Money in Jamaica: US Dollars, Jamaican Dollars, ATMs and Cards

Jamaica’s currency is the Jamaican dollar (JMD, written J$). In the resort areas you can get by with US dollars and a card for most of a trip, but you’ll want some Jamaican dollars for route taxis, roadside food, markets and anywhere off the main tourist strip. Here’s how money works on the island, from the Bank of Jamaica, Tax Administration Jamaica and official travel advice, with a few things a local would tell you.

The Jamaican dollar: notes and coins

The Bank of Jamaica issues six banknotes: J$50, J$100, J$500, J$1,000, J$2,000 and J$5,000. They’re polymer notes, and the Bank redesigned them so each one has its own color, partly because people used to mix up the old J$500 and J$5,000 in low light. Coins come in J$1, J$5, J$10 and J$20.

If you have notes left over from an older trip, check them. The Bank of Jamaica says the old paper (cotton) banknotes stopped being legal tender on July 1, 2025, so shops won’t take them. The Bank says it will keep exchanging them for polymer notes indefinitely.

The exchange rate

The rate floats and changes every day. The Bank of Jamaica’s weighted average rates for October 7, 2026 were:

These are market averages. A cambio, bank or hotel desk sets its own rate, so what you get will be a bit different. For quick mental math at that rate, J$1,000 is a little over US$6, and US$100 is roughly J$15,800. Check the Bank of Jamaica’s home page for the day’s rate before you change money.

Can you use US dollars in Jamaica?

In tourist areas, yes, and many places price in them. Attractions often quote visitor prices in US dollars: Dunn’s River Falls, for example, lists US$25 for non-resident adults, and Rick’s Café prices its menu in US dollars. Other everyday costs are in Jamaican dollars: Knutsford Express coach fares, route taxi fares and the entry fee at Frenchman’s Cove in Portland are all quoted in J$.

My take: pay in the currency the price is quoted in. If you pay a J$ price with US dollars, the seller picks the exchange rate and you’ll usually get change in Jamaican dollars, which is rarely in your favor. Bring US bills in small denominations and in good condition; US coins are no use here.

Where to change money

• Licensed cambios: the Bank of Jamaica licenses and supervises cambios (exchange bureaus) to buy and sell foreign currency, and publishes a list of licensed cambio operators on its website.
• Banks: commercial banks change money too. Expect a line, and bring your passport.
• At Montego Bay airport: Sangster International says Global Exchange has counters in the immigration hall, the ground transportation hall, the ticketing hall and the departures area, open during airport operating hours, and takes 11 currencies including US, Canadian and British money.
• Not on the street: the Financial Investigations Division has reminded the public that it’s illegal to trade foreign currency without a license from the Bank of Jamaica. Skip anyone offering a “good rate” outside a bank or cambio.

A local tip: change only what you need for the first day or two at the airport, then use a cambio in town or an ATM for the rest. If you’re at an all-inclusive and won’t leave much, you may not need to change much at all.

ATMs

Jamaicans call them ABMs (automated banking machines), and you’ll find them at banks, malls, supermarkets and many gas stations in the towns. Most dispense Jamaican dollars. The Government of Canada warns that ATMs are limited outside Kingston and Montego Bay, so carry enough cash if you’re heading to the countryside.

Official advice on using them safely:

• Use ATMs in public areas or inside a bank or business.
• Go in daylight, avoid badly lit machines, and don’t take out a lot of money at once.
• Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN, and check your statements for transactions you didn’t make.

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Credit and debit cards

The Government of Canada says hotels and businesses that cater to tourists accept major credit cards. Rick’s Café takes Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express, and Knutsford Express takes Visa, Mastercard and Discover online. Card can even be cheaper than cash: at Frenchman’s Cove, entry for over-12s is J$2,500 by card or prepaid and J$2,750 in cash.

Card fraud happens. Canada advises watching closely when someone else handles your card and avoiding card readers that look unusual. My take: use a credit card rather than a debit card where you can, keep a second card in the room safe, and carry cash for the places that are cash only: route taxis, cookshops, jerk stalls, craft markets, roadside fruit vendors and tips.

GCT: the tax on what you buy

Jamaica’s sales tax is General Consumption Tax (GCT). Tax Administration Jamaica sets the standard rate at 15%, in place since April 1, 2020, with a 10% rate for tourism activities. Some prices include it and some don’t, so check the menu or the bill. Rick’s Café, for example, adds 15% GCT and a 10% service charge to its menu prices. Many all-inclusives, Sandals among them, include all taxes in the price.

Bringing cash into Jamaica

You can bring as much as you like, but the UK FCDO says you must declare cash or traveler’s checks worth US$10,000 or more on your C5 form. A customs officer will also give you a Financial Investigation Division cross-border form, and you’ll need proof of where the money came from. Not declaring it breaches the Customs Act: the money can be seized and you can be fined. Our guide to passports and entry rules covers the C5 form.

Departure tax

The UK FCDO says arrival and departure taxes are usually included in the price of your plane ticket. If you’re not sure, ask your airline. You shouldn’t need cash for a departure tax at the airport.

Keeping your money safe

• Don’t carry large sums of cash or valuables you don’t need. Leave the rest, and your passport, in the room safe.
• If you’re threatened by robbers, don’t resist: hand over your cash and valuables, Canada advises.
• Canada warns never to send money to someone in Jamaica who says you’ve won a prize or a lottery, and never to travel to Jamaica to claim one.
• Split your cash between a wallet and a second pocket or bag, so a lost wallet doesn’t end the day.

For the wider picture, read what the official safety advice for Jamaica says.

Before you fly: a quick money check

Ask your bank what it charges for foreign ATM withdrawals and card payments, and tell it you’re traveling so your card isn’t blocked. Then pack small US bills for tips and the first taxi, and leave any old cotton Jamaican notes at home.

Planning the trip? My free Jamaica trip checklist puts documents, money and packing in one printable list, and if you haven’t picked an area yet, start with where to stay in Jamaica.