Samos Currency and Paying on the Island

Samos uses the euro (€), and the practical question isn't the currency itself but where cards actually work. Cards cover most of a typical trip; cash covers the gaps.

Cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops in the main towns: Vathy, Pythagoreio, Kokkari and Karlovasi. Contactless is common. Larger tour operators and car rental companies also take cards without issue.

Cash is still needed for village tavernas, small beach bars, local buses, some parking and smaller shops away from the main towns, where a card machine may not exist or may be down. Carry small notes: change for a €50 note can be genuinely hard to find in a village shop.

ATMs are available in Vathy, Pythagoreio, Kokkari and Karlovasi. In smaller villages, don't assume one exists; withdraw what you need before heading into the hills or the quieter west coast.

Tipping is appreciated but not compulsory. Rounding up or leaving roughly 5-10% at a taverna is typical. Many tavernas add a small per-person cover charge for bread, which is normal practice, not an added tip.

Currency exchange: with the euro as the local currency, UK, US and other non-eurozone visitors are better off using a card with low or no foreign transaction fees than exchanging cash, which typically carries a worse rate at island exchange desks.

Frequently asked questions