While visiting this country is truly an amazing thing, the money in South Sudan is frankly retarded to such a degree that there are 6,000 Sudanese Pounds (at the time of print) to the dollar, and the highest denomination note is just 1,000 (less than 20 cents).
And with inflation seeming like it will carry on indefinitely in this war-ravaged nation, things are only likely to keep getting worse. Do not fear, though, because we have some top tips on how to survive using money in South Sudan.
Click to read about drinks in Sudan.
What the South Sudanese Pound?
The South Sudan Pound (SSP), the currency of South Sudan, was introduced on July 18, 2011, following the country’s independence from Sudan. South Sudan became the world’s newest nation after a referendum vote, and the introduction of its own currency marked a significant step in its economic independence. Initially, the SSP replaced the Sudanese pound at a rate of 1:1, but due to inflation and instability, the value has fluctuated significantly over the years. In fairness though, the (north) Sudanese Pound has not fared much better…
The central bank of South Sudan has faced numerous challenges, including internal conflict, economic instability, and the reliance on oil exports, all of which have shaped the SSP’s value. Sadly, this means that while the currency should be a point of pride for the South Sudanese people, in actuality, it is seen as a joke, and a good old-fashioned Greenback is much more welcome.
The Exchange Rates of the Sudanese Pound
I’ll keep this brief, as the prices will have probably gone up since I started writing, but generally speaking, the exchange rates are as follows:
- USD to SSP: 1 USD ≈ 130.0 SSP
- GBP to SSP: 1 GBP ≈ 160.0 SSP
- RMB to SSP: 1 CNY ≈ 20.0 SSP
- Euro to SSP: 1 EUR ≈ 140.0 SSP
- Kenyan Shilling (KES) to SSP: 1 KES ≈ 1.1 SSP
Money in South Sudan
In South Sudan, the currency system is messed up. Technically, there are notes for 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 SSP, but in reality, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything under a 500 note. For context, the highest 1,000 note is worth 16 cents, worse even than Syria.
This basically means that when we changed around $1,400 for our group, it took up a whole cardboard box, and paying even for simple meals meant counting out wads and wads of cash. Essentially, except for the comedy value, money in South Sudan is best avoided.
Can You Use Credit Cards in South Sudan?
Actually, quite a lot of upscale bars, restaurants, and hotels do officially take credit cards within South Sudan. The problem, though, is that the country is heavily sanctioned.
This meant me trying 4-5 of my quite literally massive number of cards only to be refused. This included Yonder, one of the most overrated cards on the planet, who messaged me to say, “Sorry, we do not do transactions like this.” Sadly, the Post Office also said no, while I didn’t even have the patience to try Amex. Whether these might have worked had I used a VPN, I don’t know, but in the end, it was my ABA Visa card from Cambodia that saved the day.
Can You Pay with Foreign Currency in South Sudan?
South Sudan is one of the weirdest countries when it comes to foreign currencies, particularly because there are South Sudanese people spread throughout surrounding countries and the wider world.
This means that you can only change USD to Sudanese Pounds within the country, with Euros, Pound Sterling, and even Kenyan Shillings being nearly impossible to change. Upscale restaurants, though, will take USD, with many establishments even pricing in the currency. Overall, though, this means that money in South Sudan is a bit of a pain in the ass, and if you want to survive, you will need to bring enough USD, denominated in clean, crisp bills.
Surviving Money in South Sudan
Sadly, using money in South Sudan is one of the least fun things you can do, particularly when the LOL status of how rich you look after changing 100 bucks kicks in.
Get used to measuring/weighing money rather than counting it, at least until either inflation is dealt with, or they re-denominate the whole damn currency. This, though, barely takes away from what a truly fascinating and unique place South Sudan is to visit, with money in South Sudan being more of a slight inconvenience when you visit.
Click to check my tours to South Sudan with YPT.