JOD Currency Guide
Most people picture Petra when they think of Jordan, the ancient city carved into pink sandstone. Fewer know its currency is one of the most valuable in the world, worth more per unit than the US dollar or the pound. You'll sometimes see it called "Jordanian dollars” but that's not quite right. Jordan's actual currency is the dinar (JOD), worth roughly double our own. It also splits into 1,000 fils, not the usual 100, so Jordan money can look smaller on paper than it spends. That's why the right mix of notes and coins matters. Sort yours before you fly, in one simple visit to your nearest Crown Currency Exchange.
Taking Travel Money to Jordan
If you're travelling to Jordan, in the Middle East, it's worth arranging to buy Jordanian dinar (JOD) in Australia before you leave rather than waiting until you land. Read more in our AUD to JOD currency exchange guide.
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Must-Do's in Jordan
1
Lock in your Jordan Pass before you land
The Jordan Pass bundles your Petra entry with 40-plus other sites, and if you're staying three nights or more, it waives the 40 JOD visa-on-arrival fee entirely. It has to be bought online before you land; airport counters can't issue it. Skip the pass and you'll need JOD, USD, or a working card ready at immigration, since machines there don't always cooperate.
2
Stock up on dinar before you reach Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum's desert camps run entirely on cash, and there's no ATM once you're out among the dunes. Jeep tours, camel treks and overnight stays are usually paid on arrival, and most camps don't take cards at all. This is exactly where having sorted your dinar before you leave Australia pays off, since there's no fallback once you're deep in the desert.
3
Bargain confidently in Amman's souks and markets
Haggling is part of the experience in Jordan's souks and markets, from spice stalls in Amman to craft stands near Petra. Vendors expect a bit of back-and-forth, and small notes make it easier to settle on a fair price and round up rather than wait for exact change. Keep a mix of 1 and 5 dinar notes handy so bargaining doesn't stall over a broken 50.
4
Chase the candlelight at Petra after dark
Walking Petra by day is one thing. Walking the Siq after dark, lit by thousands of candles, on the way to the Treasury for Bedouin music and storytelling, is another. It's not covered by the Jordan Pass, so budget for a separate ticket (around 30 JOD) and check the current schedule since it only runs select evenings.
5
Don't chase change down to the last fils
Most decimal currencies split into 100 units. The dinar splits into 1,000 fils, so prices are still sometimes written to three decimal places, 1.250 JOD, for example, a detail that catches plenty of Australians out. There's no physical fils coin, though. The smallest coins are qirsh, running from half a qirsh (5 fils) up, so don't go hunting change down to the last digit.
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Jordan FAQ's
Should I exchange AUD to Jordanian dinar before I leave Australia?
Yes. The dinar isn't a currency every provider stocks, and it's pegged to the US dollar while sitting among the world's most valuable currencies per unit. Sorting it before you fly locks in your rate and skips the poor-value counters near arrivals. Crown Currency Exchange carries Jordanian dinar in-store, ready in a single visit with the right mix of denominations sorted for you.
Is Jordan a cash-based country?
Largely, yes. Hotels, chain restaurants, and bigger tourist sites take cards, and digital payments are growing in Amman. But taxis, minibuses, local eateries, souks, and smaller guesthouses still run almost entirely on cash. ATMs are reliable in the cities but sparser in rural areas, so carrying Jordan money for daily spending, rather than relying on a card alone, makes sightseeing far smoother.
How much is the Jordanian dinar worth in Australian dollars?
Good question. The dinar is genuinely one of the world's priciest currencies, sitting around fourth on global rankings and pegged firmly to the US dollar. Against the Aussie dollar, 1 JOD currently buys roughly AUD$2, though that shifts with the market. It's worth checking the live rate before you go, since amounts that look small in dinar can add up fast in AUD.
What's a qirsh (or piastre)?
It's the actual coin you'll get as change in Jordan today, worth 1/100 of a dinar. Qirsh is the Arabic name for it, piastre the European one, for the exact same coin. Confusingly, Jordan's own coins mix the two: smaller denominations are labelled "qirsh" in English, larger ones "piastres," despite being identical units. So if your change looks inconsistent, that's why.
Do I need cash for Petra?
Petra's entry ticket can be paid by card or cash at the Visitor Centre, and it's already covered if you're using a Jordan Pass. Once inside, though, cash matters: camel and horse rides, Bedouin food stalls, and guides along the trail to the Treasury are largely cash-based. Carry a mix of JOD notes so you're not stuck haggling over change deep inside the site.
Is tipping expected in Jordan, and should I have small notes?
Yes. Tipping is part of the culture, especially in tourism. Guides and private drivers typically expect around 10%, hotel staff appreciate a couple of dinar, and taxi fares are usually rounded up rather than tipped outright. Check restaurant bills first, since a modest service charge is sometimes already included. Smaller notes make all of this easier than trying to break a 50.
Currency Fact Sheet
Official Currency
Jordanian Dinar
Currency Symbol
JD or د.أ (Arabic)
Nickname
None widely used
Bank note
1, 5, 10, 20, 50 dinars
Currency Code
JOD
Currency bank
Central Bank of Jordan
Currency Sub-Unit
Fils = 1/1,000 (Jordan uses 1,000 fils to the dinar — note this differs from most currencies)
Coins
1, 5, 10 qirsh (sometimes ½ and 2½ qirsh)
¼, ½, and 1 dinar coins (1-dinar denomination exists in both coin and note form)