Do I need cash in the Dominican Republic, or can I use cards?

The Dominican Republic takes cards at resorts, hotels, nicer restaurants and larger shops, where contactless is common. But small vendors, street food, markets, taxis and colmados (corner stores) run largely on cash, so carry pesos.

It is a dual-currency tourist economy: the peso is official, but US dollars are widely accepted in resort areas, though usually at a less favorable rate than paying in pesos.

On a card, if asked to charge in dollars or pesos, choose pesos, since dollars trigger dynamic currency conversion at a rate about 3 to 8% worse than your bank's. In cash, US dollars are accepted in tourist areas but change comes back in pesos at the vendor's rate, which is usually poor.

So pay in pesos for local prices. Use a bank ATM (some dispense both pesos and dollars), and use a debit card to avoid cash-advance fees.

Keep peso cash for the small stuff: street food, small vendors, taxis (agree the fare first) and colmados. Small US bills can work in a pinch in tourist zones, but pesos are simpler and better value.

For tipping norms, including the service charge and tax on restaurant bills, see tipping in the Dominican Republic, and for the wider picture, the Dominican Republic money guide.

Common questions

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More on Dominican Republic

The little money things nobody warns you about.

• Taxis in the Dominican RepublicThe key thing in the Dominican Republic: taxis do not use meters, so you agree the fare before you get in. In the cities an app removes the guesswork, and for resorts a prebooked transfer is simplest. Here is how it works.
• 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.
• Common money scams in the Dominican Republic, and what they cost youThe Dominican Republic is safe for the great majority of visitors, most trips are resort-and-beach and entirely trouble free, and almost none of this is dramatic. The traps that actually take money off US travelers here are quiet ones: a card that leaves your table, a fare nobody agreed, a website charging for a free form, a bill that grew by a quarter between the menu and the checkout. Here is each one, what it costs, and how to sidestep it.
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• What does getting sick in the Dominican Republic cost a visitor?The Dominican Republic is one of the few countries where the US government states the money rule in a single sentence: medical care here requires upfront payment, even in emergencies. The second sentence it supplies is the size of the tail: a medical evacuation to the United States can cost well over 50,000 dollars.