Exchanging or drawing money from a credit card or ATM has never been easier in Addis. All major buildings house banks which change most foreign currencies to the Ethiopian Birr. One USD is being sold for around 20 Birr at the time of writing this guide although rates might vary daily.

ATMs can also be found at banks, malls and hotels which allow you to draw money from your international VISA or Master Card credit card but those at the main hotels are the ones which are guaranteed to be in service at all times.

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, the leading bank in Ethiopia with more than 830 branches all over Ethiopia and more than 52 ATMs in Addis Abeba only is an ideal place to use your VISA or Master Card for cash withdrawals. You can also use their Special ATMs for foreign currency conversion without physically going to the banks. For more information about these special service ATM locations you can visit their website www.combanketh.et.

Internet connectivity is available wirelessly at most hotels, guesthouses and even restaurants for free as long as one is a paying customer. You can also drop into one of the many internet cafés that line the streets to connect on one of their desktop computers, just don’t forget to log out of your account at the end of the session.