"How much money should I take?"

 

It's one of the most common questions I'm asked by friends planning an upcoming trip, so let's start with the basics.

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Armenia runs on the Dram (֏) & $1.00 = ~֏478, give or take a few.

A bottle of water costs about ֏150, or $0.31.

A beer = ֏1,000 ($2.10).

A cocktail = ֏2,500 ($5.24).

An average dinner for two & wine = ֏23,000 ($48.03).

An outright feast for ten and bottles on bottles = ֏160,000 ($313.24).

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I personally tend to spend about ֏16,000 ($33.41)/day on average whenever I'm in Armenia. That's usually enough to cover breakfast at home, lunch at a cafe, and dinner at a moderately priced restaurant, with the occasional cab ride, coffee, and drinks in between. If you like to splurge while on vacation, add ֏5,000 ($10.44) to be safe, totaling ֏21,000 ($43.85)/day.

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You're going to need more for trips out-of-town, so budget an additional ֏50,000 ($104.41) per trip/per day (for up to four people with a private driver) to the daily average. Some trips may cost more, but most will cost less, depending on proximity to Yerevan.

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In summary, a two-week visit to Armenia, assuming eight trips out-of-town with a private driver and daily expenses will cost:

-$3,300 for groups of four ($825/person),

-$2,100 for two ($1,050/person), or

-$1,500 for solo travelers.

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Cash is king, so take as much as you're comfortable carrying based on the totals above. You'll find currency exchanges in major supermarkets, as well as ATMs at every street corner in case you need extra cash. Don't rely solely on ATMs, though, since most debit cards are subject to daily withdrawal limits and ATM fees. Credit cards (Visa and Mastercard only) are also an option at some restaurants, bars, and shops, although the exchange rate of CC transactions is slightly undervalued. Whichever payment method you choose, remember to inform your bank(s) that you'll be using your debit/credit card overseas.

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Saghmosavank, 5.2016