Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport sits 6 kilometers south of Djibouti City. The terminal processes regional flights from Addis Ababa, Dubai, Istanbul, and several East African capitals. No domestic commercial aviation exists because distances between cities remain under 150 kilometers. Visitors from most Western nations receive a visa on arrival costing approximately 90 United States dollars, paid in U.S. dollars, euros, or Djiboutian francs. The immigration desk operates 24 hours but processes passengers slowly when multiple flights arrive simultaneously. Official visa requirements change without advance notice. Travelers should verify current regulations at https://www.diplomatie.gouv.dj before departure. The airport has no ATM in the arrivals area and currency exchange closes unpredictably.
The Djiboutian franc pegs to the U.S. dollar at a fixed rate of 177.721 francs per dollar, maintained since 1973. Banks and authorized exchange bureaus honor this official rate. Street exchange operates openly but offers no advantage and carries legal risk. Hotels accept payment in dollars and euros but apply unfavorable internal exchange rates. ATMs function inconsistently. Machines dispense francs only and impose withdrawal limits between 40,000 and 100,000 francs per transaction. Cards issued by Visa and Mastercard work at most ATMs, though machines run out of cash frequently, particularly on weekends. The Banque pour le Commerce et l'Industrie and the Banque de Djibouti maintain the most reliable machines, concentrated in Djibouti City along Avenue 13 and Boulevard de la République. Outside the capital, ATMs exist only in Ali Sabieh and Tadjoura, and these fail more often than urban machines.
Cash dominates all transactions outside international hotels. Restaurants, shops, transportation, and markets transact exclusively in cash. Credit cards function only at the Sheraton Djibouti, the Kempinski Hotel, major car rental agencies, and the largest supermarkets. Even establishments that accept cards prefer cash. Mobile money services operate domestically but require local phone numbers and national identification, making them inaccessible to short-term visitors. Travelers should arrive with U.S. dollars in denominations of 20, 50, and 100, which exchange easily at the airport, banks, and hotels. The franc circulates in coins from 5 to 500 francs and notes from 1,000 to 10,000 francs. Coins handle small purchases like bottled water and shared taxi fares. Notes smaller than 1,000 francs almost never circulate.
Djibouti City contains nearly 80 percent of the country's formal commerce. The central market, Le Marché Central, operates daily from approximately 6 a.m. until 7 p.m., selling produce, spices, textiles, and household goods. Vendors quote prices in francs and expect negotiation on non-food items. Supermarkets stock imported goods from France, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia at prices 40 to 70 percent higher than comparable items in Nairobi or Addis Ababa. A liter of bottled water costs 150 to 200 francs. A basic restaurant meal of rice and meat costs 800 to 1,500 francs. Street food including sambusas and grilled meat costs 100 to 300 francs per item. Mid-range hotel rooms start near 15,000 francs per night, rising to 40,000 francs for international standard accommodation. Budget guesthouses charge 5,000 to 8,000 francs but often lack consistent water and electricity.
Electricity runs at 220 volts and 50 hertz. Outlets accept European-style plugs with two round pins, Type C and Type E. North American devices require both a voltage converter and a plug adapter. Power outages occur weekly in Djibouti City and daily in smaller towns. Most hotels and restaurants operate diesel generators that switch on within minutes of an outage, but generators do not always cover guest rooms. Portable power banks and flashlights remain essential. Water from taps carries parasites and bacteria. All visitors drink bottled water exclusively. Hotels provide bottled water but charge for additional bottles beyond the first. Boiling tap water for one full minute kills most pathogens but does not remove chemical contaminants or salts, which concentrate in Djibouti's aquifer due to proximity to the ocean and Lake Assal.