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Find out what currency is used in India, tips and tricks for Indian currency exchange, and how you can save money on your visit with the Wise Indian rupee card.
Learn about the Indian rupee card
What is the currency in India?
The currency in India is the Indian rupee. Each rupee is divided into 100 paisa.
When you’re buying currency for India, look out for the currency code INR. And once you’re in India, you’ll see the symbol ₹ used to show prices.
You’ll find Indian banknotes in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 2000 - although the 1 and 2 INR notes are seldom used.
Indian coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10 rupee and 40 paisa.
Use the Wise Indian rupee card to spend in Indian currency.
The Wise Indian rupee travel money card lets you top up in your local currency, and switch to rupee to spend when you’re in India. You’ll get the best rate for spending in Indian rupee - and can also hold and spend 40+ other currencies with the same card.
Get your Wise travel money card online, to send and spend money around the world at the mid-market exchange rate.
Simply top up your card and convert to the currency you need in real time using the Wise app.
You’ll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden costs, and you’ll avoid foreign transaction fees while withdrawing from ATMs abroad, paying in restaurants and shops, and buying your accommodation and flights.
Learn more about the Indian rupee card
Tips for exchanging currency in India.
- The mid-market rate is the true exchange rate - with no sneaky hidden fees. Use an online currency converter before your trip to get a feel for what your money is worth and make sure you get a fair rate when you buy your travel money.
Familiarise yourself with the mid-market rate before your trip.
Convert GBP to INR >
- Being offered to pay in your own currency at an ATM is a sneaky trick and causes many travellers to pay more than they need to. Always choose to pay in the local currency - in this case, rupee - to cut your costs and get the best rates available.
Choose to be charged in India currency when withdrawing from ATMs.
- Currency exchange desks at airports and hotels often markup the exchange rates they use, and may charge hidden fees. Avoid this expensive option whenever you can.
Avoid changing currency at airports or hotels.
- Withdraw money, pay for meals in restaurants or spend in shops in Indian rupee, all at the mid-market exchange rate with the Wise debit card.
Use the Wise debit card to spend in India without rip-off fees.
Get your travel money card >
Spending money in India.
Paying by credit or debit card in India
Card payments are available in India's cities, but carrying cash is essential if you're headed off the beaten path.
ATMs in India
Finding ATMs in India's cities should pose no problem. Each machine will have its own withdrawal limit, though - around INR10,000 per withdrawal is common.
To get the best deal when spending on card or withdrawing money in India, don’t forget to use the Wise travel money card to avoid sneaky exchange rate markups and excessive fees.
Indian currency services.
Convert GBP to Indian rupee
Use our currency converter to see how much your money is worth in Indian rupee and familiarise yourself with the mid-market rate before your trip.
Send money to India
Need to send GBP to India? Use Wise for fast, low-cost, and secure online money transfers from the United Kingdom to India.
See the best Indian rupee exchange rates
Compare live Indian rupee exchange rates and see how much you could save with Wise.
Other helpful currency guides.
Other helpful currency guides.
| Currency guide: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Austrian currency | Estonian currency | Latvian currency | Portuguese currency |
Balinese currency | Finnish currency | Lithuanian currency | Romanian currency |
Bulgarian currency | German currency | Malaysian currency | Russian currency |
Chinese currency | Greek currency | Maltese currency | Slovakian currency |
Cook Islands currency | Hong Kong currency | Mexican currency | Slovenian currency |
Costa Rican currency | Indonesian currency | Montenegrin currency | Spanish currency |
Croatian currency | Irish currency | Moroccan currency | Swiss currency |
Cypriot currency | Italian currency | New Zealand currency | UAE (Emirati) currency |
Dutch currency | Japanese currency | Peruvian currency | Ukrainian currency |
Egyptian currency | Kenyan currency | Philippine currency | Vietnamese currency |
Indian currency FAQs.
Get your Wise debit card and save on your trip to India
Spend smart, save money. Avoid sneaky bank fees when travelling, with Wise.
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