Travel Guide: All you need to know about money in Laos
Here’s the lowdown on dealing with money in Laos.
Kip is King: The local currency is the Lao Kip. As of May 2025, about 21,430 Kip gets you a US dollar, but check BCEL Rates closer to your trip. You’ll need cash for most things. Get it from ATMs, but it’s a pain to change back at the end of your trip, and useless anywhere else. Airports can change cash back, or donate it via someone you have met when you leave. Keep 200000 or so for your final ride to your departing point or to buy snacks. If you’re busing out, you can change leftover Kip at the border, but the rate will be terrible.
ATM Tips: BCEL ATMs are everywhere. They charge 30,000 Kip per withdrawal, you can take out 2,500,000 Kip. Some overseas cards have a limit of 2,000,000. You can make 4 withdrawals of up to 2,500,000 per day so you get about 10,000,000. Yes it’s going to cost some fees. Going inside the bank means you can withdraw up to 5 million Kip for the same fee.
Cards Aren’t Always Accepted: Credit cards are only for larger places in big cities. However, QR code payments are very common, even with small vendors. EzyKip and LocaPay apps are worth looking into – they have no transaction fees (just a small top-up fee when adding funds from your credit card), and LocaPay works well also. Any remaining balance when you’re ready to leave Laos can be transferred back to your card. You can then pay like a local scanning QRCodes everywhere.
Dollars and Baht: US dollars and Thai Baht are useful to have and you should take some. You need $40 USD for the visa on arrival, and some places take them for big purchases. Kip is essential for small stuff and smaller towns. Baht is used for larger items (AC and furniture, purchasing property etc) not for every day use.
Exchanging Currency: You can exchange most currencies in cities at banks or gold shops. Gold shops often give better rates. Although the official rate is not much lower since Jan 2025. Notes need to be clean and new, especially US dollars (dated 2009 or later).
Lost Card: Try to use ATM machines outside a bank branch. This way if a machine eats your card you can have a staff member retrieve it.
Laos, Luang Prabang, Monks, Travel
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