Mauritius currency
The rupee

The preferred currency for Mauritius is our local money: namely the ‘rupee’. Many tourists have asked me if they can use foreign currency on the island. Mauritians prefer payment in local currency. Some establishments will accept your foreign money but then you’ll lose on the exchange rate plus your change will be given to you in rupees. 

The Mauritius currency symbol is MUR. Like elsewhere we have paper money, coins and cents. Have a look at the image below to see them all.

Mauritius Rupee notes come in the following denominations:
2000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 25 rupees notes.

Mauritius Rupee Coins:
Rs 20, 10, 5, 1.

There are 100 cents in one rupee.
50, 20 and 5 cents coins.

Tips for best exchange rates

Where should you buy Mauritius currency?

Don’t change your money into rupees before you travel to our country. Change your money into rupees on arrival at Mauritius airport. The money exchange counters will be open even if you arrive in the middle of the night. Keep in mind you should be offered a better rate for large amounts.

Don't worry if for some reason you did not have time to exchange your money at the airport. We have foreign exchange offices and ATM machines throughout the island. You'll have better rates at money changers than at banks or hotels.

Credit cards are widely accepted in Mauritius:  Visa, MasterCard, Diners and American Express. Check with your bank if they charge a fee to process cash withdrawals from ATM machines overseas.

Passports are usually required for money transactions. Bank debit cards and credit cards will require your PIN number.

Warning: Check with your bank if your debit/maestro card will be accepted in ATM in Mauritius. New Security regulations mean you might not be able to use these types of bank cards to withdraw money at ATM in non-European countries.

If you still have some travellers cheques from a previous holiday you will find it difficult to change them on the island as they are being phased out.

How much money to take? 

You can spend your holiday in Mauritius as inexpensively as on any other tropical island or you can stay in 5 star plus hotels, travel by helicopter, dine in gourmet restaurants and splash out with your credit cards.

The spending money you need depends on what you want to do according to your budget. So it’s a little difficult for me to give you an answer.

Changing money into Mauritius currency

We have a well-respected foreign exchange called Shibani Finance Co. Ltd with 16 branches across the island including the arrival and departure halls at the airport. The company was awarded “the Laurier d’or 2015” (Gold Laurel in English) by the Federation International du Tourisme on 24th January 2015.

For instant exchange rate and to see how much our Mauritius money is worth:
http://www.shibanifinance.com/pages/exchangerate.php

Names and currency codes 

• AED    UAE Dirham
• AUD   Australian Dollar
• CAD   Canadian Dollar
• CHF   Swiss Franc
• CNY   Chinese Yuan Renminbi
• DKK   Danish Kroner
• EUR   Euro
• GBP   British Pound Sterling
• HKD   Hong Kong Dollar
• INR     Indian Rupee
• JPY     Japanese Yen
• NOK  Norwegian Krone
• NZD   New Zealand Dollar
• SAR    Saudi Arabian Riyal
• SEK    Swedish kronor
• SGD   Singapore Dollar
• USD   US Dollar
• ZAR    South African Rand

Thomas Cooks has branches on the island where you can also change money.

How did we land up with a Mauritius currency called the rupee? 

It has to do with our fascinating history and Indian immigration which started in the nineteen century. Indians were brought over to the island to work in sugar plantations as cheap labour. It triggered an influx of Indian rupees and the name stuck!

The Mauritius rupee became the official currency in 1876 and was put into circulation a year later.

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