Currency in Ireland: what to use and how to exchange

Ireland is in the eurozone, so prices, ATMs and card terminals all work in euro. The coins are the standard €2, €1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c and 1c; notes range from €5 to €200, though in practice you will mostly see €5, €10, €20 and €50. If you are coming from the UK, the US, Canada or Australia, your bank card will be charged in euro and your own bank sets the rate — usually better than any counter rate you will be offered in a shop.

The one thing that catches people out is the border. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and uses pound sterling. If your trip includes Belfast, Derry/Londonderry or the Causeway Coast, you need both currencies. Shops near the border sometimes accept the other currency, but at a poor rate, and change given will be in the local currency. Sort this out before you cross rather than at a petrol station.

Cards do most of the work. Contactless is common in supermarkets, cafés, hotels, museums, taxis and on Dublin's buses and trams, and chip-and-PIN still works where contactless does not. A small number of rural pubs, B&Bs and market stalls take cash only, so keep €20–€50 on you rather than relying entirely on the phone or card.

For cash, use a bank ATM rather than a currency counter. ATMs are common in towns and cities; in smaller villages and on the islands there may be one, or none, so plan ahead on the west coast and the islands (check). When the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and let your bank convert — the machine's rate is worse. Withdraw larger amounts less often to cut per-transaction fees.

If you arrive with foreign cash, exchange a small amount at the airport for immediate needs and do the rest in a town centre bank or bureau de change. Rates vary more than you would expect between counters a few streets apart, so compare two or three before handing over a large sum. Never use a street seller offering a rate that looks too good.

Budget in euro from the start. A mid-range day in Ireland — bed, meals, a drink, a bit of transport — runs roughly €120–€200 per person outside Dublin and more in the city; the country page has a full breakdown. Knowing the euro figure stops you converting every price in your head and losing track.

Prices include VAT, and the price on the shelf or menu is what you pay. Service is not added to restaurant bills, so tip 10–15% in cash or on the card. Pubs do not expect a tip for a drink, though rounding up is normal.

If you are staying a while, a travel card or a bank account with no foreign transaction fee saves more than any exchange counter. For a short trip, a normal debit card plus a credit card as backup is enough.

Keep coins for buses, lockers, parking meters and small purchases. Ireland's coins are shared with the rest of the eurozone, so leftover euro is easy to spend on a later trip to France, Spain, Italy or Germany.