Currency in Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Notes come in Rs 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000. Each has its own color and gets a little longer as the value goes up. Coins come in Rs 1, 2, 5 and 10, and prices are quoted in whole rupees.
Rs 5,000 notes are awkward for small purchases. Large withdrawals often come out in 5,000s, and tuk-tuk drivers, food stalls and small shops often can't change one. Break them at supermarkets, hotels and pharmacies, and keep a stack of Rs 100 and 500 notes for daily spending. You can only bring Rs 20,000 into the country, so get your rupees on arrival: Bank of Ceylon runs a 24-hour exchange counter and ATMs in the arrivals hall at Colombo airport.
The card above tracks the USD to LKR exchange rate, so you can see whether now is a good time to convert. Converting another currency? Check your own pair in our live calculator.
Paying with card in Sri Lanka
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at most hotels, supermarkets, malls, chain restaurants and tourist restaurants in Colombo, Kandy, Galle and Ella. Tuk-tuks, buses, street food, small family-run guesthouses and most shops outside the towns don't take cards. American Express works in far fewer places, mainly where Nations Trust Bank runs the terminal, so don't bring it as your only card.
Some shops, guesthouses and tour desks add 2.5 to 3% for paying by card. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka said in 2025 that this isn't allowed, because merchant agreements forbid passing the fee on to customers. If it happens, keep the receipt and report the charge to your card issuer. Your own bank may also charge a foreign-transaction fee, often 1 to 3% of every payment, and the calculator below shows which cards avoid it.
Contactless works at most modern terminals in the cities, and a foreign card in Apple Pay or Google Pay works wherever the terminal takes contactless Visa or Mastercard. Sri Lankan banks don't offer Apple Pay to their own customers, so you will see few locals using it, but that doesn't stop your card from working. Outside the towns, carry the physical card and some cash.
Always choose rupees. When a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in dollars, pounds or euros, say no. Paying in LKR lets your own bank set the exchange rate, which is almost always better than the terminal's.
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Cash in Sri Lanka
Plan on paying cash for a large share of daily spending. A float of Rs 10,000 to 20,000 (about US$30 to 60) covers a few days of tuk-tuks, meals and tips, topped up from ATMs in town. Take out more before heading into the hill country, the east coast or a national park, where machines are fewer and further apart.
- Collect small notes. Rs 100 and 500 notes cover tuk-tuks, tea, short eats (the pastries and rolls sold by the piece) and tips. Break Rs 5,000 notes at supermarkets whenever you can.
- Use PickMe or Uber to carry less cash. Both apps take a foreign card in Colombo and the bigger towns, and the fare is fixed before you get in. Some PickMe drivers still cancel card rides, so keep enough cash to pay if that happens.
- Budget entry tickets in rupees. Sigiriya, the ancient cities and the national parks price tickets for foreigners in US dollars but charge in rupees at the counter, where card machines are not always working. Carry enough cash, or buy Cultural Triangle tickets online in advance.
- Stock up before the countryside. Villages, tea estates and the quieter east-coast beaches have few ATMs. Withdraw what you need in Kandy, Ella or Trincomalee first.
- Tip in cash. Drivers, guides, safari trackers and hotel staff expect rupees. Check the bill for a service charge first; the tipping FAQ below has typical amounts.
Best ATMs in Sri Lanka (fees by bank)
ATMs are easy to find in cities, larger towns and at Colombo airport, and much scarcer in rural areas. Some Sri Lankan banks charge a fee on a foreign card, but none of the big banks publishes that fee for visitors. Travelers consistently report free withdrawals at the two state banks, People's Bank and Bank of Ceylon, and a charge of about Rs 200 to 400 at private banks such as HNB, Sampath and Seylan. The machine should show any fee before you confirm, so read the screen every time.
Three different charges can hit one withdrawal: the local ATM fee set by the Sri Lankan bank (often zero at the state banks, a few hundred rupees at some others), your own bank's foreign ATM fee, charged back home, and DCC, when the machine offers to convert the amount into your home currency at its own rate. Decline DCC every time. The table below covers the local fee only.
