The official currency used in Grenada is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$).
It is divided into 100 cents and the coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10 and 25 cents.
The bills come in the denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5.
Tipping is not necessary but it's important to note that hotels and restaurants
add a 10% service charge as well as an 8% government tax.
There are many banks available including Barclays Bank, Grenada Bank of Commerce,
National Commerce Bank and Scotiabank. Their open hours are quite similar but
they do close earlier some days from about 8am-3pm Monday to Thursday and 8am-5pm
on Friday's. ATM machines are available around Grenada for your convenience.
Major Travelers Cheques and Credit Cards are accepted at the majority of restaurants
and hotels as well as some larger stores.
The exchange rate is about 1 US$ = 2.71 EC$
Food costs in Grenada have been considered notoriously high, depending on where
you eat. Many tourists have found that going to the supermarkets and buying
items such as Romaine lettuce can set you back about 10 US$. But you have to
remember that not many people from Grenada would ever buy such items that you're
accustomed to back home. A good tip is to buy more locally grown produce from
the markets. St. George's produce market is a good place to go for better-priced
foods, but be warned that they might not always have what you need. Sometimes
that can make for a really interesting shopping experience though! You can try
things that you might not have otherwise picked up so it's important to remember
to enjoy your shopping experience when you're on vacation!
Cooking in Grenada will definitely save you a lot more money than if you were
to eat out every night so it's a good idea to invest a little time into buying
locally grown produce. Make time to taste all the unique Caribbean ingredients
while at the same time, saving money!
There's also the St. Georges fish market which is a real hit with locals and
tourists alike. All the fish has been caught that day and the prices are basically
unbeatable. Fresh fish at very low prices, bon appetite!
As in most places, if foods have to be imported in to the country, then they're
going to be more expensive. For example, apples and pears have to be flown in
from the US and are therefore much more expensive than the indigenous root vegetables
of Grenada etc. If you need to buy your favourite items from home such as Coca-Cola
then you have got to appreciate that you will, inevitably, be paying much more
than you would back home. Ask around at local markets and see if there's anything
you'd like to try, you never know what you might find! Plus, you'll be supporting
the community, getting fresher produce and in turn, getting a lot more for your
money.
Alcohol and cigarettes are not heavily taxed in Grenada and you can get some
pretty good deals on those sorts of items.
|
