St. Maarten Currency Guide: Dollars, Euros & the New Guilder
What currency does St. Maarten use? US dollars work on the whole island, the Dutch side switched to the Caribbean guilder in 2025, and the French side runs on euros. Here's how paying actually works, side by side.
This guide is brought to you by the Coral Villas team. As local experts in Sint Maarten, we're passionate about helping travelers discover the authentic Caribbean experience.
The short answer: bring US dollars and a Visa or Mastercard, and you're covered everywhere on the island. The longer answer is more interesting, because St. Maarten is one of the few places where a ten-minute drive changes the official currency. The Dutch side prices in dollars and its own guilder; cross the invisible border into French Saint-Martin and menus switch to euros. After hosting guests here since 2018, these are the money questions we answer most, in one place.
What currency is used in St. Maarten?
The Dutch side's official currency is the Caribbean guilder (Cg), which replaced the old Netherlands Antillean guilder in 2025. It's pegged at 1.79 guilders to 1 US dollar, a fixed rate that hasn't moved in decades across both currencies. In practice you can ignore it: virtually every shop, restaurant, and taxi on the Dutch side quotes and accepts US dollars, and most price tags in Philipsburg and Simpson Bay are in dollars already. You may get small change in guilders at a supermarket; spend it before you fly home, because banks abroad rarely exchange it.
The French side (Saint-Martin) uses the euro, full stop, because it's legally part of France. Dollars are widely accepted in restaurants and shops in Grand Case, Marigot, and Orient Bay, but the house exchange rate is usually 1:1, which quietly costs you a few percent when the euro is stronger. Paying in euros or by card on the French side is the better deal.
Cash, cards, or both: what to actually bring
| Situation | Best way to pay |
|---|---|
| Dutch side restaurants, shops, casinos | US dollars or card, interchangeably |
| French side restaurants (Grand Case, Marigot) | Card in euros, or euro cash; dollars accepted at ~1:1 |
| Beach bars, lolos, market stalls | Cash (small bills; dollars fine on both sides) |
| Taxis | US dollars cash; agree the fare before you get in |
| Duty-free shopping on Front Street | Card or dollars; prices are quoted in USD |
| Groceries on the French side | Card; supermarkets charge in euros |
Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere on both sides, contactless included. American Express works at larger Dutch-side businesses but gets declined often enough on the French side that you shouldn't rely on it. A card plus a modest stack of small-denomination dollars covers every situation we've seen guests run into.
ATMs and exchanging money
Dutch-side ATMs, including those at Princess Juliana Airport and in Philipsburg and Simpson Bay, dispense US dollars. French-side ATMs around Marigot dispense euros. Both charge the usual foreign-transaction fees your bank sets, so one larger withdrawal beats five small ones. There's no reason for US travelers to visit an exchange office at all: you'd be converting dollars into a currency you don't need. If your home currency is something else, exchange a small amount for cash situations and put the rest on card.
One card tip that saves real money: when a terminal offers to charge you in your home currency instead of the local one, decline it. That "convenience" (dynamic currency conversion) uses a worse rate than your bank's.
Tipping in St. Maarten
On the Dutch side, restaurants often add a 15% service charge to the bill; check before adding more. Where it isn't included, 15% is standard, like at home for American visitors. On the French side, service is included by law (look for "service compris"), and rounding up or leaving 5-10% for great service is appreciated rather than expected. Taxi drivers get rounded-up fares, and for villa staff, a discretionary tip at the end of a week's stay is a kind gesture our housekeepers genuinely appreciate; there's no fixed rule.
Frequently asked questions
How much is 1 US dollar in St. Maarten?
The Caribbean guilder is pegged at a fixed 1.79 guilders per US dollar, so the rate never fluctuates. On the French side, the dollar-to-euro rate follows the international market, but most businesses that accept dollars simply treat them as 1:1 with the euro.
What is the best currency to take to St. Maarten?
US dollars. They're accepted island-wide, ATMs on the Dutch side dispense them, and every price on the Dutch side is quoted in them. Only bring euros if you plan to spend most of your time on the French side and want the fairest cash rate there.
How much is $100 in St. Maarten?
About 179 Caribbean guilders at the fixed peg. In practical terms, $100 covers a generous lunch for two in Grand Case, or dinner with drinks at a good Simpson Bay restaurant before the service charge.
Do I need to exchange money before traveling to St. Maarten?
No, if you're coming from the US. Cards work nearly everywhere and Dutch-side ATMs dispense dollars on arrival. Travelers from Europe can bring euros for the French side and withdraw dollars locally for the Dutch side.
Money is one of the easiest parts of a St. Maarten trip once you know the two-sided setup. For how the island's split actually works day to day, read our guide to the Dutch and French sides of Sint Maarten, get the seasonal picture in our best time to visit guide, or start planning where to base yourself with our Sint Maarten travel guide.