Use a machine inside or next to a bank branch. Card skimming is common enough that the UK government warns visitors about it, and branch machines are watched and checked more often. Cover the keypad as you type your PIN, and walk away if the card slot looks loose or bulky. Some machines take only Visa or only Mastercard, so carry one of each if you can.
- Free on a foreign card
- People's Bank No fee The most consistently free machine in traveler reports through 2026. There is one in the arrivals hall at Colombo airport and branches in most towns.
- Bank of Ceylon No fee Also reported free, and one traveler withdrew Rs 200,000 in one go. The state bank has the largest network, including Colombo airport, though the odd rural machine refuses a foreign card.
- Charges a per-withdrawal fee
- Nations Trust Bank Free to ~Rs 200 Free on some foreign cards and about Rs 200 on others. It is Sri Lanka's American Express bank, so its machines are the best bet for an Amex card.
- Commercial Bank Free to ~Rs 300 Recent reports are split between no fee and about Rs 300. A large network in towns, malls and supermarkets, and it offers to convert into your home currency, which you should decline.
- HNB, Sampath & Seylan ~Rs 300 to 400 The banks travelers most often report charging, though the figures are a few years old. Use them only when no state-bank machine is nearby.
- Start with People's Bank or Bank of Ceylon. Both have the widest networks, reach the smaller towns, and are the banks travelers report as free.
- Take out larger amounts. If your own bank charges per withdrawal, fewer and bigger withdrawals cost less. Limits vary by bank and machine, so try a larger amount first and step down if it is refused.
- Cancel if the fee is too high. A machine that shows a fee you don't like isn't your only option in town. Cancel and try another bank.
- Don't count on rural ATMs. Withdraw in town before a safari, a hill-country walk or a few days on a quiet beach.
Updated September 2026
Exchanging cash in Sri Lanka
An ATM is the simplest way to get rupees, but changing cash works well too, and US dollars, euros and pounds are the easiest currencies to change. Only banks and money changers licensed by the Central Bank are allowed to exchange currency, so use one of those and skip anyone offering a rate on the street.
- Change your first rupees at the airport. Bank of Ceylon and several other banks run exchange counters in the arrivals hall at Colombo airport, and Bank of Ceylon's is open around the clock. Change enough for the first few days, then compare rates in town.
- In Colombo, compare two licensed changers. Banks and licensed money changers in central Colombo display their buying rates. The Central Bank publishes the list of permitted money changers if you want to check one.
- Bring clean, undamaged notes. Torn, marked or old US dollar bills can be refused or get a lower rate.
- Declare large sums. Declare foreign exchange (notes, traveler's checks and bank drafts) worth more than US$15,000 in total when you arrive. When you leave, declare foreign notes worth more than US$10,000. You can carry up to Rs 20,000 in or out.
- Change leftover rupees before you fly. Bank of Ceylon changes rupees back for foreign passport holders in the departures area at Colombo airport. Keep your exchange receipts in case you are asked for them.
For everyday spending an ATM is simpler, so save the exchange counter for a larger sum or for cash you brought from home.
Paying by QR (LANKAQR) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's national QR code is LANKAQR, run by LankaPay and accepted at more than 400,000 businesses, from supermarkets to roadside shops. It was built for local bank apps, but since 2024 several routes have opened for visitors.
- SwiftNeasy: LankaPay's own app for tourists lets you pay at any LANKAQR merchant with a foreign debit or credit card. It is new, so use it as a backup rather than your main way to pay.
- Alipay+ wallets: Alipay, AlipayHK, GCash, Touch 'n Go, Naver Pay, Toss Pay, TrueMoney, BigPay and a few others can scan LANKAQR codes and pay directly.
- UPI, WeChat Pay and Nepali bank apps: Indian visitors can pay with any UPI app, WeChat Pay has worked since April 2026, and Nepali bank apps followed in May 2026. Indonesian wallets such as GoPay and DANA aren't on the list, and Indonesia's QRIS has no link to Sri Lanka.
