|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
One of the first things you should take care of when visiting another country is converting your money to the currency accepted in that place and the exchange rate. Kiev's currency comes in the form of the Hryvnia (UAH). Introduced in September of 1996, this is the only currency recognized in the city.
Hryvnia comes in several denominations. There are bills for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100. Coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 kopiykas. As of 2008, the exchange Hyrvnia-US dollar exchange rate is 7 UAH to 1$.
When in Ukraine, cash is the best mode of paying for purchases. To convert your money to UAH, you need only visit any of the numerous exchange offices in the city. There's bound to be one in every district. ATM machines are not a problem too. Language is not a problem with the machines; most have instructions available in English, Russian, and Ukrainian. Some also offer German and French.
Travelers' checks, American Express, and Barclays can be cashed in any of the local banks in the area into dollars. When converting your money to UAH or back to your original currency, approach only the banks or the exchange offices. Beware of accepting transactions on the streets as this is illegal in Kiev.
When paying for your purchases, try to use cash as much as possible. Some establishments accept credit cards but fraud is rampant in this part of the country, so it's wiser to use cash instead. Using your credit card can also mean additional charges which can be as high as 3% per purchase.
If short of cash, or you have to receive money while in Ukraine, international money agencies like Money Gram and Western Union can be used. It takes a while but this method is reliable and their offices can be located easily.
|
|
|
 |
|
