Algeria operates on the Algerian dinar, abbreviated DZD. As of 2024, the official exchange rate hovers near 135 DZD to 1 USD, though parallel market rates often diverge by 20 to 30 percent. Foreign visitors must use official channels for currency exchange, typically available at banks in Algiers, Oran, and Constantine, or at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers. ATMs dispense dinars in major cities but are unreliable in Saharan towns such as Tamanrasset and Ouargla. Credit cards see limited acceptance outside upscale hotels in Algiers and Oran. Carry sufficient cash when traveling beyond coastal urban centers.
Daily costs in Algeria depend heavily on lodging choices and geographic location. Budget travelers willing to use shared taxis, eat street food, and stay in basic guesthouses can operate on 3,000 to 4,500 DZD per day, approximately 22 to 33 USD. Mid-range travelers using private transport, dining in sit-down restaurants, and booking three-star hotels typically spend 8,000 to 12,000 DZD daily, around 60 to 90 USD. These figures apply to coastal cities including Algiers, Oran, and Annaba. Saharan destinations such as Ghardaïa, Tamanrasset, and the Tassili n'Ajjer plateau require organized transport that raises daily costs by 40 to 60 percent due to fuel surcharges and guide fees.
Accommodation in Algiers ranges from 2,500 DZD for a bed in a shared room near the Casbah to 15,000 DZD for a private room in a mid-tier hotel in the Hydra or El Biar districts. The El Djazair hotel, formerly the Saint George, charges upward of 25,000 DZD per night for rooms with Mediterranean views. In Oran, hotels near the waterfront or adjacent to Ahmed Ben Bella International Airport start at 3,000 DZD for basic doubles and reach 12,000 DZD for business-class rooms. Constantine offers fewer options, with most hotels clustering between 4,000 and 9,000 DZD per night. In Ghardaïa, within the M'Zab Valley, traditional guesthouses charge 2,000 to 5,000 DZD, while modern hotels outside the old town ask 6,000 to 10,000 DZD. Tamanrasset has limited accommodation, mostly aimed at Saharan tour groups, with rooms from 4,000 to 8,000 DZD. Camping is prohibited in national parks including Ahaggar National Park and Tassili n'Ajjer National Park without permits issued by the Office du Parc National du Tassili, which cost 1,500 DZD and require accompanying licensed guides.
Transportation costs vary by mode and distance. Shared taxis, known locally as taxis collectifs, connect cities along fixed routes. A shared seat from Algiers to Oran, roughly 430 kilometers, costs 800 to 1,200 DZD and takes five to six hours. The same journey by intercity bus operated by the Entreprise Nationale de Transport de Voyageurs costs 600 to 900 DZD. Algiers runs a metro system with single tickets at 50 DZD, effective for travel within the capital's central arrondissements. Urban taxis in Algiers charge 200 to 400 DZD for trips within the city, though meters are seldom used and fares require negotiation before departure. Hiring a private car with driver for a day in Algiers costs 8,000 to 12,000 DZD depending on itinerary length. Domestic flights connect Algiers to Oran, Constantine, Annaba, and Tamanrasset. Air Algérie operates these routes with one-way fares from Algiers to Tamanrasset ranging between 12,000 and 18,000 DZD, a distance of approximately 2,000 kilometers. Flights from Algiers to Oran cost 6,000 to 9,000 DZD one-way.
Food expenses depend on venue type and meal composition. Street vendors sell garantita, a chickpea-flour pancake, for 50 to 100 DZD per serving in Algiers and Oran. Mhajeb, a stuffed flatbread, costs 80 to 150 DZD from roadside stalls. A bowl of chorba or harira soup in a neighborhood eatery runs 200 to 350 DZD. Sit-down restaurants serving couscous with lamb or chicken charge 600 to 1,200 DZD per plate. Mechoui, slow-roasted lamb, appears on menus in Algiers and Constantine at 1,500 to 2,500 DZD for a substantial portion. Merguez sandwiches cost 250 to 400 DZD at casual spots near bus stations. A meal at a mid-range restaurant in Algiers or Oran, including an entrée, side, and non-alcoholic drink, totals 1,000 to 1,800 DZD. Upscale restaurants in Algiers, particularly those along the Boulevard Mohamed V or in the Hydra district, charge 3,000 to 5,000 DZD per person for multi-course dinners. Alcohol is available only in licensed hotels and select restaurants, with imported beer priced at 400 to 700 DZD per bottle and wine starting at 1,200 DZD per glass. Mint tea costs 50 to 150 DZD depending on location. Lben, a fermented buttermilk drink, sells for 30 to 80 DZD at markets.
Entrance fees to historical and cultural sites remain modest. The Casbah of Algiers charges no official entry fee, though guided tours arranged through the Office National de Gestion et d'Exploitation des Biens Culturels Protégés cost 1,000 to 2,000 DZD per person. Timgad, the Roman ruins near Batna, charges 200 DZD for Algerian residents and 500 DZD for foreign visitors. Djémila, another Roman site near Sétif, applies the same fee structure. Tipaza, on the Mediterranean coast west of Algiers, costs 300 DZD for entry to the combined Roman and Phoenician ruins. The M'Zab Valley in Ghardaïa has no formal entrance fee, but hiring a local guide, required for access to certain mosques and fortified ksour, costs 2,000 to 4,000 DZD for half-day tours. The Beni Hammad Fort near M'Sila charges 200 DZD. Tassili n'Ajjer National Park requires permits at 1,500 DZD plus mandatory guide fees of 8,000 to 15,000 DZD per day depending on trek length and group size. The Ahaggar National Park enforces similar requirements with permits at 1,500 DZD and guides charging 10,000 to 18,000 DZD daily for multi-day excursions into the Hoggar Mountains.
Transportation within the Sahara demands specialized arrangements and represents the largest single expense category for desert travel. Organized tours to Tassili n'Ajjer typically cost 40,000 to 70,000 DZD per person for four to seven days, including 4x4 transport, camping equipment, meals, guides, and permits. Tours to the Hoggar Mountains and Tamanrasset region range from 35,000 to 65,000 DZD for similar durations. These prices assume groups of four to six participants. Solo travelers or pairs pay surcharges of 50 to 100 percent due to fixed vehicle and guide costs. Independent travel in the Sahara is restricted. Visitors must obtain authorizations from wilaya offices in Tamanrasset, Djanet, or Illizi, and authorities require proof of organized transport and accommodation before issuing permits. Fuel costs in southern Algeria exceed those in coastal regions by 30 to 50 percent due to transport logistics. A liter of gasoline in Tamanrasset costs approximately 50 DZD compared to 35 DZD in Algiers as of 2024.