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Money in the Dominican Republic, sorted.
A calm, current plan for the money side of your trip: dollars go a long way in the resort zones, but knowing when to reach for pesos, and why your restaurant bill jumps about 28% at checkout, is what keeps your budget honest.
The three things people ask
Will my card work? Do I need cash? Are ATMs easy?
The quick read for a first trip.
Your card
Fine in tourist zones, cash elsewhere
Visa and Mastercard work at hotels, resorts, larger restaurants and shops in Punta Cana, Santo Domingo and other tourist areas. Amex is accepted less widely. Outside those zones, and for most taxis, you'll need cash. Apple Pay and Google Pay are turning up in Santo Domingo but aren't reliable nationwide yet.
Check yours →Cash
Two currencies, used differently
Dollars cover resorts, tours and transfers; pesos are better, and often required, for local restaurants, colmados, taxis and buses. Bring small US bills (twenties and under) in perfect condition, since torn or worn notes are routinely refused, and US coins can't be exchanged at all.
How much to bring →ATMs
Easy, but mind the fees
Bank ATMs (cajeros) are common in cities and tourist towns and dispense pesos, sometimes dollars. Expect a 1 to 3% foreign fee plus the bank's own charge. Use machines inside banks or malls, choose pesos, and decline the "convert to USD" prompt. The RD$2,000 note is the most common dispensed.
See ATMs in Dominican Republic →(opens in a new tab)Cash or card
Cards cover the resort zones, but you'll want cash the moment you step outside them.
A rough feel for everyday spending. Inside resorts and tourist areas, cards and dollars handle most things. Off the resort, the picture flips: taxis are usually cash only, and colmados, guaguas, motoconchos (motorbike taxis) and small local spots run on pesos. Carry some of both.
See what the trip really costs →Your money plan
Four steps and you're set.
Before you go
- Bring a no-foreign-fee card for hotels and bigger spending, plus a backup card.
- Pack a stack of small US bills (ones, fives, tens, twenties) in perfect condition for tips and off-resort spending. Skip fifties and hundreds.
- You don't need to buy pesos before you travel. Pull them from a bank ATM on arrival at a better rate.
At the airport
- Skip the airport exchange counters, they have the worst rates. The airport ATM is better if you need pesos right away.
- Pull cash from a bank ATM (BanReservas, Banco Popular or BHD León), choose pesos, and decline "convert to USD."
- Keep a few small US bills handy for the taxi or transfer if it's easier than pesos on arrival.
Day to day
- Pay in the quoted currency: dollars for resorts, tours and transfers; pesos for colmados, taxis, guaguas and local restaurants.
- Check the menu for "impuestos incluidos" or "no incluidos." If not included, expect about 28% added at checkout (see below).
- Keep small peso bills and coins for tips, baggers and motoconchos.
- When paying by card, ask to be charged in pesos to get your bank's rate, not the merchant's.
A golden rule
- Match the currency to the price tag. Paying dollars on a peso price (or vice versa) lets the seller pick the exchange rate, usually in their favor, and your change comes in pesos anyway.
- On any card terminal or ATM, choose pesos, never dollars, to dodge the dynamic-conversion markup of 3 to 8%.
Staying connected
Will my phone work here? And what will it cost?
Yes in the places most travelers go, with gaps in the mountains and remote stretches. The two main carriers are Claro and Altice, and a local SIM costs under 5 dollars with your passport, or you can use an eSIM. 4G is the everyday standard across cities, resort areas and main roads, with 5G in larger urban centers. Expect weaker or patchy signal in the interior, parts of the Cordillera Central, and some rural coastal pockets, so download offline maps before heading out. WhatsApp is the default way many local tour operators and drivers communicate, so set it up before you go. The cost is where people get caught out, and on most US plans it lands in one of two buckets.
Your plan may already include it
Often, do nothing
Some US plans include slow data abroad at no extra cost. If that is you, the honest move is to leave it alone.
we earn nothing
Or it charges quietly, after the fact
The bill lands later
On pay-per-use plans the cost runs in the background while you travel, and the charge can show up weeks after you are home. Forgetting to switch off data roaming is the classic one. For a week or more, an eSIM is usually cheaper and keeps you in control.
Check what your own carrier charges before the trip, not after.
