Euros or lira in Turkey? It is the question that fills every Turkey holiday group, and the answers are often out of date. Shops and boat-trip sellers in the resorts quote prices in euros, hotel reps talk in pounds, and the till says lira.
Quick answer: pay in Turkish lira (TRY) wherever you can. Euros and pounds are accepted in many tourist shops, but at the seller’s own rate, which is almost always worse. The cheapest options for UK visitors are a card with no foreign transaction fees (always choosing to pay in lira), or bringing pounds and changing them at an official exchange office (döviz) in your resort. In late October 2026, £1 was worth about ₺66.
Table of Contents
Euros or lira in Turkey: quick facts
| Currency | Turkish lira (TRY, ₺) |
| Exchange rate | About ₺66 to £1 in late October 2026; check a live rate before you change money |
| Best for cash | Official exchange offices (döviz) in town, PTT post offices and banks |
| Card payments | Widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and most taxis, including contactless |
| ATMs | Use bank ATMs; avoid standalone Euronet machines |
| Golden rule | Always choose to be charged in lira, never in pounds |
Can you use euros in Turkey?
Yes, in tourist areas many shops, bars and excursion sellers will take euros, and some even display their prices in euros because so many German and other European visitors stay on the Turkish Riviera. But Turkey’s official currency is the lira, and when you pay in euros or pounds the seller decides the exchange rate. That rate is usually rounded in their favour, so the same item tends to cost you more than if you paid the lira price. When it comes to euros or lira in Turkey, lira wins almost every time.
Euros do have one use: if you already have some left over from another trip, they are easy to change into lira at any döviz in Antalya. There is no need to buy euros specially for a Turkey holiday.
Should you buy lira before you go?
Usually no, or only a small amount. UK travel money shops and the Post Office tend to offer noticeably fewer lira per pound than you can get in Turkey, because the lira moves quickly and their rates include a margin. The rate at the official exchange offices in Antalya’s resorts is normally close to the market rate, often with no commission. If you like to land with some cash, change a small amount at home for your first day and the rest in Turkey.
Paying by card in Turkey
- Use a card with no foreign transaction fees. It is the simplest answer to the euros or lira in Turkey question, because the card pays in lira at a fair rate. Many UK app-based banks and some credit cards charge nothing on spending abroad; others add around 3% to every payment.
- Always choose lira. When a card machine or ATM asks whether you want to pay in pounds or lira, choose lira. Paying in pounds (called dynamic currency conversion) lets the machine set its own, much worse, exchange rate.
- Contactless works almost everywhere in hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and shopping centres, and most yellow taxis take cards too.
- Keep some cash for markets, small cafés, tips and the odd taxi whose card machine is “broken”.
Using ATMs in Turkey without overpaying
Most Turkish bank ATMs now add a fee when you use a foreign card, and the amount varies a lot between banks and even between machines. A few simple rules keep the cost down:
- Avoid Euronet machines, the stand-alone ATMs you see in tourist streets, hotel lobbies and airport corridors. Their exchange rates and fees are among the worst.
- Use a bank’s own ATM. PTT (the Turkish post office), Halkbank and Ziraat are the ones most often reported to charge foreign cards little or nothing, but fees change, so read the screen before you confirm.
- Decline the conversion. If the ATM offers to show or charge the amount in pounds, say no and withdraw in lira.
- Take out larger amounts less often, so a fixed fee is spread over more money.
Money at Antalya Airport
There are ATMs outside the arrivals hall at Terminal 2, but the exchange counters inside the airport usually give the worst rates of your whole trip. Only change what you need for the first few hours. The easiest way to avoid needing cash the moment you land is to pre-book your transfer and pay for it online in pounds, so there is nothing to pay the driver. Our Antalya Airport transfer guide compares the options, and our duty free guide explains what is worth buying before you fly home.
How much cash do you need on an all-inclusive holiday?
On an all-inclusive holiday most of your spending is already paid for, so cash is mainly for tips, the odd taxi, market shopping and drinks or meals outside the hotel. Many UK visitors simply use a fee-free card for bigger purchases and keep a modest amount of lira for small ones, topping up at a bank ATM or döviz if they run low. Prices in resort areas are not as cheap as many people expect, so budget for eating out at roughly UK prices.
Euros or lira in Turkey: common money traps
- Paying in pounds or euros at a shop’s own rate instead of the lira price.
- Accepting “pay in GBP” on a card machine or ATM (dynamic currency conversion).
- Changing all your money at the airport or at your hotel reception.
- Old exchange rates from forums. The lira has fallen a lot over the years, so rates quoted in older posts are badly out of date.
- Taxi drivers asking for euros instead of the meter. Insist on the meter and pay the lira amount. See our scam alerts.
So, euros or lira?
Bring a fee-free card and some pounds, change cash at a döviz or PTT in your resort, use bank ATMs rather than Euronet, and always pay in lira. You will get noticeably more for your money than paying in euros or pounds at the seller’s rate.
FAQ: Euros or lira in Turkey
Can I use euros in Turkey?
Yes, many tourist shops, bars and excursion sellers accept euros, but they set their own exchange rate, which is usually worse than paying the lira price. Turkey’s official currency is the Turkish lira, so if you are deciding between euros or lira in Turkey, choose lira.
Is it better to take euros or pounds to Turkey?
For UK visitors, pounds are fine: change them into lira at an official exchange office (döviz) or PTT in Turkey. There is no need to buy euros specially. A card with no foreign transaction fees is often the cheapest option of all.
Should I buy Turkish lira in the UK?
Only a small amount, if any. UK travel money rates are usually worse than the rates at official exchange offices in Antalya’s resorts.
Which ATMs have no fees in Turkey?
Fees change often, but PTT, Halkbank and Ziraat ATMs are the ones most often reported to charge foreign cards little or nothing. Avoid stand-alone Euronet machines and always check the fee on screen before you confirm.
Should I pay in pounds or lira on a card machine?
Always choose lira. Choosing pounds lets the card machine or ATM apply its own exchange rate, which is much worse than your card provider’s rate.
More AYT Survival Guides
- Antalya Airport Arrivals: Step by Step from Plane to Hotel
- Antalya Airport Departures: How Early to Arrive
- Antalya Airport Transfers: Taxi, Shuttle or Private Car
- Antalya Airport Terminals: T1, T2 & Domestic Explained
- Antalya Scams: 10 Tourist Traps to Avoid
- Antalya Airport Car Hire: What UK Drivers Need to Know
- Do I Need a SIM Card in Turkey? eSIM vs Airport SIM
- Antalya Airport Duty Free: UK Limits & What to Buy
Sources: exchange rates from XE and the Wise currency converter, ATM fee reports from travellers in 2025–2026. Facts checked on 7 October 2026.
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