Here is something that surprises almost every first-time visitor: you can land in Aruba, spend a full week on the island, and never once touch the local money. So what currency does Aruba use? The official answer is the Aruban florin, but the practical answer includes the US dollar, which shops, restaurants, taxis, and hotels accept almost everywhere. That double-currency reality confuses travelers who want to plan a budget before they board the plane.
This guide clears up the confusion completely. You will learn what the Aruban florin actually is, how its fixed exchange rate works, when paying in dollars saves you money and when it quietly costs you more, how ATMs and credit cards behave on the island, what coins and banknotes look like, how tipping works, and what changes are coming to Aruba’s money system in the years ahead. By the end, you will know exactly how much cash to bring, which card to swipe, and how to avoid the small fees that add up fast.
The Aruban Florin: The Island’s Official Money
Aruba is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and it runs its own monetary system through the Centrale Bank van Aruba. Aruba’s official currency is the Aruban florin, written as AWG and shown on price tags as Afl. or ƒ, and it has been pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of 1.79 florins per dollar since 1986. That peg has not moved in decades, which makes the florin one of the most stable currencies in the Caribbean.
The florin replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder on January 1, 1986, the same day Aruba gained “status aparte” and separated from the Netherlands Antilles federation. Before that date, Aruba shared money with Curacao, Bonaire, and the other Dutch islands. The new florin kept the same value as the guilder it replaced, so the switch caused no shock to prices or savings.
One florin divides into 100 cents. Locals often call the currency “guilder” out of habit, and you may hear both words used for the same money. That is not a mistake or a separate currency, just an older name that stuck around in daily speech.
Here are the basics at a glance:
- Official name: Aruban florin (Arubaanse florin in Dutch, Florin Arubano in Papiamento)
- ISO currency code: AWG
- Common symbols: Afl., ƒ, or AWG
- Subunit: 100 cents
- Issuing authority: Centrale Bank van Aruba
- Official peg: 1 USD = 1.79 AWG (fixed since 1986)
- Tourist exchange rate: usually 1 USD = 1.75 to 1.80 AWG
Why the US Dollar Works Almost Everywhere on the Island
Aruba welcomes well over a million stayover visitors and a similar number of cruise passengers each year, and the large majority arrive from the United States. Tourism drives roughly three quarters of the island’s economy. Businesses figured out long ago that accepting dollars removes friction, so the US dollar circulates freely alongside the florin.
You can pay in dollars at hotels, resorts, restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, taxis, gift shops, dive operators, and beach bars. Many businesses in Oranjestad and Palm Beach list prices in both currencies. Larger hotels and tour companies often quote prices in dollars only, since that is what their guests understand.
How Change Works When You Pay in Dollars
Here is the part that trips people up. When you hand over dollars, the cashier converts the total to florins at the store’s own rate, then gives you change in florins, dollars, or a mix of both. Most shops use a rate between 1.75 and 1.80 florins per dollar. If a store uses 1.75 instead of the official 1.79, you lose about 2 percent on that transaction. On a $40 dinner, that is less than a dollar. On a $2,000 week of spending, it adds up to real money.
Picture this scenario. You buy sunscreen and snacks at a supermarket in Noord. The total comes to 35.80 florins. You hand the cashier a $20 bill and a $10 bill. At the official rate, $30 equals 53.70 florins, so your change should be 17.90 florins. Some stores hand back exactly that in florin coins and notes. Others hand back $10 in US bills, which shortchanges you by a few cents. Neither outcome ruins your day, but knowing the math helps you spot a bad rate quickly.
A Quick Conversion Cheat Sheet
| US Dollars | Aruban Florins (at 1.79) | Aruban Florins (at 1.75 store rate) |
|---|---|---|
| $1 | 1.79 AWG | 1.75 AWG |
| $5 | 8.95 AWG | 8.75 AWG |
| $10 | 17.90 AWG | 17.50 AWG |
| $20 | 35.80 AWG | 35.00 AWG |
| $50 | 89.50 AWG | 87.50 AWG |
| $100 | 179.00 AWG | 175.00 AWG |
To flip it the other way, divide florins by 1.79. A quick mental shortcut works well: cut the florin price roughly in half and add a little back. So 100 florins lands close to $56, and 50 florins sits near $28.
Banknotes and Coins You Will Actually Hold
Aruban money looks nothing like US currency, and that surprises visitors in a good way. The banknotes use bright colors and modern designs that feature the island’s plants, animals, and archaeology. Collectors regularly rank Aruban notes among the most attractive in the Caribbean.
Banknotes in Circulation
The Centrale Bank van Aruba issued a redesigned series in 2019 that gradually replaced the earlier 1990 and 2003 designs. Both series remain legal tender, so you may receive either one as change.
