What Currency Is Accepted In The Maldives?
What Currency Is Accepted In The Maldives?
Local currency is Maldivian Rufiyaa. This is non convertible currency which means you can only take it out in the Maldives. You will not be able to exchange it in your home country.
United States Dollar (USD) is widely accepted throughout the Maldives. I did some island hopping and visited Thulusdoo, Maafushi and Gulhi all of which accepted USD in cash as a form of payment. Most of the time the bill will be given in Maldivian Rufiyaa, all you need to do is divide this amount by 15 to get the USD amount.
Card payments particularly on the local islands aren’t very common. In Thulusdoo I couldn’t find anywhere that accepted card payments in restaurants and cafes however in Maafushi they were more common (Maafushi is considered a touristy island which is why I think this was the case.)
In Male City (the capital of the Maldives) I found didn’t accept United States Dollar (USD) cash as a form of payment. They did however accept cards paid in Maldivian Rufiyaa. If you are paying with a card make sure you have a non-foreign exchange fee card to avoid the 3% charge.
Want to find out more information about the Maldives before you leave? I recently island-hopped the Maldives on a budget and here is everything you need to know. Who knew the Maldives could be so affordable?
Pay in USD cash for hotels
In Gulhi my accommodation would have charged me a 3% fee if I had paid with a card. It was also cheaper to pay in USD than it was to pay in Maldivian Rufiyaa. If your accommodation says that prepayment is not required at this time pay at the hotel, and make sure you have enough USD to cover this in CASH, to avoid unwanted fees.
In Maafushi however, I did pay with a card as there weren’t any additional fees. It is best to check with the hotel before making a payment.
ATMs Maldives
In Velana International Airport there is a Bank of Maldives exchange just before you exit arrivals. When I went there was a huge queue to exchange money. In the main area of departures and arrivals, there is no air conditioning so it is absolutely horrendous waiting around in these conditions.
Just outside of arrivals at Velana International Airport, there are ATMs for the Bank of Maldives and Habib Bank. These are self-service machines. If you change your mind and want to exchange money in person this cannot be done as you have left the arrival doors.
The three islands I visited Thulusdoo, Maafushi and Gulhi all had self-service ATMs on the island.
My Advice
I would take out some United States Dollars (USD) in cash in your home country before arriving in the Maldives. This is to cover the hotels that you need to pay at the hotel and transport to the island. One-way speedboat to Thulusdoo, Maafushi and Gulhi were $25 one way.
I found it slightly cheaper to pay with Maldivian Rufiyaa than with USD. My preferred payment is with a card however not many places accept it on local islands.
Remember that Maldivian Rufiyaa is a non-convertible currency so if you take money out you have to use it all in the Maldives, you will not be able to exchange it back. I would take out what you think you’ll need and no more. Remember that the ATM and your card may charge you a fee for withdrawing every time.
