Monrovia - Post Report Question and Answers
Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Cards are accepted at all of the Lebanese and expat-owned establishments in Monrovia. ATMs are located in the hotels, but they are not always reliable (although they are safe). You need cash outside of Monrovia. - Oct 2021
Credit cards are widely used but there are often problems with local merchants credit card machine so we always make sure that we have cash with us. There are ATMs, but they are often empty. Many people will cash checks at the Embassy and then have a stash of cash at home. - Aug 2019
Not commonly used, we use cash while posted in Liberia. - Aug 2019
Credit cards are accepted in the grocery stores. ATMs are available in hotels but are often out of cash. I have heard of people being robbed when leaving ATMs. This is mainly a cash economy. - Aug 2019
No and no. No, no and probably. Only the few big hotels take credit cards and I would avoid using them even there if you can at all avoid it. There are few ATMs, especially outside of Monrovia but I think they are safe to use, depending on location and time of course. - Nov 2017
Credit cards are accepted at some places - namely supermarkets and the big hotels - but for the most part it is a cash based economy. ATMs are somewhat unreliable as they frequently run out of money and have high associated fees. That said, many people use them but it's always a good idea to have a bit of cash on hand. - Jun 2016
Liberia is a cash economy - U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere. Liberian dollars are usually used for smaller purchases, street food, produce, etc. A few ATMs are available (Ecobank), but they are not always reliable. - Aug 2015
Don't. - Dec 2013
Just don't use them. They are notoriously unsafe here, and I can say that using an ATM in public would definitely not be a smart thing to do. There are banks, but if you have access to the embassy, use it to get cash, as it offers check cashing. - Dec 2012
Mamba Point hotel has an ATM, and I have heard that people have been successful in getting cash from their credit cards. But otherwise it's a cash-only economy. You can cash checks at the embassy if you have access. There are Western Union offices in town. - Aug 2010
Don't, unless you are ordering something online over via a secure Internet connection. - Jul 2009
