Currency in Bucharest
The official currency in Romania is the leu and the plural is known as lei. The currency symbol is LEI and the currency code is RON.
Notes and Coins
In Bucharest, you'll find 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 200 lei notes and 10 and 50 bani coins (100 bani = 1 RON).
ATMs & Banks
In Bucharest, you won't have any difficulty finding cash machines and banks spread throughout the city.
How to Pay
The best way to save on commissions is to always pay by credit card, as then you'll be paying the current exchange rate and the maximum commission (which ranges depending on the card provider) tends to be around 1%.
You must also keep in mind that many museums and churches still do not accept payment by card, so we recommend always having some cash.
Where to Exchange Money
Since it’s usually the most cost-effective option, the recommended choice is to withdraw lei directly from ATMs, but there are other alternatives.
Taking Money from Cash Machines
The commission that you are charged for taking money out in a foreign currency is 4%. The best thing to do is to check with your bank what commission they charge for withdrawing money in foreign currency. This way, you can consider the option of withdrawing money directly from ATMs in Bucharest.
Exchanging Money in Bucharest
Another option is to exchange your currency for LEI when in Bucharest. There are plenty of banks and money exchange houses where you can do this. You need to compare both the exchange rate and the commission, or simply ask how many lei you'll receive in exchange for the amount you want to change.
Exchange Rate
5 RON (US$ 1.04).
