The official Dominican currency is the peso (RD$) , which comes in notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000; there are also 0.10, 0.25, 0.50 and 1 peso coins, though only the last sees much use. The exchange rate varies from day to day, but typically hovers at around 16-17 pesos to the US dollar. It's impossible to find Dominican pesos outside the country, but visitors are well advised to come armed with a substantial amount of US dollars, as these are the most readily accepted (and exchangeable) foreign currency in the land. The best places to change money are the banks , which offer good exchange rates; keep your receipts, as this allows you to exchange 30 percent of the pesos back into hard currency (dollars or euros) on departure. In a pinch, smaller casas de cambio are fine, though you should avoid the street moneychangers .

The Dominican Republic is one of the last true budget destinations in the Caribbean. Package deals are relatively low-priced, and in many parts of the country shoestring travellers can spend as little as US$30/£19 per day. The savings are spread unevenly, though, and some things are pricier here than elsewhere: riding from town to town via public transport can cost as little as US$0.35/£0.20, but car rental will set you back at least US$45/£28 a day