Currencies and Exchange Rates - Home Away Together

I’ve been really surprised to learn just how differently the U.S. dollar measures up against other currencies around the world. As I’ve been booking hotels, trains, and tours for our trip, I’ve been getting a crash course in exchange rates and cost of living. Switzerland, for example, consistently comes out as the most expensive place to visit. Everything from a simple coffee to a basic hotel room seems to cost double what I’d expect. On the other hand, in Turkey and Morocco, the same dollar stretches so much farther that we can enjoy nicer meals, a nicer AirBnB, and extra activities for half the Swiss price. It honestly feels like we can live like royalty in Morocco for a fraction of what we’d spend at home.

On this trip, we’ll be juggling quite a few different currencies: the Moroccan Dirham (MAD) in Morocco, the euro (EUR) throughout much of mainland Europe, the British Pound (GBP) in London, the Swiss Franc (CHF) in Switzerland (where even the currency name somehow sounds pricey), and the Turkish Lira (TRY) in Istanbul. To keep from turning every visit to a souk, café, or chocolate shop into a stressful mental math exam, I’ve started relying on the "My Currency Converter & Rates" app for conversions. I read from multiple sources that the "Xe Converter" app was the best, but it was asking me for all of my personal information, so I went with My Currency app instead. It’s free (there are adds) and I've found it easy to use. It provides real-time mid-market rates online and continues working offline, which is perfect for when Wi‑Fi is spotty or roaming charges loom. I’ve set up our main currencies (MAD, EUR, GBP, CHF, TRY) as favorites, so with just a few taps we can convert any amount faster and far more accurately than my brain can manage after a long travel day. I’ve already downloaded the app and preloaded all of our currencies. Crisis averted, wallet saved, dignity intact-and hopefully fewer awkward moments at cash registers around the world.

Although these rates change daily, here are the current exchange rates in January 2026:

Moroccan Dirham (MAD) — used in Morocco
1 USD ≈ 9.12 MAD (weaker than USD)
$5 ≈ 45.60 MAD
$10 ≈ 91.20 MAD
$20 ≈ 182.40 MAD
$100 ≈ 912.00 MAD
Euro (EUR) — used in Spain, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Greece
1 USD ≈ 0.84 EUR (stronger than USD)
$5 ≈ 4.20 EUR
$10 ≈ 8.40 EUR
$20 ≈ 16.80 EUR
$100 ≈ 84.00 EUR
British Pound (GBP) — used in London, England
1 USD ≈ 0.73 GBP (stronger than USD)
$5 ≈ 3.65 GBP
$10 ≈ 7.30 GBP
$20 ≈ 14.60 GBP
$100 ≈ 73.00 GBP
Swiss Franc (CHF) — used in Switzerland
1 USD ≈ 0.77 CHF (stronger than USD)
$5 ≈ 3.85 CHF
$10 ≈ 7.70 CHF
$20 ≈ 15.40 CHF
$100 ≈ 77.00 CHF
Turkish Lira (TRY) — used in Istanbul, Turkey
1 USD ≈ 43.45 TRY (much weaker than USD)
$5 ≈ 217.25 TRY
$10 ≈ 434.50 TRY
$20 ≈ 869.00 TRY
$100 ≈ 4,345.00 TRY

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