South Asia

Money, cards and tipping in Pakistan

Capital: IslamabadUrdu, English, Punjabi, PashtoUpdated October 2026

PKRRupee

Money in Pakistan

Mostly cash Cash dominates; cards work at upscale hotels, malls and chains in big cities. Carry enough rupees for the north, where ATMs are scarce. US$1 ≈ Rs276.82 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Service charge is sometimes added; otherwise leave about 10% in restaurants. Tip drivers and guides, and give hotel staff small change.
ATMs: HBL, UBL and MCB ATMs take foreign cards in cities; few work reliably in mountain valleys.
Paying by phone: JazzCash, Easypaisa and Raast QR need local accounts; visitors pay cash, or cards at bigger venues.
Price level: about 24% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Lahore	Mostly cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for rickshaws, food streets and bazaars. ATMs from HBL, UBL and MCB accept foreign cards.
Islamabad	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in cafés, malls and hotels; cash for rickshaws, small restaurants and markets. ATMs accept foreign cards.
Hunza Valley	Mostly cash	Few ATMs, some often empty; bring PKR from Islamabad or Gilgit. Hotels in Karimabad may take cards when the signal works.
Karachi	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for rickshaws, street food and bazaars. ATMs accept foreign cards.
Skardu	Mostly cash	A few ATMs, often empty. Bring enough PKR from Islamabad; cards work rarely at larger hotels.
Gilgit	Cash only	Cash only outside a few hotels. Bring plenty of PKR from Islamabad; ATMs in Gilgit are limited and may not accept foreign cards.
Swat Valley	Cash only	Cash only in the valley. Bring enough rupees from Islamabad or Peshawar; ATMs in Mingora may not accept foreign cards.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Pakistan?

Service charge is sometimes added; otherwise leave about 10% in restaurants. Tip drivers and guides, and give hotel staff small change.

Is Pakistan cashless?

Mostly cash. Cash dominates; cards work at upscale hotels, malls and chains in big cities. Carry enough rupees for the north, where ATMs are scarce.

What currency does Pakistan use?

The Rupee (PKR). US$1 ≈ Rs276.82 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.