- Wise: since August 2026, Wise customers from the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Brazil can scan LANKAQR codes in the Wise app. US accounts can't yet.
QR payment is most useful at small shops that display a LANKAQR code but have no card machine.
VAT refund for tourists in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka charges 18% VAT, and visitors can claim most of it back on goods bought at authorized shops. The refund desk at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport reopened in July 2025. You get back 80% of the VAT, because 20% is kept as a service charge, which works out to about 14% of the price before tax.
- Spend at least Rs 50,000 before VAT in one shop on one day, on up to three invoices. Only shops showing the Tourist VAT Refund logo and certificate can issue the refund invoice, and they need your passport to do it.
- You qualify if you're 18 or over, not a Sri Lankan citizen or resident, and have been in the country less than 90 days on the day you claim.
- Goods only. Hotel bills, services, food and drink, online orders and anything used in Sri Lanka don't count. Gems and jewelry need the National Gem and Jewellery Authority details on the invoice, and customs checks them closely.
- At the airport, take the invoices, your passport and the goods to the customs verification counter to get the form stamped, then hand it in at the Inland Revenue counter for a refund voucher.
- Cash the voucher the same day at the Bank of Ceylon counter in the departure area. It pays in US dollars, euros, pounds or Indian rupees, and there is no card refund.
It is only worth the airport time for a large purchase such as jewelry, gems, tea in bulk or handloom textiles. Allow an extra half hour before your flight.
Sending money to Sri Lanka
Most visitors never need this. If you're paying a guesthouse or driver deposit, supporting family, or funding a longer stay, check the exchange rate before the fee. Banks and transfer services often pay a few percent less than the real rate, and that gap usually costs more than the listed fee.
The mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on Google, is the benchmark. Specialist services send rupees straight to accounts at the main Sri Lankan banks, including Bank of Ceylon, People's Bank, Commercial Bank, HNB and Sampath, usually within a day or two. A wire from a high-street bank at home usually costs more once the rate markup and intermediary fees are counted, and it takes longer.
Check the final rupee amount. A transfer with no listed fee can still cost more if its exchange rate is a few percent below mid-market.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I use my credit card in Sri Lanka?
Yes, at hotels, supermarkets, malls and most restaurants that serve tourists, and Visa and Mastercard are taken far more widely than American Express. You still need cash for tuk-tuks, buses, street food, small guesthouses and rural areas. A card surcharge is against Central Bank rules, so keep the receipt and tell your card issuer if a shop adds one.
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How much should you tip in Sri Lanka?
There is no fixed rule. Many hotels and tourist restaurants add a 10% service charge, so an extra tip there is optional. A private driver or driver-guide usually gets Rs 1,000 to 2,000 a day, safari drivers and trackers a few hundred to a couple of thousand rupees, and porters and housekeeping Rs 200 to 500. At small local eateries with no service charge, rounding up is enough.
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Why is my restaurant bill higher than the menu prices?
Menu prices at hotels and tourist restaurants often leave out the charges added at the end, usually a 10% service charge and 18% VAT. Together those can push the bill close to 30% above the menu price, and some places also pass on other government levies. Prices marked "nett" already include everything.
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Should I bring US dollars to Sri Lanka?
They are the easiest currency to change, and many hotels, safari operators and heritage sites quote prices in US dollars. You still pay in rupees at that day's rate, so change dollars on arrival and spend rupees day to day. Bring clean notes, since damaged ones can be refused.
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Are ATMs in Sri Lanka free for foreign cards?
Some are. Travelers report free withdrawals at People's Bank and Bank of Ceylon, while private banks such as HNB, Sampath and Seylan charge about Rs 300 to 400. The fee appears on screen before you confirm, and your own bank may charge its own fee on top. Always choose to be billed in rupees.
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Can I take Sri Lankan rupees out of the country?
Only up to Rs 20,000. Change anything beyond that before you leave: Bank of Ceylon changes rupees back for foreign passport holders in the departures area at Colombo airport. Outside Sri Lanka, rupees are hard to exchange anyway.