Bhutan Currency & Money Guide: Exchange, Cards, and Tips

Bhutan uses the Ngultrum (BTN), pegged 1:1 to the Indian Rupee, and most everyday transactions still run on cash, especially outside Thimphu and Paro. As of early 2026, travellers from Singapore can expect around 1 SGD ≈ 65 BTN, but you should always check live rates before flying.

For a smooth trip, arrive with some convertible currency (USD, EUR, SGD or INR), exchange at Paro Airport or major banks, and keep smaller notes for village purchases. International cards work at some hotels and shops, but not everywhere, and ATMs can be patchy in rural areas, so don’t rely only on plastic. According to several Bhutan travel guides, 1 USD typically sits around 85 BTN in recent years, making quick price conversions easy by dividing local prices by 85 for a rough USD value.

To keep your spending organised, the Hello app is a helpful companion: you can log expenses in Ngultrum while automatically converting back to SGD, USD or other home currencies with real-time exchange rates. This is especially useful when you’re juggling both BTN and INR during your trip. Use Hello’s multi-currency tracking and expense splitting to stay on budget with friends and avoid surprises when you get home.

Bhutan’s official currency is the Ngultrum (BTN), pegged exactly 1:1 to the Indian Rupee (INR), which means 1 BTN always equals 1 INR and prices are effectively the same across the border. Since the peg has been in place since the 1970s, it makes mental math and quick conversions much easier for travellers.

In practice, you’ll see Ngultrum written as Nu. on menus and receipts, with notes in denominations like 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000. Indian Rupee notes up to ₹100 are widely accepted in shops and restaurants, while higher denominations like ₹500 and ₹2,000 are often refused or only accepted in limited places due to local regulations and counterfeit concerns. Bhutanese banks and travel guides consistently describe Ngultrum as tracking the Rupee one-to-one, so when INR fluctuates against foreign currencies, BTN follows the same pattern.

For planning, many currency guides suggest using 85 BTN ≈ 1 USD as a quick rule of thumb, while Bhutan-focused resources note that 1 SGD ≈ 61–65 BTN in recent years (early 2026 estimates put it closer to 65 BTN). Because rates move daily, always check a reputable FX site or banking app a few days before your trip and again on arrival. If you’re using the Hello app, its automatic multi-currency conversion lets you log expenses straight in BTN and see your spending in SGD, USD, or EUR instantly, without doing the math yourself.

The best places to exchange money in Bhutan are Paro International Airport and major banks in Thimphu and Paro, with airport counters open for all arriving and departing flights and bank branches operating regular weekday and Saturday morning hours. This setup means you can reliably get Ngultrum as soon as you land, even on late-night or early-morning flights.

Bhutanese banking and travel guides note that the country officially accepts around 10 major foreign currencies for exchange, including USD, GBP, EUR, JPY, CHF, HKD, CAD, DKK, AUD and SGD. If you’re coming from Singapore, carrying SGD or USD is usually simplest, as exchange rates for these are widely published by the Bank of Bhutan and other local banks. Several currency resources report that in 2025–2026 you’ll generally see something in the range of 1 SGD ≈ 61–65 BTN and 1 USD ≈ 83–85 BTN, though daily rates vary.

Here’s a simple comparison using typical mid-2020s rates:

Currency	Approx. Rate to BTN	Handy Rule of Thumb
USD	1 USD ≈ 85 BTN	Divide BTN price by 85 for USD
EUR	1 EUR ≈ 90–95 BTN	1 EUR ≈ 1.1 USD in BTN terms
SGD	1 SGD ≈ 61–65 BTN	100 BTN ≈ 1.5–1.6 SGD

Practical tips:

• Exchange a starter amount (e.g. 200–300 USD or equivalent) at Paro Airport for immediate expenses.
• Use banks in Thimphu for better rates when you have time.
• Break large notes into smaller Nu. 100 and Nu. 20 bills before heading to rural areas.
• Remember you generally cannot reconvert Ngultrum outside Bhutan, so aim to exchange only what you’ll use, or convert leftovers before you depart.

Credit cards are increasingly accepted in Bhutan’s larger hotels, upscale restaurants, and tourist-focused shops in Thimphu and Paro, but cash in Ngultrum still dominates everyday transactions, especially in smaller towns and village markets. Think of cards as a useful backup rather than your primary way to pay.

Local travel money guides explain that Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted cards, typically at mid- to high-end hotels, tour agencies, and some larger shops. American Express works in a few premium properties but is far from universal. Card payments often incur a 3–5% surcharge, and terminals can be offline during power or connectivity issues, so it’s wise to confirm fees before paying and always carry enough cash for a couple of days of expenses.

ATMs operated by major banks such as Bank of Bhutan, Bhutan National Bank, and Druk PNB are available 24/7 in cities like Thimphu, Paro, Punakha and Phuentsholing. Many machines accept foreign cards, but you may face per-withdrawal fees from both your home bank and the local bank (commonly around BTN 200–400 per withdrawal, plus FX margins). Rural and highland regions can have no ATMs at all, so withdraw enough before heading into more remote valleys.

