Kinshasa - 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?
They are being more accepted lately. Before, folks at the Embassy had to walk with wads of cash, now the biggest stores, Hyper Psaro, Swiss Smart and Shopritte all receive Credit Cards. The fancy bakery in town, Erik Kaiser, also accepts Credit Card, so does the other bakery, Patisserie Nouvelle. - Aug 2022
Credit cards are becoming more common. They're currently accepted at some of the upscale restaurants and expat grocery stores. I've always found it safe to use these services. Otherwise, Kinshasa is a very cash-based economy, with both Congolese francs and USD accepted everywhere. There are a few ATMs scattered throughout Kinshasa, and also a reliable ATM at the Embassy. - May 2022
ATMs are common, and we use them. Others don't and get their cash from the embassy. We haven't had an issue here. - Aug 2019
I didn't use my credit card much, but most hotels take them, and a number of expat-oriented restaurants and grocery stores accept them. ATMs are all over the place, and are generally safe. Some don't work well with foreign cards, but you'll find ones convenient to you that work with your debit card. I never had an issue with skimming or fraud. - Apr 2019
No credit cards. Cash only. No ATMs except for one on the US embassy compound. - Dec 2017
No. - Dec 2017
Some expats I know use credit cards locally but I haven't ever tried. I use the ATMs at the USG compounds only. I only use cash (USD or CF) for all purchases city wide. USD will result in CF change and generally you lose money on the exchange rate. I get smaller bills from the cashier for getting close to the total price for my purchases but NEVER 1's, as these are not accepted anywhere. - Mar 2017
Credit cards are not a viable option. Certain ATMs (e.g. one at a grocery store near the US Embassy) are guarded and safe to use. - Jan 2017
Not officially advised, but we used them throughout our four years and never had a problem. - Sep 2016
No credit card use - this is a strictly cash society. It is dollarized, so you can use US dollars everywhere (except literally a dollar bill, which they do not accept) or Congolese Francs (CF). A couple of the large international stores (Shoprite - a South African grocery chain; Ocra - a US owned "Target" type store) technically take credit cards, but no one uses them. USG employees can cash checks at the embassy, and there is an ATM inside embassy grounds. I've never used any other ATM's but other people do regularly use them without a problem - just don't do it alone or at night. - Apr 2016
I wouldn't recommend using credit cards anywhere other than the major hotels. There are 2 or 3 ATMs that can be used at large hotels or larger department stores. - Jan 2014
I have never done it, but I know if can be done. - Nov 2012
We used ours regularly over two years and never once had a problem with fraud. - May 2012
There are ATMs but I have heard they are not always secure. We always got our cash/money from the cashier at the embassy. - Feb 2012
Don't. - Nov 2011
Getting increasingly in use here. When we arrived, there were only a couple of ATMs, now they are on every street corner (in Gombe, the district where Embassies and government is based) - Aug 2011
Don't use them outside the embassy or businesses with proven track records. This is a cash society. You can use the Congo franc or American dollars. - Jan 2011
i've never used any of these here. Why risk it? - Oct 2010
Don't. - Jan 2009
