Money in Kosovo: euros, cash, cards and cashpoints

“Kosovo currency” is one of the most searched practical questions in the UK, and the answer surprises plenty of people. Kosovo isn’t in the EU, yet everything is priced in euros. Here’s why, when you’ll need cash, and how to keep your card safe.

The euro, without an EU agreement

The European Commission explains it on its page about the euro outside the euro area. Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican have monetary agreements with the EU. Kosovo and Montenegro don’t, and use the euro as a de facto domestic currency, carrying on an earlier habit of using the German mark. Kosovo’s Constitution, in Article 11, simply says a single currency is used as legal tender and that the central bank is independent and called the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo. Paying in euros outside the EU is, in fact, the first of my Kosovo facts.

What else follows from not being in the EU, from your GHIC to Schengen, is in is Kosovo in the EU.

If you’re combining Kosovo with Serbia, bear in mind Serbia doesn’t use the euro. The Spanish foreign ministry’s Serbia profile gives its currency as the Serbian dinar (RSD), so that leg of the trip means another currency.

When you’ll need cash

Gov.uk mentions two cash payments worth planning for. The first is car insurance. If you drive in, European green card cover isn’t valid, so you need local third-party insurance at the border or in the nearest town, and gov.uk says to carry enough euros in cash to pay for it. I go through the rest in driving in Kosovo. The second is public healthcare, where a small cash payment is required for treatment, and your GHIC won’t help.

Beyond that there’s no official data on how widely cards are accepted. My rule is to always carry some cash, especially outside the cities.

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Cashpoints and cards without the hassle

Gov.uk warns that fraudsters can steal card details without you noticing. Its three tips are to use ATMs inside banks where you can, check street machines for signs of tampering, and keep your card in sight when paying in shops and restaurants. It also notes that criminals target people they think are carrying a lot of cash, so I wouldn’t withdraw large sums in one go. The other traps worth knowing about are in Kosovo scams.

Pounds, euros and conversion

Nothing official covers exchange rates or UK card charges, so I won’t quote any. My approach is simple. Arrive with some euros, withdraw more at a bank cashpoint, and if a card terminal or cashpoint suggests billing you in sterling, decline and stay in euros, so the exchange is done by your own card issuer rather than the machine. That small habit is the one money tip I would give anyone heading to Kosovo from the UK. How much to budget for, using only what’s sourced, is in is Kosovo expensive.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Pristina and pick one that fits your day.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Pristina on Booking.com and filter by area before price.