Palestine, State of Currency & Money Guide: Exchange, Cards, and Tips

Palestine primarily uses the Israeli New Shekel (ILS) for everyday transactions, with Jordanian Dinars (JOD) and US Dollars (USD) common for larger payments and savings. Cash is still king, but cards work in major cities; plan to carry shekels, use local exchange offices, and keep a money-tracking app handy.

For travellers from Singapore, 1 SGD is roughly 2.7–2.8 ILS in early 2026, making on-the-spot conversions fairly straightforward for budgeting according to Bank of Palestine rate trends and regional travel guides. Everyday costs are moderate: a casual meal is often around 25–40 ILS (≈9–15 SGD in 2026) and a shared taxi ride between nearby cities can be 10–20 ILS.

You’ll get the best rates at licensed money changers in city centres like Ramallah and Bethlehem rather than at borders or airports, where margins are higher. Most hotels and better restaurants accept cards, but markets, taxis, and small cafés often only take cash. Using Hello’s multi-currency expense tracking and automatic exchange rate conversion makes it much easier to keep your Palestine, State of travel budget under control, especially if you’re splitting costs with friends on the road.

Palestine, State of does not issue its own currency; instead you’ll use Israeli New Shekels (ILS) for daily life, with Jordanian Dinars (JOD) and US Dollars (USD) for larger or more formal transactions like rent, car purchases, or savings. This multi-currency reality is one of the first money quirks visitors notice.

According to Travel Palestine and the Palestine Monetary Authority, the State of Palestine has no national currency, and the financial system is built around foreign currencies circulating in parallel. In practice, in the West Bank cities such as Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, Hebron and Jericho, the shekel is the de facto everyday currency: you’ll pay for coffee, falafel, taxis, souvenirs, and attractions almost exclusively in ILS.

JOD is widely used for long-term contracts and savings, especially due to historic links with Jordanian banks, while USD appears in tourism, international transfers, and some business deals. If you visit Gaza, you’ll also find the Euro used alongside ILS, JOD, and USD in some transactions.

For travellers, the simplest strategy is:

• Carry mostly ILS for daily expenses.
• Keep some USD as a backup for exchange.
• Avoid paying in JOD or USD in shops unless prices are clearly listed in those currencies, as change will almost always come back in shekels, often at a poor rate.

The Hello app’s multi-currency tracking is particularly useful here, letting you log expenses in ILS, JOD, and USD while still seeing your trip budget in your home currency with automatic conversion.

You’ll get the best Palestine, State of exchange rate by bringing major currencies (USD, EUR, sometimes SGD) and changing them at licensed money exchange offices in city centres rather than at borders, hotels, or airports, where margins are higher and rates less favourable.

Travel Palestine and regional money guides note that foreign currency is easily exchanged at banks and ubiquitous exchange shops, with the latter generally offering better rates and longer opening hours than banks. In Ramallah, popular areas like Al-Manara Square have several competing bureaus within a short walk; in Bethlehem, you’ll find them around Manger Square and the old city. Comparing two or three shops on the same street can save several shekels per 100 USD exchanged.

For a rough sense of value, Bank of Palestine’s public rates in 2025–2026 show USD/ILS around 3.3–3.4, and EUR/ILS around 3.9–4.0, though these fluctuate daily with global markets. For Singapore travellers, regional travel data and aggregator rates in early 2026 place 1 SGD ≈ 2.7–2.8 ILS, making it relatively easy to estimate costs (multiply shekels by 0.35–0.37 for SGD).

A practical approach:

Currency to Bring	Ease of Exchange	Typical Use
USD	Very easy at banks & exchangers	Backup cash, larger exchanges
EUR	Easy in cities	Alternative to USD
SGD	Possible at some exchangers, often via USD/EUR	Convert only in larger cities

Use an app like Hello to check live rates, record exchanges, and avoid mental math mistakes that can add up over a long trip.

Credit and debit cards work reasonably well in major Palestinian cities, but cash remains essential, especially for taxis, markets, street food, and small family-run guesthouses. Plan to use cards in hotels and malls, and cash almost everywhere else.

According to Travel Palestine and World Travel Guide, major credit cards are accepted by most hotels, larger restaurants, and big companies in cities like Ramallah and Bethlehem, while smaller shops and local eateries often do not process cards. In some neighbourhoods, even mid-range establishments prefer cash to avoid card fees and network issues.

ATMs linked to banks such as Bank of Palestine and Arab Bank are widely available in city centres and near malls, and generally operate 24/7. Local advice suggests using ATMs attached to banks rather than standalone machines for better security and more predictable fees. International cards may incur a foreign transaction fee (often around 2–3%) plus a per-withdrawal ATM fee from your home bank; withdrawing larger amounts less frequently can reduce these costs.