If an eSIM is the cheaper call, Nomad covers Dominican Republic.
Get your Nomad eSIM for Dominican Republic→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionMedical cover
The one cost with no price tag.
Every other number on this page has a price you can look up. This one does not, and it can be the largest of them all. Most US health plans cover little or nothing once you leave the country, and Medicare covers essentially none of it abroad. A serious illness or injury is paid up front, and a medical evacuation runs from tens of thousands of dollars to past $100,000 if you are remote or an ocean from home.
First, you may not need to buy anything.
A cheap, refundable trip close to home does not need this. And if you are healthy, headed somewhere with good care, and one of the premium cards on the shortlist above already includes emergency medical and evacuation, you may be covered already. Check your card's benefits guide before you buy. Saying that costs us the commission, and it is still the right call.
How much cover matters here
Strong care can sit a long way from where you are traveling and an evacuation is a genuine possibility, so this is one to weigh seriously for a trip here.
If you do want cover, this is what it is for: the evacuation and the up-front hospital bill, the part no card limit is meant to absorb.
Enough for most trips
Faye, or a comparable whole-trip policy
Bundles trip protection with emergency medical, which is enough cover for most travelers on a typical trip.
The deeper end
A dedicated travel-medical plan built for serious care and evacuation abroad
Stronger on medical care and evacuation, for a remote or higher-risk trip where that is the real exposure.
If it happens
Call it first, then call your insurer's 24/7 assistance line, which is what confirms payment and arranges an evacuation. 911 covers the country, though ambulance response is quickest in the cities and resort areas.
TrueTripCosts explains the gap and points to options. It does not set your coverage amounts or act as your insurance advisor, and every policy carries its own exclusions, so read them before you buy. Emergency number checked Jul 2026. Confirm the current number before you travel, as local lines can change.
Currency basics
The peso (and the dollar), in plain terms.
Quick conversion
About 59.6 pesos to the dollar in mid-2026. To estimate dollars fast, divide the peso amount by 60: RD$1,000 is roughly 17 dollars, RD$2,000 about 33. The symbol is RD$, and prices are sometimes written with just a dollar sign, which still means pesos in local shops.
Notes and coins
Peso notes run 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000, with the orange RD$2,000 the one ATMs most often dispense. Coins are 1, 5, 10 and 25 pesos. You'll usually get pesos as change even when you pay in dollars, and you can't exchange coins back, so spend them before you leave.
Two currencies at once
The US dollar is widely accepted in resort and tourist zones, but the peso is the only legal tender and is what local restaurants, colmados, taxis and buses expect. Pay in whatever the price is quoted in for the fairest rate, and watch that an RD$ price is pesos, not dollars.
The 28% checkout jump
Restaurants and bars add 18% ITBIS plus a 10% service charge to the food total, so a menu price can rise by roughly 28% by the time you pay. Some places fold it into listed prices; others add it at the end. The 10% is shared among staff and may not reach your server.
Real exchange rate
What your money is really worth here.
This is the mid-market rate, the one the banks trade at and the yardstick every other rate is measured against. Your card lands a little below it, and if a screen ever offers to bill you in dollars, that is worse again. So this is the number to expect, and how you spot a bad one.
1 US dollar is about 58.91 DOP
Taxes and service charges
No tourist tax, but two charges can add about 28% to a bill.
The Dominican Republic does not levy a per-night tourist or city tax. What you will see instead are two charges on restaurant, bar and hotel bills. ITBIS, the country's value-added tax, is 18%. A 10% service charge (the "propina legal," sometimes labeled "Ley" or "Servicio") is added by law on top of the food total. Together they can lift a menu price by roughly 28% at checkout. Sometimes both are already baked into the listed prices; often, especially at tourist restaurants, the menu notes "impuestos no incluidos" and they're added at the end, so check before you order. The 10% service charge is split among all staff and frequently does not reach your server directly, which is why an extra 5 to 10% in cash for good service is customary and genuinely appreciated. There is no VAT-refund scheme for tourists, so the 18% is simply part of the price. A small departure tax of around 20 dollars exists but is almost always included in your airfare.
Before you book: passports, the six-month rule and whether you need a visa. Not a US citizen, or connecting through Europe? The rules can differ, and even a layover can need its own visa. See our passports and visas guide →
Watch out for
The small traps that catch first-timers.
