If you are preparing to leave to for a vacation on the island of St. Lucia, you may be wondering about the preferred currency in St. Lucia. If you are traveling from America you might be hoping to just use US dollars in combination with your credit cards, but can you use US dollars in St. Lucia? What is the best currency for St. Lucia?
The best currency to use while in St. Lucia is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, which is the official currency of St. Lucia. Using their official currency will often make transactions easier. Despite that, yes, US dollars are widely accepted in St. Lucia, and for the most part, you should have no problem using US dollars (there may be some local businesses that prefer EC$).
In this article we will discuss the best currency for St. Lucia in more detail, discussing these various topics:
- What is the official currency of St. Lucia?
- Can you use US dollars in St. Lucia?
- Best currency to take to St. Lucia? And why?
- How to exchange money in St. Lucia
- Does St. Lucia accept Canadian Dollars?
- Does St. Lucia accept Euros?
***this post contains affiliate links (info)
What is the Official Currency of St. Lucia?
As mentioned earlier in the article, the official currency of St. Lucia is the Eastern Caribbean dollar. It would take approximately 2.70 Eastern Caribbean dollars to equal one United States dollar (source).
Eastern Caribbean dollars have existed since 1965 when the island made the switch to it from the British West Indies dollar. It is often abbreviated as simply “$” or alternatively “EC$” in situations where it needs to be differentiated from other dollar-based currencies.
Very similarly to the United States dollar, it is divided into one hundred cents and has banknotes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100. The coin denominations are 1, 2, 5, 10, and 25 cents and 1 dollar.
Can you use US Dollars in St. Lucia?
Yes, you can use US dollars in St. Lucia. You can exchange US dollars for Eastern Caribbean dollars, but if you would rather just keep the US dollars and use those, you should be just fine.
US dollars are accepted throughout the island. Whether you are looking to shop at local stores, grab authentic island cuisine, pay for a hotel room or taxi, or almost anything else, United States dollars will work just fine with very little exceptions.
The exceptions might be a few local shops that do not accept US dollars, so carrying at least a small amount of local currency with you is always recommended just in case.
Best Currency to Take to St. Lucia?
In St. Lucia, the best currency to use is the island’s currency of the Eastern Caribbean dollar unless you are traveling from the United States. If you are traveling from the United States, it is perfectly acceptable to use US dollars, although my recommendation is to carry a small amount of EC$ with you in case you run into a vendor that does not accept US dollars.
It is always an option to simply exchange your United States dollars for Eastern Caribbean dollars in reasonable amounts at most local hotels or in larger amounts at currency exchanges throughout the island, but beware, you may run into exchange fees.
Overall, it makes things easier when traveling to use the official currency of the country you are visiting. It always helps the current residents to try to fit in and acclimate to their way of life as much as possible. Using their currency makes things easier during transactions. That said, because US dollars are so widely accepted, it is perfectly fine to use US dollars while in St. Lucia.
If traveling from the United States, ultimately the choice will be yours: exchange for EC$ or use US dollars and risk the possibility a few random local vendors don’t accept US dollars.
How to Exchange Money in St. Lucia
In St. Lucia, there are two very popular ways to exchange United States dollars, or sometimes other currency, for the island’s primarily used Eastern Caribbean dollars.
First, I would check with the hotel you are staying at. Some hotels offer to exchange small and reasonable amounts of currency and can point you to secure ATM’s that can allow you to withdraw local currency if needed.
Another way to exchange currency on the island of St. Lucia is to use a currency exchange location throughout the island. It is here where you may exchange any currency for Eastern Caribbean dollars in any amount (expect fees).
Does St. Lucia Accept Canadian Dollars?
In St. Lucia, there may be some places of business that accept Canadian dollars as an alternate form of payment. In some instances, fees and charges may be applied.
But many places of business will not accept Canadian dollars at all. I recommend exchanging Canadian dollars for Eastern Caribbean dollars upon arrival.
Does St. Lucia Accept Euros?
No, for the most part, euros are not accepted in St. Lucia. I recommend exchanging euros for Eastern Caribbean dollars upon arrival to the island.
3 St. Lucia Currency Tips
- Once you reach St. Lucia, locate a safe ATM that you can use for withdrawing local EC$ if needed. Your hotel staff should be able to direct you to a secure ATM location – the hotel may have one on site.
- Don’t overlook the importance of using travelers checks and credit cards. Carrying large amounts of cash while vacationing is never wise.
- While it is acceptable to use credit cards during a visit, certain cards may impose expensive fees due to where they are being used. Also, always check with your credit card company to make sure your card won’t be flagged when used abroad.