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Currency in Tanzania TZS - Things to know

Foreign exchange guide to Tanzania and the Tanzanian shilling

Tanzania

What currency is used in Tanzania?

The official currency of Tanzania (country code: TZ) is the Tanzanian shilling, with symbol and currency code TZS.

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Things to know about the Tanzanian shilling

Here are some things you might want to know about the Tanzanian shilling:

  1. The Tanzanian shilling is the official currency of Tanzania. It is represented by the symbol "Sh" and is abbreviated as TZS.
  2. The shilling was introduced in 1966, replacing the East African shilling. It is divided into 100 cents.
  3. The physical currency consists of coins and banknotes. The coins come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, and 1, 5, and 10 shillings. The banknotes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 shillings.
  4. The banknotes feature images of famous Tanzanian historical figures, such as Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume. The design of the currency is constantly being updated, so the physical appearance of the coins and banknotes may vary slightly over time.
  5. The value of the shilling has fluctuated over time, due to factors such as inflation and economic instability in the country. In recent years, the value of the shilling has been relatively stable, although it has depreciated against the US dollar due to the country's high rate of inflation.

Travel money for Tanzania

Save money and time by Ordering your Tanzanian shilling online from Travelex, you get better rates and can pick up the TZS cash locally or even on travel day at the airport.

Another popular option is to use a Pre-paid Travel Card. Your Debit/Credit Card provider will charge you 2% from market mid-rate, but your bank may also charge an extra 3% as an “Overseas Transaction Charge” plus “Overseas ATM” fees for withdrawing cash.

For card purchases if offered a choice of currencies always select to Pay in Tanzanian shilling otherwise you may get much worst exchange rates.

 
 

Travel Ideas and Money Tips for Tanzania

Tanzania is the country that has become synonymous with the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar. People from all over the world flock to Tanzania to have a safari in some of the best national parks in the world. The country is staggeringly beautiful, populated by a warm Swahili culture, and home to some of the best wildlife on this planet.

What currency should I use in Tanzania?

The local currency is Tanzanian Shilling (Tzs). Many hotels require payment in US$, in particular for accommodation, but also for food and drink and for tours. You will also notice when booking and planning your trip that most of businesses quote prices in US Dollars.

For local shopping and smaller expenses, like shopping on markets and local restaurants, bus tickets Tanzanian shillings are must to have in your wallet. Changing money in Tanzania is not a problem in most populated areas. Hotels usually have a worse rate than banks, so you should go to a Forex office (aka Bureau de Change) or bank if possible. Banking hours are 08.30-12.30 on weekdays, staying open until 15.00 in larger towns, and 08.30 to 11.30 on Saturdays.

The legalisation of private forex bureaux has killed off the black market that previously thrived in Tanzania, and you can assume anybody offering to change money on the street is a con artist.

Can I use Credit Cards in Tanzania?

Credit cards are widely accepted in at tourist-oriented shops and similar facilities in Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, as well as most upper range hotels. They can also be used to draw cash directly from an ATM in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Mwanza. Away from these few major centres and upmarket tourist locations, cards are of limited use, and are best carried as a secondary means rather than as a primary source of payment or cash. Visa is the most widely accepted card by a long shot, but MasterCard and American Express are also accepted at a limited number of outlets.

How do I travel around in Tanzania?

If you are arriving by air, you will likely land in Dar es Salaam. Be mindful that local airlines offering connections to other domestic destinations, such as Arusha or Kilimanjaro are notorious for their delays and cancellations, while flights to smaller towns such as Kigoma may be advertised but actually unavailable.

Tanzania's largest city is Dar es Salaam, an urban centre spread out along the Eastern coastline. Registered taxis are generally safe and easily accessible from the Dar airport for 50,000 Tsh (or 20,000 Tsh in smaller towns). In Dar Es Salaam, the white cars will be identifiable with a yellow stripe and a three-digit number along the side. its always best to determine the cost of your fare with the driver based on a flat-rate before departing.

Overland buses are an economical option to travel from city to city across Tanzania, but they can be extremely long and uncomfortable journeys due to the poorly maintained roads. Local buses (dala dalas) are a cheap way to get around Tanzania’s cities, at only 500 Tsh per ride, but will require some Swahili language skills.

Trains are a safe transit option to connect from Dar es Salaam to both Mwanza and Kigoma via Tabora. There is also a second railway service which runs all the way Southwest to Zambia.

Though the railway system is a more comfortable transit option than buses, they do require the luxury of time and have been known for their significant delays, which could leave you stranded at the connecting train station at night.

 
   

USD/TZS Market Data

The below interactive chart displays the USD/TZS change and UP📈 DOWN📉 trends over the past 1 Year.

 
1 USD =
2580.0We compare provider deals to this wholesale mid-market rate. Read more
TZS
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Frequently Asked Questions

What currency should I use in Tanzania?

The domestic currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling.

What is the Tanzanian shilling currency code and symbol?

The three letter currency code for the Tanzanian shilling is TZS.

Which countries use the Tanzanian shilling?

It is the domestic currency in    Tanzania.

Is the Tanzanian shilling a closed currency?

No, the Tanzanian shilling is freely available and convertible. See guide: What is a closed currency?

What are equivalent amounts of USD and TZS?

Here are some popular conversion amounts for USD to TZS (US dollar to Tanzanian shilling)*.

USD TZS
$ 1 2,580
$ 5 12,900
$ 10 25,800
$ 20 51,600
$ 50 129,000
$ 100 258,000
$ 250 645,000
$ 500 1,290,000
$ 1,000 2,580,000
$ 2,000 5,160,000
$ 5,000 12,900,000
$ 10,000 25,800,000
$ 20,000 51,600,000
$ 50,000 129,000,000
$ 100,000 258,000,000
USD TZS
$ 0.0004 1
$ 0.0019 5
$ 0.0039 10
$ 0.0078 20
$ 0.0194 50
$ 0.0388 100
$ 0.0970 250
$ 0.1940 500
$ 0.3880 1,000
$ 0.7760 2,000
$ 1.9400 5,000
$ 3.8800 10,000
$ 7.7600 20,000
$ 19.40 50,000
$ 38.80 100,000

More amounts

*Converted at the current USDTZS interbank exchange rate. Calculate actual payout amounts for Send Money and Travel Money exchange rates.

Send Money to Tanzania - Best Rates

To get a good (and fair) exchange rate when sending money to Tanzania you need to find and compare exchange rates for International Money Transfers (IMTs).

The available FX rates for sending money abroad can be very different to the mid-market (wholesale) rate which you see reported online and in the News.

You should especially compare your own bank's exchange rates to those available from Money Transfer specialists to see how much you can save - we make that calculation easy in the below table.


Get a better deal for foreign transfers to Tanzania

When sending money to Tanzania it’s important to compare your bank’s rates & fees with those we have negotiated with our partner money transfer providers. To get a better deal you should follow these 4 simple steps :

  1. Open an account with a BER reviewed FX provider (id docs may be required)
  2. You specify the local or Tanzanian shilling amount you want to transfer
  3. Make a local currency domestic transfer for the requested amount to the provider's bank account in your country
  4. Once your funds are received by the provider the converted TZS amount will be transfered to the recipient account you specify in Tanzania.

Use the above calculator to compare the exchange rates of FX specialist providers rates versus your bank's standard rates you can hopefully save around 5% and maybe more - end result is more Tanzanian shilling deposited into the recipient bank account and less margins and fees kept by the banks!

 

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