Money in Fiji

Fijian Dollar

The unit of currency in Fiji is the Fijian Dollar, which is made up of 100 cents. The $ symbol is generally used, just as with the American Dollar, though the FJ$ and F$ can also be used to represent the Fijian Dollar, which prevents confusion between the two.

The dollars are available in denominations of F$2, F$5, F$10, F$20, F$50 and F$100. Coins are available in denominations of 1c and 2c (made of copper-plated zinc and copper-colored), 5c, 10c, 20c and 50c (made of nickel-bonded steel and silver-colored) and $1 (made of brass and gold-colored).

Banks in Fiji

There are numerous local and international banks on the islands. The Reserve Bank of Fiji oversees the country’s banking system. Some other major local banks include the National Bank of Fiji, National MBF Finance Fiji Ltd, Fiji Development Bank and Merchant Bank of Fiji.

Fiji also has four international banks: ANZ (Australia and New Zealand Banking), Colonial Mutual, Bank of Baroda and the Australian-owned Westpac. All of these have branches in Nadi and Suva, and ANZ has a branch at the Nadi International Airport, which is open 24 hours. Cash machines are also located in Nadi, Suva and Sigatoka, which accept Visa cards.

Generally, banking hours are as follows (excluding major local holidays):

Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

On the outer islands, the post office also acts as a banking system. However, credit cards are not accepted there.

Credit Cards and Traveler’s Cheques

Major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express, are usually accepted at hotels, resorts, restaurants, shops, travel companies and at a number of other establishments. Major international cards are accepted at ATMs, which are located in Nadi, Suva, Savusavu and some other areas of Fiji, though you should not rely on these types of cards.

Traveler’s cheques attract a slightly higher rate than cash and can be easily exchanged for money at banks for a fee. You can also exchange them at private exchange offices, which do not usually charge a fee.

Besides trading banks and private exchange offices, exchange facilities are available at airports and at most hotels as well.

Other Currencies to Fijian Currency

Exchange rate indicators, as of September 2009, are as follows:

$1.00 (American Dollar) =F$1.99
£1.00 (British Pound) =F$3.24
€1.00(European Euro) =F$2.86

Currency Restrictions

There’s no restriction on the import of foreign currency, however, only F$500 may be imported or exported. However, it’s recommended to not take any Fijian dollars home because Fiji banknotes are difficult to change outside Fiji and are usually very discounted.