Indonesia, is better Euro or Dollars?

Hi,
I will get Indonesia and I'd like to know if it is better reach
Indonesia with Euro or Dollars? I'm european and I'd like to go there
with euro. Will the change rate be disadvantageous?
My first stop will be in Jakarta, can I change my money at the
airport? Is there a good change rate?
Thanks



bye Adriano

Adriano wrote:
I will get Indonesia and I'd like to know if it is better reach
Indonesia with Euro or Dollars? I'm european and I'd like to go there
with euro. Will the change rate be disadvantageous?
My first stop will be in Jakarta, can I change my money at the
airport? Is there a good change rate?

Typically you'll do slightly better with dollars, but probably not if you
have to pay to buy them in Italy first.

Anyway, it's easiest and cheapest to just use your ATM card at the airport
unless you have to pay very high fees to your bank for international ATM
use.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

"Miguel Cruz" schreef in bericht
...
Adriano wrote:
I will get Indonesia and I'd like to know if it is better reach
Indonesia with Euro or Dollars? I'm european and I'd like to go there
with euro. Will the change rate be disadvantageous?
My first stop will be in Jakarta, can I change my money at the
airport? Is there a good change rate?

Typically you'll do slightly better with dollars,

Really? This is no longer the case in most Asian and African (and of course
European) countries, in my experience. If the EUR = 1.2 USD, you will get
1.2 times more in local currency for EUR than for USD these days in most
countries.

Sjoerd

Sjoerd wrote:
"Miguel Cruz" schreef:
Adriano wrote:
I will get Indonesia and I'd like to know if it is better reach
Indonesia with Euro or Dollars? I'm european and I'd like to go there
with euro. Will the change rate be disadvantageous?
My first stop will be in Jakarta, can I change my money at the
airport? Is there a good change rate?

Typically you'll do slightly better with dollars,

Really? This is no longer the case in most Asian and African (and of course
European) countries, in my experience. If the EUR = 1.2 USD, you will get
1.2 times more in local currency for EUR than for USD these days in most
countries.

In countries with very free movement of money, arbitrage of course has the
effect of neutralizing currency biases like this. But Indonesia is not such
a country.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

USD will get you a marginally better rate (the buy/sell spread is always
less for USD)!

Don't know why!


"Adriano" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I will get Indonesia and I'd like to know if it is better reach
Indonesia with Euro or Dollars? I'm european and I'd like to go there
with euro. Will the change rate be disadvantageous?
My first stop will be in Jakarta, can I change my money at the
airport? Is there a good change rate?
Thanks



bye Adriano

"Miguel Cruz" wrote in message
...
Sjoerd wrote:
"Miguel Cruz" schreef:
Adriano wrote:
I will get Indonesia and I'd like to know if it is better reach
Indonesia with Euro or Dollars? I'm european and I'd like to go there
with euro. Will the change rate be disadvantageous?
My first stop will be in Jakarta, can I change my money at the
airport? Is there a good change rate?

Typically you'll do slightly better with dollars,

Really? This is no longer the case in most Asian and African (and of
course
European) countries, in my experience. If the EUR = 1.2 USD, you will
get
1.2 times more in local currency for EUR than for USD these days in most
countries.

In countries with very free movement of money, arbitrage of course has the
effect of neutralizing currency biases like this. But Indonesia is not
such
a country.

I visited the country in September 2002 when euro currency had been fully
effective less than one year and yet euro rates were quite decent. There was
little point to buy dollars by euros at home and then sell them for the
local money in Indonesia.

Miguel Cruz wrote in message ...
Sjoerd wrote:
"Miguel Cruz" schreef:
Adriano wrote:
I will get Indonesia and I'd like to know if it is better reach
Indonesia with Euro or Dollars? I'm european and I'd like to go there
with euro. Will the change rate be disadvantageous?
My first stop will be in Jakarta, can I change my money at the
airport? Is there a good change rate?

Typically you'll do slightly better with dollars,

Really? This is no longer the case in most Asian and African (and of course
European) countries, in my experience. If the EUR = 1.2 USD, you will get
1.2 times more in local currency for EUR than for USD these days in most
countries.

In countries with very free movement of money, arbitrage of course has the
effect of neutralizing currency biases like this. But Indonesia is not such
a country.

You're right twice in this case.

First, in your previous post you pointed out that dollars get a better
rate than euros (proportionate to the true exchange rate). That's true
in most countries, not just Indonesia. Dollars are still preferred,
many international transactions must be done in dollars, etc. so
dollars get a better rate. It may be a fraction of a percent in most
countries, but it is still there.

Of course, as you pointed out, if you have to convert your Euros to
Dollars in the first place, you will lose that fractional advantage.

Compound that in Indonesia with the currency issues they have. You
can't even count on a consistent rate for Dollars. When exchanging USD
notes you get a better rate for $100s but even that depends on the
date of the note and the physical condition. Dumb, but true.

Best advice is what you said first: leave your currency at home and
use an ATM.

"Tchiowa" wrote in message
om...

Compound that in Indonesia with the currency issues they have. You
can't even count on a consistent rate for Dollars. When exchanging USD

A consistent rate ? What a heck do you mean by that ?

notes you get a better rate for $100s but even that depends on the
date of the note and the physical condition. Dumb, but true.

Banks act like collectors? They have a scale of some sort to measure the
actual value of a $100 note? One torn corner and you get 500.000 rupiah
while very wrinkled a note buys only 50.000 rupiah.

just got back from there

1 euro = 12000 rupiah
1 dollar = 900 rupiah

"Rampelbergh Michel" schreef in bericht
...
just got back from there

1 euro = 12000 rupiah
1 dollar = 900 rupiah

Great. I am on the plane to Indonesia now and will change my euros to rupiah
to USdollars there.

Sjoerd