- 10 florin – features the Aruban burrowing owl (shoco), the national bird
- 25 florin – features the rattlesnake native to the island and the frangipani flower
- 50 florin – features the green sea turtle and local marine life
- 100 florin – features the divi-divi tree and island landscapes
- 200 florin – features cultural and archaeological motifs
- 500 florin – a high-value note you will rarely see as a tourist
Coins and the Famous Square Coin
Aruban coins deserve special attention because one of them is genuinely unusual. The 50-cent coin is square, not round, which makes it a favorite souvenir. Locals call it the “yotin cuadrado.”
- 5 cents – small round coin, often called a “nickel” locally
- 10 cents – round, silver colored
- 25 cents – round, silver colored
- 50 cents – the square coin, a classic keepsake
- 1 florin – round, larger and heavier
- 2.5 florin – round, the largest common coin
- 5 florin – round, gold colored, used for larger cash payments
Keep one square 50-cent piece before you fly home. It costs you about 28 US cents and makes a better souvenir than most gift shop trinkets. Just remember that no bank outside Aruba will exchange florin coins, so do not stockpile them.
Cards, ATMs, and Getting Cash on the Island
Aruba runs on plastic more than most Caribbean destinations. Credit and debit cards work at nearly every business a tourist visits, from luxury resorts to roadside food trucks that now carry mobile card readers.
Which Cards Work Best
Visa and Mastercard get accepted almost universally. American Express works at most hotels, larger restaurants, and major retailers, though smaller shops sometimes decline it because of higher merchant fees. Discover has limited acceptance, so do not rely on it as your only card. Contactless tap payments work at many terminals, especially newer ones in Palm Beach, Eagle Beach, and the Oranjestad cruise port area.
Using ATMs Wisely
ATMs sit throughout the island at banks, shopping centers, the airport, and inside larger resorts. Many machines let you choose between florins and US dollars, which is a genuine convenience. The major local banks include Aruba Bank, Caribbean Mercantile Bank (CMB), and RBC Royal Bank.
Follow these steps to pull cash without wasting money:
- Tell your bank you are traveling to Aruba so the card does not get flagged and frozen.
- Use ATMs attached to real bank branches rather than standalone machines in convenience stores, since bank machines usually charge lower fees.
- When the screen asks whether you want florins or dollars, pick whichever you plan to spend more of. Florins work better for local restaurants and small shops.
- If the ATM offers to convert the amount to your home currency and shows a “guaranteed rate,” decline it. That is dynamic currency conversion, and it almost always costs you 3 to 7 percent extra.
- Withdraw larger amounts less often. Each withdrawal carries a flat fee, so three $200 withdrawals cost far less than six $100 ones.
The Dynamic Currency Conversion Trap
Restaurants and shops play the same game as ATMs. When you hand over a card, the terminal may ask, “Would you like to pay in USD or AWG?” Always choose the local currency, AWG, even though the dollar option looks friendlier. Choosing dollars hands the conversion to the merchant’s payment processor, which sets its own markup. Choosing florins lets your own card network handle it at a much better rate.
Consider a real case. A couple spends $3,000 on cards during a week in Aruba. If every terminal converts at a 5 percent markup because they always tapped “pay in USD,” they lose about $150. That is a sunset catamaran cruise for two, gone for nothing.
Should You Exchange Money Before You Travel?
For most visitors from the United States, the honest answer is no. You do not need to buy florins before your trip, and you probably do not need to exchange money at all once you arrive. Bring US dollars, use your cards, and pull small amounts of local cash from an ATM only if you want it.
Travelers from other countries face a different calculation. If you arrive from Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, or anywhere else, you should convert to US dollars or simply use your card. Canadian dollars, euros, and pounds do not circulate on the island. A few larger hotels might accept euros, but they will apply a poor rate.
Where to Exchange If You Really Want To
- Banks – offer the fairest rates, though they charge a small commission and keep limited hours. Most close by mid-afternoon on weekdays and stay closed on weekends.
- ATMs – the most convenient option and usually the best combined rate once you account for fees.
- Hotel front desks – convenient but consistently the worst rate. Use them only for small amounts in a pinch.
- Airport exchange counters – fast but expensive, with rates that can run 5 to 10 percent below the official peg.
- Cruise ship desks – the highest markups of all. Skip them entirely.
One more practical note. Aruban florins are nearly impossible to exchange outside Aruba. Banks in the United States, Canada, and Europe usually refuse them because the currency has such a small circulation. So spend your florins before you leave, or accept that leftover notes become souvenirs.
Tipping, Taxes, and Everyday Costs in Aruba
Understanding the currency only gets you halfway. You also need to know how much things cost and how the island handles service charges, because those details shape how much cash you carry.
