Changing money in Qum — the sarrafi exchange shops near the haram, official vs free-market rates, and the pitfalls newcomers should know.
Owing to international sanctions and their impact on the economy, the Iranian currency is among the most volatile in the world. It has suffered great bouts of devaluation since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and for this reason many students prefer to exchange their foreign currency as and when needed, rather than changing large lump sums at once.
There are several currency exchange shops (sarrafi) near the haram of Lady Masumah (a), open during normal trading hours. The rates between shops don’t differ by much, but it is still worth shopping around, especially for larger amounts. New regulations mean you may be asked for identification before exchanging money, and there are limits on how much you can exchange at one time.
Exchange rates also vary from city to city: rates in Tehran tend to be better than in Qum, while Mashhad is usually slightly lower. You can check Tehran rates online at bonbast.com or tgju.org. For the latest Qum rates, call the exchange shops directly or check their social-media channels, where daily rates are usually posted. Some sarrafis even offer a convenient home service, visiting you to carry out the transaction.
Two important warnings.
- Foreign credit and debit cards do not work in Iran because of international sanctions — plan to bring enough cash, and budget for an Iranian bank account (see Banking).
- Bring high-denomination, clean notes. Lower denominations or notes with visible defects are either exchanged at a worse rate or refused outright. If you are moving to Iran, bring 50s and 100s in good condition.
Official vs free-market rates. Be aware of the difference between the official government exchange rate and the free-market rate. The official rate is typically much lower and is used mainly for imports and exports; the rate you actually get from money changers in shops and on the street is the free-market rate.
Popular exchange shops in Qum
| Exchange | Address | Telephone | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Markazi Exchange | Amin Boulevard | 3293 5060 | t.me/MARKAZIEX2 |
| MTC Exchange | Summayeh, corner of Shaheed Rajaei Street | 3774 9095 · 0912 754 5316 | t.me/mtcexchange |
| Amjadi Exchange | Eram Street, opposite Gate 5 of the Haram of Lady Masumah (a) | 0912 151 7220 | — |
| Azimi Exchange | Eram Street, opposite Gate 5 of the Haram of Lady Masumah (a) | 0912 151 7350 | — |
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