Tipping
Light, since 10% is usually already on the bill, but bring small bills.
Tipping in the Dominican Republic is modest and often partly handled. Most restaurants, bars and hotels add a 10% service charge (the propina legal) by law, so you aren't expected to tip a full amount again. Because that 10% is split among staff and may not reach your server, an extra 5 to 10% in cash for good service is customary and appreciated. At all-inclusive resorts, tips are still expected despite the label: roughly 1 to 2 dollars per drink at the bar, 2 to 5 dollars a day for housekeeping, and 5 to 10 dollars for a bellhop handling several bags. Supermarket baggers often work for tips alone, so 50 to 100 pesos is kind. For tours, 200 to 600 pesos per person depending on a half or full day is standard, with the driver tipped separately. Taxis don't expect a tip; rounding up is plenty. Small US bills work fine for resort tips, while pesos are better off the resort so staff don't lose money on the exchange.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Should I use US dollars or pesos in the Dominican Republic?
Both work, but pay in whatever currency the price is quoted in. Resorts, tours and airport transfers are usually priced in dollars, while local restaurants, colmados, taxis and buses expect pesos. Paying in pesos off the resort gives a fairer rate, and you'll often get pesos as change even when you pay in dollars.
Why is my restaurant bill higher than the menu price?
Because of two charges added at checkout: 18% ITBIS (the sales tax) and a 10% service charge, which together can add about 28%. Some places include them in listed prices; many tourist restaurants note "impuestos no incluidos" and add them at the end, so check the menu before ordering.
Do I need cash in the Dominican Republic?
Inside resorts and tourist zones, cards and dollars cover most things. Off the resort you'll want pesos: taxis are usually cash only, and colmados, guaguas, motoconchos and small local spots run on cash. Carry small bills in both currencies.
What is the best way to get pesos in the Dominican Republic?
Bank ATMs (BanReservas, Banco Popular, BHD León) give close to the official rate, with a 1 to 3% foreign fee plus the bank's charge. Licensed casas de cambio like Gambi or Caribe Express are fine too. Avoid airport and hotel counters and never change money on the street. Choose pesos, not dollars, at the machine.
Do you tip in the Dominican Republic if the 10% service charge is already added?
Lightly. The 10% propina legal is added by law but is split among staff and may not reach your server, so an extra 5 to 10% in cash for good service is customary. At resorts, tips for bartenders, housekeeping and bellhops are still expected despite the all-inclusive label.
How much cash should I bring for a week in the Dominican Republic?
For a resort week, bring roughly 150 to 250 dollars in small bills mainly for tips. If you plan to explore off the resort, add pesos pulled from an ATM for taxis, colmados and local meals. A no-fee card covers hotels and bigger spending.
What it really costs
What you'll really spend in Dominican Republic.
Your flights if you want them counted, your room, your on-the-ground spending, the two fees most US cards add without telling you, and Dominican Republic's tourist tax. One number, nothing waiting on the statement. No bank to pick, no sign-up, nothing saved.
Optional. Enter your round trip fare per traveler to fold flights into the total.
In Dominican Republic, plan for about $0.
Realistically somewhere between $0 and $0.
Whether at an ATM or a card terminal in a shop or restaurant, always choose to be charged in the local currency, not dollars. Paying in dollars (called dynamic currency conversion) lets the machine set its own, worse, exchange rate on top of any fee.
Rough guide, not a quote. The percentage here is a blended stand-in for a typical US card's foreign fee, not your exact rate. The real number moves with the card you carry: one no-foreign-fee card can cover both sides, while a plain rewards credit card only removes the fee on what you buy, and cash still costs a little unless that card also waives ATM and foreign-cash fees. A debit card, or accepting the "pay in dollars" (dynamic currency conversion) offer at a till or ATM, can push it higher. Rates checked Jun 2026 and rounded.
How this estimate is built
These are the assumptions behind the number. Change the room price, nights, travelers, or travel style above, and every line here moves with them.
- Hotel
- Daily spending
- Flights
- Cash vs card
- ATM withdrawals
- Foreign fee
- The range
- Tourist tax
Not sure which card to bring? See my pick for Dominican Republic.
Already carry a card with no foreign transaction fee? Then you are set for Dominican Republic, and can skip this. There is nothing to buy.
