Money and Currency in Curaçao: A Practical Guide

Curaçao changed its currency in 2025, but paying as a tourist is simpler than that sounds: dollars work almost everywhere and so do cards. Here is exactly what to carry, what things cost, and the one setting Dutch travellers need to flip before they fly.

TL;DR: Curaçao’s currency is the Caribbean guilder (XCG or Cg), which replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder in 2025. It is pegged to the US dollar at about 1.79 Cg = 1 USD, and dollars are accepted almost everywhere. Cards work in most places; keep some cash for small vendors and food trucks.

What currency does Curaçao use?

The official currency is the Caribbean guilder, symbol Cg, currency code XCG. It replaced the old Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) on 31 March 2025 at a one-to-one value, and the ANG stopped being legal tender by mid-2025. If you have leftover ANG notes from an older trip, they are no longer spendable, so do not count on them.

Notes come in 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 guilders, with coins below that. The guilder is fixed to the US dollar at roughly 1.79 to 1, though shops often round to 1.75 for easy cash maths. One thing to keep straight: Bonaire uses the US dollar and Aruba uses the Aruban florin, so do not carry one island’s cash to another expecting it to work.

Can you pay in US dollars in Curaçao?

Yes, and many visitors barely touch guilders. Prices are sometimes shown in dollars, sometimes in guilders, and both are accepted at almost every hotel, restaurant and shop. Pay in dollars and your change usually comes back in guilders, which is handy for small purchases later in the trip. Bring smaller denominations; a fistful of USD 100 bills is harder to spend than twenties. Euros are a different story: outside a bank they are rarely accepted, so do not rely on them.

Do cards work in Curaçao?

Cards are widely accepted, and contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay are common in shops and restaurants. A few things to know:

• Contactless taps are often capped at about Cg 100, above which you enter a PIN or insert the card.
• Dutch and European debit cards need to be enabled for use outside Europe. In your banking app (ING, Rabobank, ABN AMRO and others) switch on worldwide coverage before you travel, or your card will simply be declined at the terminal.
• Newer Dutch cards carry Mastercard debit in place of Maestro; both work at most terminals, but a credit card is the safe backup and is required for rental-car deposits.
• Small local shops, food trucks, beach vendors and market stalls are frequently cash only.

How do you use ATMs (pinnen) in Curaçao?

ATMs from banks like MCB, Maduro & Curiel’s, Orco and RBC are easy to find in Willemstad, at the airport and near the resorts. Most let you choose to withdraw guilders or US dollars. Expect a fee from both the local bank and your own, so a small withdrawal can carry the equivalent of five to ten euros in charges. Take out a larger amount at once rather than several small sums. If the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline it and pay in the local currency to avoid a padded exchange rate.

Should you bring cash or use cards?

For most trips, a card plus a small cash buffer is the easiest mix. Cards cover hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and bigger shops; cash covers food trucks, beach kiosks, local snèk bars, tips and the odd taxi. Around USD 100 to 200 in small notes is plenty to start with, and you top up at an ATM as you go. Split your cash and cards between two places in case one goes missing, and keep a credit card back for car-rental deposits. Skimming is uncommon but not unheard of, so use ATMs attached to a bank branch or inside a shopping centre rather than a lone machine on the street.

How much do things cost in Curaçao?

Curaçao is not a budget island, but it is cheaper than many Caribbean neighbours. A rough guide:

Item	Typical price
Local beer (Amstel Bright) at a bar	USD 2 to 4
Cappuccino	USD 3 to 4
Casual lunch	USD 10 to 15
Dinner for two with drinks	USD 60 to 100
Taxi, Willemstad to Jan Thiel	USD 25 to 35
Bottle of water (shop)	USD 1 to 1.50
Litre of petrol	About USD 1.10

Prices climb at beach clubs and in the resort strips, and drop at local snèk bars and food trucks. Groceries at a supermarket like Vreugdenhil or Centrum sit close to Dutch prices, sometimes a touch higher on imported goods.

Tipping and staying on budget

Tipping is appreciated but not aggressive. In restaurants, 10 to 15 percent is normal, but read the bill first because many add a service charge of 10 to 12 percent already; in that case a little extra for good service is plenty. Round up taxi fares and leave a few dollars for housekeeping or a helpful guide.

To keep spending down, eat where locals do, buy water and snacks at a supermarket rather than a beach kiosk, and pay in local currency at ATMs and terminals. With the money side sorted, plan the fun part with the things-to-do guide or an evening out from the nightlife picks, and make sure your entry paperwork and flights are handled before you go.