Mauritius Currency:Economic Significance & Beyond

To the east of Madagascar, lies a heavenly beauty, Mauritius with excellent beaches and crystal clear waters. Mauritius is an astonishing culinary destination with great wildlife and untamed landscapes. It is definitely one of the finest islands on earth. While on their Mauritius tour packages, some of the questions travellers have are, What’s the currency I should carry? Where do I get Mauritius Currency?  How much should I carry? What’s the average expense?. We have it all covered in this article and keep reading to know more about the Mauritius Currency.

The Local Currency of Mauritius

The local and official currency of Mauritius is the Mauritian Rupee. In spite of Mauritius being an African country, its currency is called Rupee, which is common in several Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Indonesia.

The Mauritius Currency actually originated from the Indian rupee. There was an influx of Indian rupees into Mauritius land. The migration of Indian workers from India to Mauritius, to work in sugar ranches, serves to be the main reason behind this. In 1877, the Mauritius rupee came into existence. It replaced other currencies such as Indian rupees, Mauritian dollars and British Pound Sterling.

Today, one Mauritian rupee is divided into 100 cents. The currency code for Mauritius currency is MUR and the symbol ‘Rs.’ is used to denote rupees. The Mauritius currency circulates in a total of thirteen face values, that is, seven in the form of paper notes and the remaining six in coin form.

More about Mauritius Currency

The Currency notes are found in denominations such as MUR 25, MUR 50, MUR 100, MUR 200, MUR 500, MUR 1,000 and MUR 2,000. Of these denominations, except MUR 2000 the others are widely used all across the country. Similar to the present-day Indian rupees, these notes vary in colour and sizes.

The image of the Bank of Mauritius building and the statue of justice can be seen on one side of these notes, while the other side bears an image of a historically significant person.

Coins are available for smaller denominations such as MUR 1, MUR 5, MUR 10 and MUR 20. Coins of 5, 20 and 50 cents are also there, but they are hardly used and circulated by the people in Mauritius. All the coins (any denomination) have a portrait image of Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, who is the ‘Father of the Nation, Mauritius’ on one side and some symbolic representation on the reverse side.

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Foreign Currency Exchange

Are you looking for the best rates to exchange your currency? Then you must exchange your currency at one of the forex bureaus located at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Mauritius.

The Automated Teller Machines at the airport also help you in withdrawing money or exchanging foreign currencies including those of Barclays Bank, HSBC, and Mauritius Commercial Bank.

Once you enter the city, the places that offer the best foreign exchange rates include Thomas Cook, Barclays Bank, Mauritius Commercial Bank and State Bank of Mauritius. At the Barclays Bank, Mauritius Commercial Bank and State Bank of Mauritius, you can get cash by using foreign currency, traveller’s cheques, bank debit card or credit card.

Forex: Traveller Tips

1. Highly recommended to exchange your currency with Mauritius currency, at the arrival in the airport for best rates. If you are travelling from India, convert Indian Rupee to US Dollars here in India and then, in turn, convert US Dollars to Mauritian Rupees, upon arrival in Mauritius.
2. Local Forex providers such as Shibani Finance or Thomas Cook offer best rates when compared to the Banks in Mauritius.
3. Make sure you exchange all the money you are intended to spend at a single go. (Higher the exchange amount, better the price is!).
4. Converting Mauritian Rupees back to your currency will put you in a huge loss and hence, if you are not sure about how much you will be spending, then exchange the amount little by little.
5. Avail international banking in your debit or credit cards, if you have planned to use them in Mauritius. Also prior to travel, do check with your bank if your card will be accessible from Mauritius.
6. The currency exchange rates in Mauritius keeps floating; i.e. they vary with the value of other currencies.

However,  USD 1 at present is approximately equal to MUR 34.8 and EUR 1 is approximately equivalent to MUR 39.92.

Do the locals accept any other currency?

No, they do not. It’s a big NO when it comes to accepting foreign currencies. Most of the places in Mauritius do not accept foreign currencies including INR, USD and EUR. However, certain high-end retail shops and Hotels might accept USD and EUR. Even if you purchase anything from these shops by using USD or EUR, the change will be paid back only in MUR. You will lose a significant amount here, with high exchange rates. Always have this as a last option.

How much amount should I carry?

This has remained to top the FAQ’s when it comes to a vacation in Mauritius. Honestly, the amount you should carry depends on one person to another. It depends on various factors like your budget, duration of the trip, number of people, the preferred mode of transportation and the activities you wish to do. Therefore, the amount you should carry is very subjective.

You can plan your expense by keeping 100 USD as the base amount required for one person/day. If you plan on doing activities, kindly carry more; since the cost of every activity changes with seasons and its demand.

The enchanting island of Mauritius is here to satisfy all your travel needs.  Soaking yourself in the sunshine; simply enjoying the breathtaking views, Mauritius will reward you even for the smallest exploration you take. Hope this article will help you make most of your money’s worth on this charming island. Still, need help? Not to worry! Our Travel Experts are available to help you with your queries. Now, quickly log in to Pickyourtrail and request a callback. Our Travel Experts will get in touch with you immediately. Also, check out the amazing Mauritius honeymoon packages available to make your dream honeymoon trip come true.

Frequently Asked Questions

Also Read: Best Places to Visit in Mauritius for first time travellers