If you are planning a trip to this amazing East African country, you must surely be asking yourself some questions concerning all the aspects and factors that can make your vacation truly memorable and that will get you off to a peaceful start. One of these aspects concerns just what kind of currency you will have to use when you are in Tanzania: what is the currency of this country? How do payments work in the various stores or businesses? What currencies are accepted? Is it possible, for example, to pay with euros? And what are the limitations (if any) regarding, for example, credit card payments? Let’s find out more about all these aspects, while also trying to provide some information concerning the history of the local currency, and pointing out some general suggestions about the daily budget that needs to be calculated.
Coins accepted in Tanzania (do they accept euros?).
Let’s come to the first question: is it possible to make a payment in Tanzania with euros, or is it necessary to be equipped with the local currency? And, more generally, what currencies are accepted here?
The local currency is the Tanzanian shilling, which was introduced in 1966 to replace the African shilling.This means that if you are in any local store and are equipped with this currency, you will have no problem making your purchases. However, since Tanzania has been the subject over the years (and still is) of many visits by tourists from all over the world, in several businesses (especially in the Lodges or Camps) you can also pay with euros, as this currency (along with the U.S. dollar) is also accepted here.
In general, then, the accepted currencies are the local shilling, recommended especially for tips or purchases in small stores, and for payments in restaurants or various local dining establishments; but also the euro and the U.S. dollar, which go for the most in lodges and Camps. Speaking of dollars, however, it is good to know that those issued before 2009 are not accepted both for what concerns visa payments and in some facilities (they are also exchanged with some difficulty).
Cuts and figures of Tanzanian coins and banknotes
The symbol for this coin is written in x/y, where x is the amount of shilingi and y is the amount of senti, flanked by an equals sign replacing the zero. To give an example, 50 senti is written “=/50” or “-/50.”
The shilling is divided into 100 sentiments.
In 1966, when it was officially introduced, it included the 5, 20 and 50 senti coins (in which the 5 coin was made of bronze, the 20 coin was made of nickel brass and the 50 coin was made of cupro-nickel); to date, the coins are 50, 100, 200 and 500 shilingi.
The bills introduced in the 1966 were 5, 10, 20, and 100 shilingi (the 50 shilingi was introduced in 1985, followed by the 200 shilingi, introduced the following year, the 500 shilingi in 1989, and the 1000 shilingi in 1990). To date, several banknotes are replaced by coins, and the only ones in circulation are 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000 shilingi.
The 500 shilingi banknote has green as its main color, and features an image of a Black Buffalo on the front, and an image of Nkrumah Hall, University of Dar es Salam, on the reverse.
The 1,000 shilingi banknote has blue-violet as its main color, and features the image of Julius Nyerere on the front and the image of the Parliament Building, located in Dar es Salaam, on the back.
The 2000 shilingi banknote has orange-brown as its main color, and features the Kilimanjaro lion on the front and The Old Fort of Stone Town on the verso.
The 5,000 shilingi banknote has purple as its main color, and features a black rhino on the front, and the Stone Town Wonder Palace and Geita Gold Mine on the reverse.
The 1000 shilingu banknote has red as its main color, and features an Elephant on the front, and the image of the Bank of Tanzania Headquarters on the reverse.
Tanzanian shilling: value and history of Tanzanian currency
Tanzania is a very particular and complex country, and its complexity can be seen in many aspects that do not only concern the local currency: from a linguistic point of view, for example, it is well known that Swahili (the language most widely used in Tanzania) has been greatly influenced by the various colonizations and trade relations over the centuries, and is in fact a very flexible and open language (taking many loans from other languages). We can say that this influence was also visible in the establishment of the local currency, since the Tanzanian shilling was not the only currency used: it was introduced in 1966, replacing the African shilling.
As of today, it is the official currency of Tanzania, accepted in all businesses, stores, and institutions, but flanked in some cases (especially in accommodations and within those specifically for tourists) also by the U.S. dollar and the euro.
Credit card payments
In this area it is also possible to make purchases by paying with credit cards: you should know, in fact, that most stores and commercial and tourist activities are equipped with all the equipment for digital payments, for example with Mastercard, Diners, Access, American Express, and Visa credit cards. In fact, there are no particular limitations, but in general, when possible, cash payment is recommended because the commission fees are quite high (they reach as high as 8 percent in many cases and are never lower than 6 percent).
In general, it is not complicated to pay in cash because most banks and credit institutions are equipped with POS counters for withdrawals.
Interesting facts about Tanzania’s local currency and currency
The Tanzanian shilling has not been the only type of currency used here: in fact, currency has also been affected by various foreign influences over the centuries since Tanzania has often been subject to conquest and colonization. Over time, the local currency has been: the East African guilder, the East African rupee and the Zanzibari rupee (but also the German East African rupee, since we should not forget that Germany also played an important role in the colonization of Tanzania), and the Zanzibari riyal.
Daily budget: how much to calculate for the vacation
It is not so easy to give universal advice on the daily budget that needs to be calculated for the vacation: this is because each of us has our own specific needs that are different from anyone else’s, and while there are those who prefer to take a simple, adventure trip (which, therefore, does not require a large budget), there are also many tourists who instead do not want to make sacrifices and wish to try many experiences (and, for this reason, may have the need for a larger amount of money).
In any case, as we have said, it is not necessary to carry a large amount of cash with you, for two reasons: the first is that, for any need, you can withdraw from ATMs located in the various bank counters in the cities; the second is that in many accommodation and tourist facilities credit card payments are also accepted. Since, however, many areas of Tanzania that are interesting to visit are located outside the cities (and outside the cities it is not so easy to find ATMs), it is advisable to always keep something with you according to your needs.
In general, those taking a more adventure-based trip need to calculate a figure of about 30 euros per day, which can increase if they enter museums or participate in paid experiences and activities.
For further study: How much does a safari in Tanzania cost?
