USD to ZAR mid-rate = 14.4019
Right now the USD/ZAR market mid-rate is 14.4019 and represents ideally how many South African Rand you can get for one United States Dollar.
You can calculate equivalent United States Dollar to South African Rand currency amounts (at mid-rate) below. Then select the transaction type to compare the best exchange rates available for USD to ZAR transfers or buying ZAR travel money.
USD / ZAR Converter
14.4019 South African Rand
Compare how much you can save on
USD/ZAR exchange rates for:
| ZAR Country Guides |
|---|
 South Africa |
United States Dollar to South African Rand (USD-ZAR) - 10 Year History
The below table shows the historic variation in the USD/ZAR exchange rate over the last 10 years. The percentage change is the difference from the date shown to present. This lets you decide if the current rate is in your favour. You can also view our various charts of USD versus other currencies : USD historical charts.
| Date | Exchange Rate | Period | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Dec 2018 | 14.4286 | Latest | |
| 03 Dec 2018 | 13.7003 | 1 Week | +5.32% |
| 10 Nov 2018 | 14.3243 | 1 Month | +0.73% |
| 13 Jun 2018 | 13.3130 | 6 Months | +8.38% |
| 10 Dec 2017 | 13.6804 | 1 Year | +5.47% |
| 10 Dec 2016 | 13.7801 | 2 Years | +4.71% |
| 11 Dec 2013 | 10.3868 | 5 Years | +38.91% |
| 12 Dec 2008 | 10.1850 | 10 Years | +41.67% |
Best Rates for USD/ZAR Transfers and Travel Money
The total transaction cost you will be charged is the margin from the mid-rate offered by your foreign exchange provider plus any fixed or percentage fees. These margins and fees will vary significantly for International Money Transfers and Travel Money transactions.
You can see a sample of the margins from mid-rate in the table below which shows an example of the costs charged by FX specialist and the average bank rate when sending money transfers from USD to ZAR.
Compare USD to ZAR Foreign Transfers vs the Banks
| Providers | Amount ZAR(R) | Exchange Rate | Fee USD | Total Cost | Transfer Speed | Transfer Services | Reviews | Deal Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 141,900 ZAR Top Provider | 14.19 | 0^ | 1.16% | 1-2 days | Online, Bank Account to Bank Account |  | |
 | 143,000 ZAR ZAR1,100 more | 14.3 | 0 | 0.39% | 1-2 days | Online, Bank Account to Bank Account | | |
Bank Average Banks - Average Rate     | 138,017.5 ZAR ZAR3,882 less | 13.88 | 15 | 3.86% | 2-3 days | Online, Branch, Bank Account to Bank Account | Average of Bank Rates |
VisitThe below table shows an example of the margins and possible savings when you order travel money online with a currency specialist versus the average bank, kiosk or post office rate to buy foreign cash.
Compare USD to ZAR Travel Money Exchange Rates vs the Banks
| Providers | Amount ZAR(R) | Exchange Rate | Fee USD | Total Cost | Reviews | Deal Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bank Average Banks - Average Rate | 13,443 ZAR ZAR3 less | 13.58 | $10 | 6.36% | Average of Bank Rates | |
 | 12,337 ZAR ZAR1,109 less | 12.3368 | 0^ | 14.06% |
OrderWhy can't I just get the USD/ZAR market rate I see on Google or in the Media?
The USD/ZAR mid-rate is the rate you will see Quoted on Google or the News, nobody except the largest banks and businesses can get exchange rates close to this mid-rate. It is actually just the theoretical half-way point (hence mid-rate) between the last rate at which the USD / ZAR was traded (bought or sold) in the international markets.
Getting a good market rate is mainly about timing however the transaction margin you end up being charged can be considerably reduced by around a few percent (of total amount being exchanged) for travel money and possibly over 5% to 6% when sending money. The exact potential savings depends on the currencies being exchanged and the amount you are transferring and if you are willing to shop around.
The closer your final exchange rate is to the market USD/ZAR midrate the better deal you are getting.
Our real-time foreign transfer and travel money/cards comparison calculators make shopping around easy and help you calculate how much you can save.
The three things you need in order to get a good USD to ZAR exchange rate
- Know the latest USD/ZAR market mid-rate. The closer your final exchange rate is to this real market rate the better deal you are getting. You should also judge how the current rate compares to the historic rate over the past 10 years.
- Compare your Bank's transaction costs
to several
licensed FX providers, remember to compare
the exchange rate margins as well as the various types of fees. We make that easy to do with our calculators for Foreign Transfers and Travel Money transactions. - Review up-to-date Currency News and Forecasts for both the and currencies, if available.
Currency News, Research and Forecasts for United States Dollar and South African Rand
Whenever you are interested in an exchange rate you are actually interested in two currencies due to the fact that the value of a currency must always be quoted in comparison to a second currency.
So it follows that if you are determining the best time to transact, in this case the USD vs ZAR, you should pay attention to both United States Dollar and South African Rand news and forecasts.
United States Dollar (USD) - Market news and forecasts
2018 has been a good year for the dollar; certainly much better than 2017, in which the world’s reserve currency lost 10 percent of its value on a trade-weighted basis. Entering the third week of November 2018, the dollar stood nearly 5 percent higher than its level on January 1st. The dollar benefitted in the month leading up to this report from Brexit uncertainty in Europe and from a collapse in the oil market, which saw its value rise against petro-currencies.
Seasonality becomes an important supporting factor for the dollar approaching year-end, and especially in November. Since 2010, the dollar has averaged trade-weighted gains of 1.8 percent in November and 0.2 percent in December.
In September, Citibank said of the dollar’s 6-12-month outlook that 3-4 percent upside was likely, followed by an 11 percent loss in the long term. It predicted EUR/USD climbing as high as $1.30, from levels in the high $1.13s at the time of writing.
Like Citi, ING remain long-term bearish on the dollar. ING isn't ruling out interventions and jawboning from Washington aimed at weakening the dollar. President Trump clearly would like a far weaker currency.
J.P. Morgan said in November that the dollar would be worth slightly more in the first half of 2019, before weakening slightly in the second half of the year.
South African Rand (ZAR) - Market news and forecasts
The rand has rebounded from September’s long-term lows. By November-19, the day of this report, the rand was 12 percent higher against the dollar, but was meeting resistance at the important R14.0 level. Relative to the euro, the rand regained 13 percent to trade at R16.0.
Rand strength is likely to be short lived, however, with many factors suggesting weakness ahead for South Africa’s economy, which remains in recession, and consequently, weakness for the rand.
In addition, 2019’s general election will almost certainly add uncertainty, given the divisions within South Africa's ruling ANC party, and uncertainty nearly always leads to lower asset and currency prices.
In mid-November, 12-month forecasts offered by TradingEconomics.com signalled rand weakness worth 7-8 percent, with their respective forecasts for USD/ZAR and EUR/ZAR at 15.2 and 17.2.
