one of the silent killers — easy to miss, costs ~€20–50 per trip in aggregate.
3. Carrying only euros in Bosnia
Tourist-facing businesses in Mostar accept euros but give change in KM at a poor rate. You’ll lose 5–10% on every transaction. Withdraw KM from an ATM instead.
4. Not having cash in Montenegro
Montenegro uses euros (easy) but plenty of small operators — the Perast shuttle boats, the church and museum on the islet, village cafés, parking — still work in cash. Have at least €60–80 in cash for a day in Kotor/Perast.
5. Over-withdrawing fees
ATM fees are typically per-transaction (€2–5 depending on your bank). Withdraw enough for several days in one go rather than making daily small withdrawals.
6. Using airport currency exchange
Almost always 5–10% worse than ATMs. The ATM is usually 30 metres away.
7. Forgetting to tell your bank
Some banks still freeze cards on first foreign transaction. A 60-second call before you fly saves a panicked Sunday at a Mostar ATM. Most modern banks (Revolut, Wise, N26, Monzo, etc.) don’t need this — but legacy bank cards often do.
Multi-country trip: what to carry
Dubrovnik → Mostar → Kotor circuit
| Segment | Currency needed | How much cash |
|---|---|---|
| Dubrovnik | EUR | €30–50 (mostly cards) |
| Border crossing | Nothing | No fees |
| Mostar | KM | 100–200 KM (~€50–100) for 2 days |
| Border crossing | Nothing | No fees |
| Kotor | EUR | €60–80 (fortress, boats, small shops) |
Total cash needed: ~€140–230 equivalent, split between euros and KM. Cards cover the rest.
What NOT to bring
- Don’t bring US dollars — not accepted anywhere in the western Balkans. Euros are the universal secondary currency.
- Don’t bring traveller’s cheques — nobody accepts them.
- Don’t bring large-denomination bills (€200, €500) — many businesses can’t make change.
Best card to use in the Balkans
We get asked this constantly. There’s no perfect single answer, but a few patterns from what our customers tell us:
- Revolut, Wise, Monzo, N26 — generally excellent. Free or near-free ATM withdrawals up to a monthly limit, real exchange rates, no foreign-transaction fees. Most-praised cards by our customers.
- Standard credit cards (Visa/Mastercard from your home bank) — accepted everywhere cards are accepted, but watch for foreign-transaction fees (1–3%) and bad ATM rates from your home bank.
- American Express — accepted in some hotels and bigger restaurants, less commonly than Visa/Mastercard. Don’t rely on it as your only card.
- Cash backup — always carry a small euro reserve as backup. Power outages happen, terminals fail.
Frequently asked questions
What currency does Croatia use? The euro (€), since January 2023. The old Croatian Kuna is no longer in circulation.
What currency does Montenegro use? The euro (€). Montenegro adopted it unilaterally in 2002 — not in the EU but uses euros as the only legal tender.
What currency does Bosnia use? The Convertible Mark (KM or BAM), pegged to the euro at €1 = 1.96 KM.
Can I use euros in Bosnia? Some tourist-facing businesses near the Croatian border accept euros, but the exchange rate is poor and change comes in KM. Use KM for the best value — withdraw from an ATM.
Do I need cash in Montenegro? Some, yes. The Kotor City Walls ticket can be bought online by card and card payment at the gate is normally available, but the Perast shuttle boats, the church and museum on Our Lady of the Rocks, and plenty of smaller businesses still take cash only — and boat fares vary by operator and season. Carry €60–80 in cash for a day in the Kotor area.
Where should I exchange money? At ATMs, not at border crossings or airports. ATMs give the bank rate; border booths charge 20–30% more.
Should I tip in the Balkans? Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. In restaurants: round up the bill or leave 5–10%. For private transfer drivers: €5–10 for good service is generous.
What’s the best card for the Balkans? Revolut, Wise, Monzo or N26 are the most-praised by our customers — low fees, fair rates, easy ATM withdrawals. A standard Visa or Mastercard works fine but watch for foreign-transaction fees.
Are tourist prices in euros or local currency? In Bosnia, prices are usually in KM but tourist-facing businesses often quote both. In Montenegro and Croatia, everything is in euros. Always confirm currency before paying — euros vs KM in Bosnia can swing the bill 10%.
Do I need to declare cash at borders? €10,000 (or the equivalent in any currency) is the threshold that triggers a declaration when you enter or leave the EU, and, as a separate national rule, under the customs law of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Albania. It does not apply when you travel between two EU member states. Carrying more than that is not prohibited — it has to be declared to customs. Check the rules of the specific countries on your route before you travel.
Can I pay in euros at a Bosnian restaurant? Often yes near the border, but you’ll get change in KM at a poor rate. Better to pay in KM or by card.
Related guides
- Bosnia Trip Cost 2026 — real daily budgets
- Border Crossings in the Balkans — documents, wait times, the EES system
- Balkans Visa Guide — entry requirements by nationality
- Is Bosnia Safe?
- Best Time to Visit the Balkans
Ready to go?
Book the routes from this guide — fixed price, door-to-door, borders handled.