The Manat, exchange rates, ATMs, and how to handle money like a local
The Azerbaijani Manat (AZN) is the official currency, pegged at approximately 1.70 AZN to 1 USD, a rate that has held stable since 2017. Notes come in 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 AZN denominations, with coins for smaller amounts (qapik, 100 to 1 AZN). Older Soviet-style notes are no longer in circulation, so any currency you receive will be current design.
Official exchange offices (mübadilə) and bank branches offer the best and most transparent rates, found throughout Baku and in every regional town. Avoid unofficial street money changers — rates are rarely better and the risk of counterfeit notes is real. Baku's airport has exchange counters, though rates there are typically slightly less favourable than in the city centre.
ATMs are widely available in Baku, dispensing Manat and often offering USD or EUR withdrawal directly. Outside major cities, ATMs become sparser — Sheki, Gabala, and Quba have them in town centres, but rural villages and mountain areas like Khinalug typically don't. Visa and Mastercard are accepted at hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets in Baku and most regional towns, but bazaars, small village shops, and rural guesthouses generally expect cash.
Carry enough Manat for a day or two at a time when heading into rural areas, since running out of cash away from an ATM can be genuinely inconvenient. A reasonable daily cash budget for meals, small purchases, and tips runs 30–60 AZN per person, on top of prepaid tour or hotel costs.
Tipping isn't obligatory in Azerbaijan but is appreciated and increasingly expected in tourist-facing businesses. A rough guide: 10% at restaurants if service isn't already included, 1–2 AZN for taxi drivers (rounding up is common), and 5 AZN per day for tour guides and drivers on multi-day trips, more for exceptional service.
USD and EUR cash are the easiest foreign currencies to exchange in Azerbaijan; GBP is accepted at major exchange offices in Baku but less universally elsewhere. We recommend arriving with a mix of cash (for the first day or two before you can exchange) and a card for ATM withdrawals thereafter, rather than exchanging a large amount at the airport.