Digital wallets and QR payments are growing inside Bhutan, particularly local systems linked to domestic banks, but WeChat Pay, PayPay and Alipay are not yet mainstream for foreign tourists. To reliably access your banking apps, ATMs, and maps, having Hello’s eSIM for Bhutan (Bhutan eSIM) means you arrive connected, can check live rates, and approve card transactions securely even if your hotel Wi‑Fi is patchy.

Tipping in Bhutan is appreciated but not legally required, and most local services build fair wages into their pricing, especially for tour packages. That said, modest tips are common for guides, drivers and hotel staff, and are usually given in Ngultrum rather than foreign cash.

Many Bhutan travel and trekking operators suggest that for a typical multi-day cultural tour, a reasonable guideline is BTN 500–1,000 per day for your main guide and BTN 300–700 per day for your driver, shared among the group. Porters on trekking routes might receive BTN 300–500 per day depending on itinerary and difficulty. In mid-range restaurants, locals and travellers often leave small change or round up the bill (e.g., from 280 to 300 Nu.), while tipping in tiny village eateries is less expected but still warmly received.

Everyday prices remain moderate compared with many Western destinations. In 2025–2026, you can expect:

• Simple local meal: BTN 150–300
• Mid-range restaurant dinner: BTN 400–800 per person
• Coffee or tea in a café: BTN 80–200
• Short taxi ride inside Thimphu: often BTN 100–250, depending on distance

Since cash is king, keep a mix of small notes for these routine expenses and avoid relying solely on large 500 or 1,000 Nu. bills. The Hello app can be handy here: by logging quick cash spends (like a 250 Nu. taxi or 600 Nu. dinner) and letting Hello auto-convert to your home currency, you’ll see instantly whether you’re staying within your daily budget or overdoing it on coffee and momo stops.

Bhutan is generally a safe and low-scam destination where most money issues stem from misunderstandings or poor preparation rather than outright fraud. Still, a few precautions and smart habits can keep your budget intact and your trip stress-free.

The most common pitfalls involve over-reliance on ATMs, exchanging money at poor rates, or forgetting that Ngultrum is not easily exchangeable outside Bhutan. Currency and banking guides emphasise that you should always use authorised banks or licensed money changers in Paro and Thimphu, as they offer competitive rates and reduce the risk of counterfeit notes. Avoid informal offers to change large amounts of cash, especially around borders or crowded markets.

Practical money-saving tips:

• Exchange only what you need and reconvert spare Ngultrum at Paro Airport before departure.
• Withdraw larger amounts from ATMs less frequently to minimise per-withdrawal fees (e.g., one 5,000–8,000 Nu. withdrawal instead of many small ones).
• Ask hotels upfront about card surcharges; paying in cash can often be cheaper than adding 3–5% on your bill.
• Eat where locals eat: simple Bhutanese lunches for 150–300 Nu. cost far less than hotel restaurants.

To avoid overspending without constantly doing math, use the Hello app’s budget tracking: set a daily BTN limit, record cash and card expenses with quick voice or receipt scanning, and let Hello’s automatic exchange rate conversion show the real impact in SGD or USD. When travelling with friends, Hello’s expense splitting in multiple currencies makes tour costs, taxi shares, and trekking tips fair and transparent for everyone.

Travellers planning a Bhutan trip often ask about Bhutan currency, whether cards work, how much to tip, and what the current Bhutan exchange rate looks like. These quick answers cover the most common questions, based on recent Bhutan money guides and traveller reports.

Q: What is the currency in Bhutan?

A: Bhutan’s currency is the Ngultrum (BTN), written as Nu. and pegged 1:1 to the Indian Rupee (INR). Indian Rupees up to ₹100 are widely accepted, but higher denominations like ₹500 and ₹2,000 are usually not.

Q: What’s the current exchange rate from SGD or USD?

A: Recent currency data and Bhutan-focused guides put 1 USD at roughly 83–85 BTN and 1 SGD around 61–65 BTN in 2025–2026. Always check live rates on a trusted FX site or banking app right before you travel, as markets move daily.

Q: Are credit cards widely accepted in Bhutan?

A: Cards (mostly Visa and Mastercard) are accepted in larger hotels, tour offices and some shops in Thimphu and Paro, but cash is essential elsewhere. Expect possible 3–5% card surcharges, and carry enough Ngultrum for at least two days of spending.

Q: How does tipping work in Bhutan?

A: Tipping is voluntary but common for guides and drivers: many operators suggest BTN 500–1,000 per day for guides and BTN 300–700 per day for drivers on multi-day tours, shared within the group. Rounding up restaurant bills is also appreciated.

Q: How can I track my spending in Ngultrum?

A: The Hello app lets you record expenses in BTN and automatically converts them using live exchange rates, so you always see what your Bhutan spending means in SGD, USD or EUR. This is especially helpful if you’re using both BTN and INR during your trip.