Money, Budget, and Shopping for Saint Martin

Money

Currency

Currency:

Saint-Martin: euro (100 centimes).

Sint Maarten: Netherlands Antilles guilder (100 cents).

Banknotes:

Saint-Martin: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 €.

Sint Maarten: 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 250 Fls.

Coins:

Saint-Martin: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 centimes + 1 and 2 €.

Sint Maarten: 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents + 1, 2.5 and 5 Fls.

Exchange:

Each side of the island has its own currency: the euro (French side) and the Netherlands Antilles guilder (Dutch side)... though this doesn’t stop the US dollar from being accepted across the whole island. Note that the guilder has always had a fixed exchange rate with the dollar: 1 US$ = 1.79 Fls.

Exchange

There are plenty of currency exchange offices, banks, and ATMs (often dispensing US dollars too) where you can withdraw or exchange money across the island. However, there’s no need to exchange for guilders since the US dollar and/or euro can easily replace it.

Which currency to bring

For visitors from the eurozone, the euro will work just fine, though on the Dutch side it may not always be accepted (especially by taxis), so a little US cash will be necessary. For others, the US dollar is preferable since it’s accepted on both sides.

Payment methods

Apart from cash, it’s perfectly possible to pay by card. However, watch out for fees if you’re French or from the eurozone. While a transaction in euros won’t incur bank charges, this won’t be the case if the amount is calculated in US dollars (or guilders). In short, it’s best to ask which currency the transaction will be processed in. Also, for French visitors, checks from mainland France are rarely accepted on the French side of Saint Martin.

Returning home

No real issues—if you have leftover US dollars, you can always exchange them or use them easily on another trip.

Budget

What can be expensive

What can be affordable

Price range

Double room in a budget hotel:

Double room in a mid-range hotel:

Snacks, local restaurant meal:

Mid-range restaurant meal:

Budget car rental: around 35 to 40 €/day for a small model.

Minibus ride: between 1 and 2 € max, depending on the destination.

Taxi ride:

Haggling and tips

Shopping and souvenirs

There are no customs duties, VAT, or other indirect taxes on goods in Saint Martin, which means many products are sold at attractive prices.