Should I pay in foreign currency or Turkish lira in Antalya shops?
From messages by 3 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 9 days ago
Counterfeit issues are mostly linked to $50/$100 (or equivalent euro) bills — these are sometimes faked. Smaller denominations are usually accepted without trouble, and sellers sometimes give change in them too.
Counterfeits mostly $50/$100 bills
If you need lira without visiting an exchange office, you can buy something at a Waikiki store — you'll get change in lira.
Waikiki — lira change
If you have Turkish lira left over, using it in duty free is preferable: the reported euro-to-lira conversion is reasonable and close to the normal rate.
Duty free
If you must pay cash in foreign currency, US dollars are usually better than euros in small shops: sellers often treat the dollar and euro as equal at 1:1 face value, even though the real exchange rate is different.
USD/EUR treated as 1:1 in small shops
Another way to get lira without using a separate exchange office is to make a purchase at Carrefour for about 1,500 lira and pay with a $100 bill. The reported rate in this case was around 46.65 TRY per USD.
Carrefour — 46.65 TRY/USD
Sometimes exchanging money at the hotel reception offers a better rate than buying at the current market rate — it is worth monitoring the rate and comparing options.
Hotel reception — exchange alternative
When exchanging dollars for lira, a rate of around 46 lira per dollar is considered good. Slightly below that is still acceptable, but if the rate is significantly worse, it is worth looking elsewhere.
~46 lira per dollar — benchmark for a good rate
Shops and market stalls accept dollars and euros, but the exchange rate is set by the seller and always works against the buyer. For example, a price equivalent to $1.40 in lira will be rounded up to $2. Pay in lira when prices are listed in lira, and don't forget to haggle.
Unfavorable rounding by sellers
A handy trick: at Migros supermarket you can pay in US dollars and receive change in Turkish lira. The rate is generally fair — better than most street shops.
Migros — pay in USD, get change in lira
Public buses in Antalya do not accept foreign currency at all — you must pay in Turkish lira. Exchange money before using local transport.
Buses — lira only
General advice: exchange your money into Turkish lira before shopping. Prices in Turkey are in lira, and paying in lira is always more cost-effective than on-the-spot conversion at the seller's rate.