If you are getting a card for Dominican Republic, this is the pairing I would pick: a no-foreign-fee credit card for spending, and a fee-free ATM debit card for cash. We earn nothing on these today. Always confirm the current fee with the issuer before you apply. Checked Jun 2026.
Capital One charges no foreign transaction fee on any of its cards.
No foreign transaction fee
Fee-free ATM cash worldwide
Want one account that holds and spends in the local currency? A different job from the three above, and the one I reach for abroad. It is free to open; you can create a virtual card in the app and add it to your phone wallet in minutes, without waiting for the physical card; and you can convert US dollars into the local currency inside the account before you travel, then spend from that balance. Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a small conversion fee (around 0.4% and up), with no flat foreign fee.
The three picks above pay us nothing, and their tags say so. Wise is the only option here that can earn us a commission, and its tag says that too. Paid or not, the pick is still the pick.
Travelers, not touristsA little Spanish goes a long way
A little Spanish goes a long way
The Dominican Republic speaks Spanish, and it moves to merengue. A little Spanish, a Qué lo que to say hello, and a story or two mark you as a guest rather than a tourist.
Say a few words
Tip: Two things are close to the national heart: baseball, which is practically a religion here and has sent more players to the US major leagues than any country but the States, and merengue, the fast, joyful music that is the island's heartbeat. Ask about either and you will make a friend.
Know a story
The heartbeat is merengue
Merengue is the Dominican Republic's own music and dance, fast and irresistible, played on the accordion, the two-headed tambora drum and the scraping güira. Its slower, romantic cousin, bachata, was born here too and has since swept the world. When the music starts, everyone dances.
Good to know: merengue and bachata were both born here
Baseball is close to a religion
Baseball is the Dominican passion, played on every sandlot and beach, and the island has sent hundreds of players to the US major leagues, more than any country but the United States. Boys dream of the big leagues from the moment they can swing a bat. A winter league game here is electric.
Good to know: a true baseball powerhouse
The first city of the Americas
The old Zona Colonial of Santo Domingo is the oldest European city in the Americas, and it holds the first cathedral and the first university built in the New World, both from the 1500s. You can still walk its stone streets and the fort above the river. History on this side of the ocean began right here.
Good to know: the first cathedral and university in the AmericasDominicans are warm, funny and full of life, and they carry their island's rhythm everywhere they go. They are proud that history in the Americas began on their shores, and prouder still of merengue, baseball and a welcome that pulls you straight onto the dance floor.
No links here, nothing to buy. This part is just to help you travel well.
Sources, and how this guide was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
Changed since last checkSources added. Confirmed with the Dominican Republic's official tourism board that ITBIS (the value-added tax) is 18% and that restaurants, bars and hotels add a further 10% service charge by law, so a restaurant bill runs about 28% over the menu price. Verified there is no separate nightly tourist tax and that the old tourist card, about 10 dollars, is now bundled into the airfare. The US dollar is accepted in resort areas at poor rates, so pesos are better; the peso figure, about 60 to the dollar, is current.
- Dominican Republic Tourism (official)taxes and service charge FAQ
- E-Ticketofficial migration entry portal
Our own judgmentThe daily cash share, tipping norms, and likely ATM behavior are our own estimate from experience, not an official figure.
More money guides in the Americas
If you are also weighing up nearby destinations, each guide covers cards, cash, ATMs and the fees to expect.
Going deeper on Dominican Republic
The money questions people ask on the ground.
Short, focused answers to the specific things that catch first-timers out in Dominican Republic.
- Do I need cash in the Dominican Republic, or can I use cards?Short answer: cards at resorts and hotels, and peso cash for small vendors, taxis and corner stores. Dollars are accepted in tourist areas, but pesos give better value. Here is how to handle it.
- Tipping in the Dominican RepublicIn the Dominican Republic, a 10% service charge and an 18% tax are added to restaurant bills, so the total runs well above the menu. A small extra for your server is customary. Here is what you actually owe.
- Do I need the E-Ticket for the Dominican Republic?Short answer: yes, and most people miss that you need it twice, once to arrive and once to leave. It is free and takes about ten minutes. Here is the official site and how not to pay for it.
This is how Dominican Republic stands today.
Money rules move. We can let you know for free if that changes.