How Tipping Works
Most restaurants automatically add a service charge of 10 to 15 percent to the bill. Read the receipt carefully before you add anything. If the service charge already appears, an extra 5 to 10 percent for excellent service is generous but optional. If no service charge appears, tip 15 to 20 percent like you would at home.
You can tip in dollars or florins, and staff happily accept either. Small US bills work well for housekeeping, bellhops, and tour guides. Plan on $2 to $5 per day for housekeeping, $1 to $2 per bag for porters, and 10 to 15 percent for taxi drivers and tour operators.
The BBO Tax and Price Tags
Aruba applies a turnover tax known as BBO along with health and environmental levies, which together add roughly 7 percent. Some businesses build it into the shelf price and some add it at the register, so the final total sometimes runs slightly higher than the sticker suggests. Hotels add a room tax plus a service charge, which can push a nightly rate up by 20 percent or more. Always read the fine print when you book.
Sample Prices to Help You Budget
| Item | Typical Price (USD) | Approx. Florins |
|---|---|---|
| Local beer at a beach bar | $4 – $7 | 7 – 12 AWG |
| Casual lunch for one | $15 – $25 | 27 – 45 AWG |
| Dinner at a mid-range restaurant | $35 – $60 | 63 – 107 AWG |
| Taxi from airport to Palm Beach | $28 – $35 | 50 – 63 AWG |
| Bus fare (Arubus) one way | $2.60 | 4.65 AWG |
| Bottle of water at a grocery store | $1 – $2 | 2 – 4 AWG |
| Rental car per day | $45 – $80 | 81 – 143 AWG |
Aruba ranks among the more expensive Caribbean islands, largely because it imports nearly everything and desalinates its own water. Budget accordingly, and remember that grocery stores like Super Food and Ling and Sons help you cut costs dramatically if you have a kitchen.
Common Money Mistakes Visitors Make in Aruba
Even experienced travelers slip up with Aruban money because the two-currency system creates situations you do not encounter at home. Learning these mistakes ahead of time saves both cash and frustration.
Mistakes That Cost You Money
- Choosing to pay in USD at card terminals. This single habit can cost 3 to 7 percent on every purchase. Always select AWG.
- Exchanging large amounts of cash at the airport or a hotel desk. You rarely need florins at all, and these locations charge the worst rates.
- Bringing large denomination US bills. Many small vendors cannot break a $100 note. Carry plenty of fives, tens, and twenties.
- Assuming everything is duty-free and therefore cheap. Aruba has some duty-free shopping, but restaurant and grocery prices run high.
- Forgetting to notify your bank. A frozen card on day one of vacation ruins the mood fast.
- Leaving with a pocket of florins. Spend them at the airport before departure, since you cannot exchange them at home.
Misconceptions Worth Clearing Up
Some visitors believe Aruba uses the euro because it belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It does not. The Netherlands uses the euro, but Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten each run their own currencies, while Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius switched to the US dollar in 2011. Aruba kept the florin.
Another common mix-up involves the Netherlands Antillean guilder, coded ANG. That currency belongs to Curacao and Sint Maarten, not Aruba. The two are separate currencies with similar histories and nearly identical pegs, but you cannot spend ANG in Aruba or AWG in Curacao.
People also assume the exchange rate fluctuates day to day like the euro or peso. It does not. The 1.79 peg has held steady for decades and the Centrale Bank van Aruba maintains it with substantial foreign reserves. You can budget months in advance with confidence, which is a real advantage over destinations with floating currencies.
How the Aruban Florin Compares to Other Caribbean Currencies
Placing the florin next to its neighbors helps you understand just how convenient Aruba is for dollar-carrying travelers. The Caribbean features a patchwork of money systems, and Aruba sits comfortably in the easiest tier.
| Destination | Currency | Code | Rate to USD | USD Widely Accepted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba | Aruban florin | AWG | 1.79 (pegged) | Yes, nearly everywhere |
| Curacao | Caribbean guilder | XCG | 1.79 (pegged) | Often, but less so |
| Bonaire | US dollar | USD | 1.00 | Official currency |
| Bahamas | Bahamian dollar | BSD | 1.00 (pegged) | Yes, interchangeable |
| Barbados | Barbadian dollar | BBD | 2.00 (pegged) | Yes, commonly |
| Jamaica | Jamaican dollar | JMD | Floating | In tourist zones |
| Dominican Republic | Dominican peso | DOP | Floating | In resorts mainly |
| Puerto Rico | US dollar | USD | 1.00 | Official currency |
| Eastern Caribbean islands | East Caribbean dollar | XCD | 2.70 (pegged) | Yes, commonly |
The pattern is clear. Islands with pegged currencies give travelers predictable budgets, while islands with floating currencies require you to check rates before you go. Aruba’s fixed peg plus widespread dollar acceptance makes it one of the simplest Caribbean destinations for handling money.
