J or usd to bring

[Sunnyjim]

Well hello- my wife and I are heading to Negril for our first wedding anniversary. Is it better to exchange currency in Canada or Jamaica? The exchange is almost 1:1 ( J - CDN) according to live currency exchange.
Thanks

[Vince]

Jamaican- IMO

[wrtiii]

The best way to exchange money in terms of exchange rate is still to use an ATM to withdraw money in the local currency, and to make an occasional larger withdrawal rather than a lot of small withdrawals. This seems to be true worldwide. Not surprising, given the overhead involved in handling foreign currency.

If you want to bring cash, the cambios in Negril will give you as good an exchange rate as you are going to find, and almost certainly better than you'll find in Canada, where the bank will likely have to order JA currency for you.

If you convert your Canadian money to USD then bring USD to Jamaica, you'll be paying the fees twice.

Right this minute, according to xe.com, 1 CAD = 98.5716 JMD.

[Bnewb]

Definitely exchange your Canadian money in Jamaica and also not at the airport here. The airport in Jamaica has one of the worst exchange rates and exchanging in Canada is not a whole lot better.

Cambios or banks in Jamaica are available to exchange at a decent rate.
ATMs are accessible and easy to use also...though check how much your bank charges for withdrawals in foreign countries.

There is NO need to exchange your Canadian dollars to US and then to Jamaican.

You'll see many tourist oriented properties have priced their services and goods in US...all you need to ask is to receive the cheque/bill in Jamaican.
Many services and goods can be paid in Canadian as well...most everyone in the tourist oriented locations are highly aware of both the US and Canadian exchange rates....but, it will still be much easier overall to use Jamaican.

The current exchange rate (today) at the cambios is almost 93J to 1CA. At the banks it's 94J to 1CA.

[Sunnyjim]

Thanks to everyone that replied to my post.
I wish everyone happy times����

[jamaicarob]

always pay in Ja, soon come

[SLP]

Don't exchange in Canada. I bring CDN and exchange it here. I pay for everything in J $ except for my taxi to and from the airport and the coffee I take home. Those I pay for in US $ (cost me a small fortune too!).

[lacdeloo]

ATM WILL ALSO COST YOU 500 j OR 5.00 CANADIAN TO WITHDRAW.

[Carrie]

I could write a fun short story on my experiences. I am Canadian and it just is brutal with the exchange. I bring a good amount of american and a reserve of Canadian … in case. Above is correctly noted a $5 charge at the ATM, I'm not sure that was not American?? No bother. At any rate, there are not that many ATM's around … and they often will not be able to disperse your required funds. I think I have had success 80% of the time. Bank of Jamaica had to send me to Sav La Mar as the Mastercard and credit was down … could be a day, could be two …Nothing like needing to take an advance and paying interest from that moment on. But I had cash. Personally I don't think I would bother getting Jamaican dollars before going … US is always accepted and converted to Jamaican at point of sale. Canadian dollars need to go to an exchange or hotel lobby often do too to Jamaican. I have seen many tourists have problems with the ATMs. Me too hahaha.

[jomack]

I agree, being Canadian, no point in exchanging to JMD until you get to Jamaica. I checked the exchange with our bank Royal Bank, they actually have to order it in, so you are literally paying them more for the exchange. We have learnt, bring some USD, and the rest Canadian to exchange, or use the ATM there.

US dollar is so bad, think we actually lost lots by switching CAD to USD in Canada, and then to JMD in Jamaica. Sure Jamaicans love US dollar, but J is just the same, cost less for us, which allows us tos give more $$ to them.. at least in my opinion.