Aruba Currency: Travel Money Guide

Before I left for Aruba, I kept second guessing how my money would work there. The island has its own currency, but I had heard that US dollars are accepted everywhere, and I wanted to know exactly how that played out in practice. After a week of buying groceries, meals, and one very memorable sunset sail, here is everything I learned about money on the island.

The Aruban Florin vs the US Dollar

Aruba’s official currency is the Aruban florin, also written as the guilder, and its exchange rate is fixed to the US dollar at about 1.79 florins to the dollar. That fixed rate is the key thing to remember, because it keeps prices stable and makes the currency situation easy to follow.

Here is the part that surprised me most: US dollars are accepted almost everywhere. Hotels, restaurants, shops, and even many small vendors take them happily. I paid for most things in dollars and did not have to think too hard. The only real catch is that you will often get your change back in florins, so you end up carrying a mix of both currencies.

Should You Use Cash or Card?

Credit cards work at hotels, nicer restaurants, and larger stores, and I rarely had issues using mine. But the island still has a strong cash culture, and many smaller places, beachside shacks, market stalls, and some taxis, prefer cash. I found a balance of carrying some cash and using my card for the bigger purchases, which kept everything simple.

Travellers tell me that small purchases can come with a card surcharge or a minimum spend, so cash is handy for those anyway. I always kept a bit of cash on hand so I was never the person fumbling at a tiny food stand.

Getting Cash From an ATM

The easiest way to get florins is from an ATM. I found plenty of them in Oranjestad and around the resort areas, and they accept foreign cards. A couple of things helped me: I let my bank know I was traveling so my card would not be blocked, and I checked the screen carefully for fees before withdrawing. Some ATMs offered to convert into my home currency, and I learned to decline that because the exchange rate is usually worse than my bank’s.

I withdrew a modest amount at a time rather than a huge lump sum, which limited my exposure if I ever lost a card and held back the amount of cash I carried around.

The Currency Trap to Watch

Keep an eye on your change. When you pay in dollars at a small shop, the owner calculates the change in florins at the fixed rate, and you should get roughly 1.79 florins back for every dollar you overpaid. Most places do this fairly, but a few round against you. I checked my receipts and never had a problem, but staying aware is smart. If a price is listed only in florins, use the fixed rate to figure out the dollar cost before you agree.

What Things Actually Cost

Aruba is not the cheapest island, but I found it reasonable if I chose wisely. A simple local meal cost me less than a resort restaurant by a wide margin, and groceries were comparable to what I pay at home. Beaches are free, which is a gift. Budget roughly for a moderate daily spend, and know that the big costs are usually flights, lodging, and any tours or water sports you book.

I kept a mental note of the currency as I went, which stopped me from overpaying where the dollars were eager to slip away. A little attention went a long way.

What to Do Before You Arrive

A little early planning saved me a lot of hassle. I set up travel alerts with my bank so my card would not be declined on the first day, and I checked whether my card charged foreign transaction fees so I could pick the right card to use. I carried a backup card in a separate bag in case the first one failed, and I kept a small emergency stash of US dollars in case the card system had an issue. I also downloaded a currency converter app to glance at prices without doing mental math all day. None of this took more than an hour at home, and it meant money was the last thing I worried about on the island.

My Advice for Managing Money Here

Bring some US dollars as a starting point, keep your bank card for larger payments, and withdraw a little local cash as you go. Keep a mix of small bills and coins, because it is easier for small purchases. Tell your bank you are traveling, decline ATM conversion offers, and always check your change. Aruba’s money system turned out to be friendly and simple, and once I understood the florin dollar dance, I stopped worrying and just enjoyed the island.