Dominican - Currency & Exchange

Money

The official Dominican currency is the peso (RD$), which comes in notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000; there are also 0.10, 0.25, 0.50 and 1 peso coins, though only the last sees much use. The exchange rate varies from day to day, but typically hovers at around 16-17 pesos to the US dollar. It's impossible to find Dominican pesos outside the country, but visitors are well advised to come armed with a substantial amount of US dollars, as these are the most readily accepted (and exchangeable) foreign currency in the land. The best places to change money are the banks, which offer good exchange rates; keep your receipts, as this allows you to exchange 30 percent of the pesos back into hard currency (dollars or euros) on departure. In a pinch, smaller casas de cambio are fine, though you should avoid the street moneychangers.

The Dominican Republic is one of the last true budget destinations in the Caribbean. Package deals are relatively low-priced, and in many parts of the country shoestring travellers can spend as little as US$30/£19 per day. The savings are spread unevenly, though, and some things are pricier here than elsewhere: riding from town to town via public transport can cost as little as US$0.35/£0.20, but car rental will set you back at least US$45/£28 a day.