The peg also benefits Aruba itself. Because tourism revenue arrives mostly in dollars and the island imports heavily from the United States, a stable dollar link removes exchange rate risk for local businesses. Hotels can quote prices a year ahead without worrying that a currency swing will wipe out their margins.
What Is Changing With Money in Aruba
Aruba’s currency story is not frozen in place. Several shifts are reshaping how visitors and residents pay for things, and knowing them helps you prepare for future trips.
The Rise of Digital and Card Payments
Cash use keeps falling across the island. Contactless terminals now appear at food trucks, beach vendors, and small souvenir stands that were cash-only just a few years back. Local payment apps and bank transfer systems handle more everyday transactions for residents. For tourists, the practical effect is simple: you need less cash than travelers did a decade ago. Many visitors now get through an entire week carrying under $100 in physical money.
Regional Currency Changes Nearby
Curacao and Sint Maarten retired the Netherlands Antillean guilder and introduced the Caribbean guilder (XCG) in 2025, keeping the same 1.79 peg to the dollar. Aruba chose not to join that new currency and continues issuing its own florin. So if you island-hop, expect three different systems across the ABC islands: florins in Aruba, Caribbean guilders in Curacao, and US dollars in Bonaire.
Ongoing Talk About Dollarization
Economists and local commentators periodically debate whether Aruba should abandon the florin and adopt the US dollar outright, the way Bonaire did. Supporters argue it would cut transaction costs and simplify tourism. Opponents point out that Aruba would lose monetary independence and the seigniorage revenue that comes from issuing its own money. No official plan exists to make the switch, and the florin looks secure for the foreseeable future.
Practical Trends to Watch
- More merchants displaying prices in dollars only, especially in resort areas
- Expanding contactless and mobile wallet acceptance, including Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Fewer standalone currency exchange booths as ATMs and cards take over
- Continued issuance of the modern 2019 banknote series, with older notes slowly disappearing from circulation
- Growing use of travel cards with no foreign transaction fees among visiting tourists
Frequently Asked Questions About Aruban Money
Travelers ask the same practical questions again and again. Here are direct answers to the most common ones.
Do I need to bring cash to Aruba at all?
You need a small amount. Bring $100 to $200 in small US bills for tips, taxis, beach vendors, and the occasional small shop. Use cards for everything else. If you plan to visit local restaurants away from resort areas or shop at roadside stands, carry a bit more.
Can I use US dollars for everything?
Almost. Nearly every business accepts dollars, though a few small local establishments, government offices, and public buses prefer or require florins. The Arubus system, for example, accepts dollars but gives change in florins.
Are prices listed in dollars or florins?
It depends on where you shop. Resort areas and tourist restaurants often list dollars. Supermarkets, pharmacies, and local businesses list florins. Some places list both. When you see the symbol Afl. or ƒ, you are looking at florins, so divide by 1.79 to get the dollar amount.
What about traveler’s checks?
Skip them. Acceptance has collapsed across the Caribbean, including Aruba, and most banks and merchants no longer want to deal with them. A debit card plus a credit card covers you far better.
Is Aruba safe for using ATMs and cards?
Yes. Aruba ranks among the safest Caribbean destinations, and card fraud rates stay low. Still, use ATMs in well-lit locations, cover your PIN, and check statements after your trip like you would anywhere else.
What is the best card to bring?
Bring a credit card with no foreign transaction fee and a debit card from a bank that reimburses ATM charges. That pairing minimizes costs. Also carry a backup card from a different network in case one gets declined.
Can I get florins before I leave home?
Some large currency exchange services can order them, but the rate is poor and you gain nothing. Wait until you arrive and use an ATM if you want local cash.
So when someone asks what currency does Aruba use, the complete answer has two parts: the Aruban florin serves as the official currency, pegged at a steady 1.79 to the US dollar, while the dollar itself works almost everywhere on the island. That combination makes Aruba refreshingly easy for visitors. You do not need to hunt for exchange bureaus, memorize shifting rates, or worry that a currency swing will blow up your vacation budget. Bring small dollar bills, carry a fee-free card, always choose to pay in florins at card terminals, and you have covered nearly every money decision you will face.
The deeper value in understanding the florin goes beyond convenience. Aruba’s currency reflects the island’s history, its independence within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and its close economic ties to the United States. Those bright banknotes with owls, turtles, and divi-divi trees, along with that quirky square 50-cent coin, tell a story about a small island that built a stable, confident economy. Learn the basics before you go, keep a few florins in your pocket for the experience, and you will move through Aruba like someone who has been there before.