Digital wallets and global apps like Apple Pay or Google Pay work only sporadically; the local payments ecosystem is still very cash-centric, and region-specific super-apps such as WeChat Pay or PayPay are not part of everyday Palestinian transactions.

When you arrive with an eSIM from Hello, you can immediately check ATM fees with your bank app, verify real-time exchange rates, and log cash withdrawals in the Hello expense tracker, which automatically converts from ILS to your home currency to keep your budget accurate even when using multiple cards and cash.

Tipping in Palestine, State of is appreciated but not strictly mandatory; rounding up or adding around 10% in restaurants and for good service is common, while small cash tips for guides and drivers are welcomed but not expected at the same levels as in North America.

Local hospitality norms and regional travel sources describe a moderate tipping culture:

• Restaurants and cafés: If service is good, add 5–10 ILS on a typical bill of 40–60 ILS, or roughly 10% for more upscale venues.
• Taxis: Fares are often rounded up to the nearest shekel; no formal tip is expected, but adding 1–2 ILS on a longer ride is a friendly gesture.
• Guides and tours: For a full-day tour, many visitors give 20–40 ILS per person, depending on group size and satisfaction.

For 2026 budgets, regional tourism data and local price surveys suggest:

• Street food (falafel, shawarma): 10–20 ILS per meal (≈4–7 SGD).
• Sit-down local restaurant: 25–40 ILS per person.
• Coffee or tea in a café: 6–12 ILS.
• Shared “service” taxi (minibus) within or between cities: 5–15 ILS, depending on distance.

Expense Type	Typical Cost (ILS, 2026)	Notes
Street meal	10–20	Quick falafel or shawarma
Café drink	6–12	Coffee, tea, juice
Mid-range restaurant	25–40	Per person, excluding tip

Logging these day-to-day costs in Hello’s budget tracking helps you spot when café stops or taxis are adding up, and the app’s multi-currency view is useful if you occasionally pay in USD or JOD but want to see everything in ILS or your home currency.

Most travellers find Palestine, State of welcoming and straightforward to navigate, but you’ll save money and stress by exchanging cash only at licensed bureaus, agreeing taxi fares in advance, and avoiding unofficial money changers or “too good to be true” rates near borders and tourist hotspots.

Regional travel advisories and local guides highlight a few recurring issues rather than outright scams:

• Poor exchange rates at airports, hotels, and border crossings compared with city-centre exchange offices.
• Dynamic pricing in tourist-heavy areas like Bethlehem’s old city, where prices may be quoted higher for foreigners unless you ask for a menu or clarify the amount.
• Unmetered taxis that quote in USD or JOD at inflated rates; it’s better to insist on shekel pricing and confirm the total before the ride.

Money-saving tips that locals often share:

• Use “service” taxis (shared minivans) instead of private cabs for intercity travel; they can cost one-third or less of a private ride.
• Eat where locals eat—small shawarma or hummus shops often charge half the price of tourist-facing restaurants for similar quality.
• Pay in ILS whenever possible; paying in USD or JOD usually leads to unfavourable ad-hoc conversion and change in shekels.

Tracking these expenses, shared taxis, and group meals with Hello’s expense splitting keeps things fair within your travel group. Everyone can log their share in their own currency, while Hello automatically applies current exchange rates so nobody overpays because of confusing conversions.

Travellers researching Palestine, State of currency and money tips usually ask the same core questions: which currency is used, how to pay for things, whether cards are reliable, and how much to tip. Here are concise answers to help you plan your budget with confidence.

Q: What is the main currency in Palestine, State of?
A: Everyday transactions are almost all in Israeli New Shekels (ILS). Jordanian Dinars (JOD) and US Dollars (USD) are used for larger payments and savings, but visitors should budget primarily in shekels.

Q: Can I use my credit card everywhere?
A: No. Cards are widely accepted in hotels, malls, and larger restaurants in cities like Ramallah and Bethlehem, but smaller shops, markets, and many taxis are cash-only. Always carry enough shekels for a day’s expenses.

Q: Are ATMs easy to find?
A: Yes in major cities. Banks such as Bank of Palestine and Arab Bank operate 24/7 ATMs in central areas and malls. In smaller towns and refugee camps, ATMs may be fewer, so withdrawing in advance is wise.

Q: What is the Palestine, State of exchange rate from SGD?
A: In early 2026, typical market data shows 1 SGD ≈ 2.7–2.8 ILS, but always check a live source or an app like Hello before exchanging.

Q: How much should I tip?
A: In restaurants, around 10% for good service is common. For taxis, just round up. For full-day guides, 20–40 ILS per person is a reasonable range.

For connectivity, buying Hello eSIM for Palestine, State of before you fly lets you arrive with data ready to check live rates, map ATMs, and sync all your expenses right in the Hello app.