Who wants to be a millionaire?! Travel to these countries and you will become one instantly!
Getting millions out of an ATM: every backpacker will probably experience it once during their travels. The first time I became a millionaire was in Laos, pulling out a couple of million kips. But not only in Laos can you become an instant millionaire! Check out these countries with crazy currencies which will make you feel as if you were Bill Gates himself.
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Here’s our list of the 14 Currencies that Make You an Instant Millionaire
1. Iran
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD gives you 300,100 Iranian Rial
With Iran easing up their visa regulations tourism is growing enormously the past couple of months. The time to go and discover this country is now! Next to the fact Iran breathes history, culture and religion, and houses some of the most spectacular mosques in the world, this is as close to a millionaire you could get!
What 5 USD buys you in Iran:
1 meal in an inexpensive restaurant
1 Non-Alcoholic, local Beer of 0,5 liter
10 loafs of bread at the market
2 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
2 cappuccino’s
10 km in a taxi
2. Vietnam
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD gives you 225,442 Vietnamese Dong
Everybody speaks about the Dong in Southeast Asia. Very recognizable with the face of Uncle Ho on each and every note and a lot of quite useless zeros you’d say. Go to the country where you pay more for a bottle of water than for a bottle of beer and be rewarded with one of the most varied travel experiences every! (Related Article: Where to stay in Vietnam?)
What 5 USD buys you in Vietnam:
3 meals in an inexpensive restaurant
7 0,5 liters of local beer
7 loafs of bread at the market
5 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
2 cappuccino’s
10 km in a taxi
3. Belarus
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will get you 178,309 Belarusian Rubles
Belarus isn’t the first choice of most travelers. But maybe that is the reason to go! Minsk has a rich, diverse and unusual architecture which will keep you busy for days. And where you get almost 18.000 times for your USD, it’s gotta be fun.
What 5 USD buys you in Belarus:
0,5 meal in an inexpensive restaurant
3 0,5 liters of local beer
8 loafs of bread at the market
3 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
3 cappuccino’s
10 km in a taxi
4. Indonesia
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will give you 143,837 Indonesian Rupiah
Indonesia: the land of white sandy beaches, palmtrees, coconuts, blue oceans with turtles and… millions of rupiahs!
What 5 USD buys you in Indonesia:
3 meals at an inexpensive restaurant
2 0,5 liters of local beer
5 loafs of bread at the market
4 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
3 cappuccino’s
18 km in a taxi
5. Laos
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will give you 80,932 Lao Kip
Oh lovely Laos. The chilled out vibe you enjoy around here you won’t find anywhere else on earth, in between of the tourists as well as the locals. For me this was the first country where I became an instant millionaire, and dealing with Kips was very funny: confusing because there are so many, but also because “Kip” translates to “chicken” in my mother tongue. (Related Article: Where to stay in Laos? Cheap Backpacker’s Hostels List)
What 5 USD buys you in Laos:
2 meals at an inexpensive restaurant
4 0,5 liters of local beer
2,5 loafs of bread at the market
2,5 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
2 cappuccino’s
4 km in a taxi
6. Paraguay
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will give you 55,578 Paraguayan Guarani
Paraguay: the land of impressive waterfalls, incredible mountains and thousands of Guarani. Who doesn’t want to go?
What 5 USD buys you in Paraguay:
1 meal at an inexpensive restaurant
5 0,5 liters of local beer
8 loafs of bread at the market
3 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
3 cappuccino’s
6 km in a taxi
7. Uganda
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will give you 36,730 Ugandan Shilling
I personally can’t wait to visit Uganda. The impressive National Parks of the country houses an immensely diverse wildlife. A lot of tribes still live in the old ways, and you can stand on the Equator!
What 5 USD buys you in Uganda:
3 meals in an inexpensive restaurant
5 0,5 liters of local beer
7 loafs of bread at the market
3,5 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
3 cappuccino’s
3,5 km in a taxi
8. Colombia
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will give you 30,507 Colombian Pesos
Beaches, tribes, mountains, waterfalls, historical buildings, wildlife and lots and lots of color: Colombia has it all! (Related Article: Guide to Cartagena)
What 5 USD buys you in Colombia:
2 meals in an inexpensive restaurant
6 0,5 liters of local beer
6 loafs of bread at the market
4 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
4 cappuccino’s
4 km in a taxi
9. Madagascar
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will get you 30,231 Malagasy Ariary
Dream destination Madagascar: after seeing the animation movie and hearing about the Baobab trees for the first time I just can’t wait to go here!
What 5 USD buys you in Madagascar:
3 meals in an inexpensive restaurant
5 0,5 liters of local beer
8 loafs of bread at the market
2 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
2,5 km in a taxi
10. Uzbekistan
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will get you 26,153 Uzbekistani Som
Uzbekistan is quite famous for its dessert cities, like Samarkand. Seeing the blue mosques rising up from the dessert should be a view to remember for the rest of your life.
What 5 USD buys you in Uzbekistan:
1 meal in an inexpensive restaurant
5 0,5 liters of local beer
10 loafs of bread at the market
2 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
2,5 cappuccino’s
15 km in a taxi
11. Tanzania
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will get you 21,770 Tanzanian Shilling
Yet another African country with impressive wildlife and traditional tribes.
What 5 USD buys you in Tanzania:
1 meal in an inexpensive restaurant
3 0,5 liters of local beer
7 loafs of bread
2 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
2 cappuccino’s
3 km in a taxi
12. Sao Tome and Principe
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will get you 21,670 Sao Tomean Dobra
Yes, I had to search where these islands are as well. I had never heard of the second-smallest country of Africa. Now that I have, I want to go there. Seriously, those pictures on Google look like freaking paradise! Who will join me in becoming a millionaire here?
What 5 USD buys you in Sao Tome and Principe:
The prices of goods of Sao Tome and Principe are unknown to me and to the internet. I did figure out that in Zimbabwe, as the most expensive country of Africa, you pay an avarage of 1,56 USD for goods. Gambia, as the cheapest country, will cost you an avarage of 0,29 USD. Sao Tome and Principe is a bit on the expensive side, with an avarage of 0,70 USD.
13. Mongolia
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will get you 19,979 Mongolian Tughrik
Oh Mongolia, how I’d love to visit the land of the infamous Genghis Khan, the land of the Gobi-dessert, the land of yurts, the land of horses and the land of nomads.
What 5 USD buys you in Mongolia:
1 meal in an inexpensive restaurant
2 0,5 liters of local beer
7 loafs of bread on the market
3 packs of Marlboro cigarettes
2 cappuccino’s
11 km in a taxi
14. South-Korea
Currency exchange rate: 10 USD will get you 11,835 South-Korean Won
South-Korea: a country of extreme opposites. Enormous skyscrapers next to ancient Buddhist temples, fascinating cuisine and stunning nature. And millions of Wons to go enjoy K-Pop with the locals! (Related Article: DIY Travel Itinerary in South Korea)
What 5 USD buys you in South-Korea:
1 meal in an inexpensive restaurant
2 0,5 liters of local beer
2 loafs of bread at the market
1 pack of Marlboro cigarettes
1 cappuccino
5 km in a taxi
All exchange rates are of September 16th 2015 and due to change.
All the prices are average prices. You might find cheaper or more expensive prices, depending on your haggling skills or where in the country you are. You can find my source here.
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