Let me lead you through the streets of Moscow

by Anni Pelmeni

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As you already know, Russian ruble is the only legal mean of monetary transaction in Russia. But the number of currency exchange offices is surprisingly great even for a tourist city. Usually the main currencies bought and sold there are USD and EUR.

Despite the rumors you might have heard, currency exchange is a safe procedure in Moscow. Most of deals in Moscow are conducted in so-called standard unit (uslovnaja edinitsa) which is an euphemism for USD. [though with EUR becoming a strong currency, EUR is also more frequently used as money equivalent].

According to Russian laws all the deals must be conducted in rubles, however most of the prices for durable goods and real estate are usually fixed in USD. The reason for such currency duality is in a very fluctuated rate of ruble’s value. With all the economic reforms the exchange rate of ruble has been falling very rapidly and it is unreliable to set prices for durable and expensive good in rubles as they might devalue tremendously overnight. Therefore almost every Russian citizen has some savings in USD or EUR and it is a part of normal routine to drop by an exchange office to convert money towards a purchase.

The safety of exchange offices is quite reliable these days as almost everyone uses their services.
Several hints:
1. Choose those offices where the transactions take place in a separate room, so you have privacy while dealing with money
2. You might want to compare the rates at couple of offices as they might vary, no tremendously, but for a big sum of money that could be visible.
3. Do not exchange money by a private person.

Stumbe it!