Haitian Currency: What Most People Get Wrong

Money in Haiti is... complicated. Honestly, if you walk into a market in Port-au-Prince thinking a "dollar" is a dollar, you're going to have a very confusing afternoon.

The official Haitian currency is the gourde (HTG). That’s what’s printed on the colorful bills, and that's what the banks deal in. But here’s the kicker: almost nobody in the streets talks in gourdes. They talk in "Haitian dollars," a ghost currency that hasn't physically existed for decades.

If you're planning a trip or doing business there in 2026, you've got to wrap your head around this math, or you'll end up overpaying for everything from a bottle of Prestige beer to a taxi ride.

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The Gourde vs. The Ghost Dollar

Let’s start with the basics. The ISO code is HTG. As of mid-January 2026, the exchange rate is hovering around 131 gourdes to 1 US dollar.

But wait.

When you ask a street vendor how much a pile of mangoes costs, they might say "10 dollars." Do not—under any circumstances—hand them a crisp $10 USD bill. They are talking about the Haitian dollar, which is always, fixed forever, exactly 5 gourdes.

So, that "10 dollar" pile of mangoes? It actually costs 50 gourdes.

Why do they do this? It’s a relic from the early 20th century when the gourde was legally pegged at 5 to 1 USD. The peg broke a long time ago, but the mental math stayed. It’s basically a cultural shorthand. If you hear a price that sounds way too cheap or way too expensive, divide or multiply by five. It usually clears things up.

What’s in Your Wallet?

Haitian banknotes are actually pretty beautiful. They’re vibrant and tell a story of a country that was the first to successfully revolt against slavery.

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The Bills You'll See

• 1,000 Gourdes: The big kahuna. It’s the most colorful and features President Florvil Hyppolite. You’ll see the Marché Vallière (the famous iron market) on the back.
• 500 Gourdes: This one is green and shows off Alexandre Pétion.
• 250 Gourdes: Yellowish-brown. It features Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the founding father of Haiti.
• 100 Gourdes: Blue and iconic. It has Henri Christophe on it, the man who built the massive Citadelle Laferrière.
• 50, 25, 20, and 10 Gourdes: These are your daily workhorses.

Coins exist—specifically the 1 and 5 gourde pieces—but honestly? They’re becoming rarer. In a high-inflation environment, metal is often worth more than the face value of the coin, so paper (or small bills) is king.

The Economic Reality of 2026

Haiti’s economy has been through the ringer. We’re talking about a country where the inflation rate has been stuck in the double digits for years—hitting around 26% to 28% recently.

Because the gourde loses value relatively quickly, the US dollar has become a "shadow" currency. Many big-ticket items like rent, cars, or electronics are priced in USD. It’s a survival tactic. If you’re a local merchant, you don’t want to hold a currency that might be worth 5% less by next month.

However, the Haitian government periodically tries to "de-dollarize" the economy, demanding that all prices be displayed in gourdes. It’s a constant tug-of-war between official policy and the reality of the street.

Exchanging Your Cash Without Getting Ripped Off

Look, the temptation to use a street changer (the guys waving fans of bills at you) is real. They’re fast. They’re everywhere. But they're also risky.

Pro Tip: Stick to the casas de cambio (transfer houses) like CAM or Western Union, or just go into a bank like Sogebank or Unibank. You might wait in a line, but you’ll get the real rate.

Avoid the Airport. It’s a universal rule for a reason. The exchange counters at Toussaint Louverture International Airport are notorious for "convenience fees" that eat 10% of your money before you even leave the terminal.

Using ATMs

ATMs in Haiti are... temperamental. Most will give you gourdes, but some "Gold" or premium ATMs in areas like Pétion-Ville might dispense US dollars. Be warned: your home bank will likely charge a foreign transaction fee plus a withdrawal fee. If the machine asks if you want them to do the conversion for you (Dynamic Currency Conversion), always say no. Let your home bank handle the math; they’re almost always cheaper.

Summary of Actionable Steps

Dealing with the Haitian currency doesn't have to be a headache if you follow a few simple rules:

1. Always clarify the "Dollar": Before handing over money, ask "Goud oswa Dola?" (Gourdes or Dollars?). If they say dollars, assume they mean the Haitian 5-to-1 version unless they specifically say "US."
2. Carry Small Bills: Change is notoriously hard to find in Haiti. If you try to pay for a 50-gourde soda with a 1,000-gourde bill, the vendor will likely just stare at you. Keep a stash of 10s, 20s, and 50s.
3. Check the Daily Rate: Use an app like XE or even a quick Google search before you go out. The rate can shift by several gourdes in a single week.
4. Download a Conversion App: Since you're doing two sets of math (USD to Gourde, and Gourde to Haitian Dollar), having a calculator or a dedicated currency app saves you from "math fatigue."
5. Notify Your Bank: If you plan on using a card, tell your bank you're in Haiti. Otherwise, they’ll freeze your card on the first transaction, and getting a Haitian phone line to call your bank's international fraud department is a special kind of hell you want to avoid.

Navigating the financial landscape in Haiti is as much about culture as it is about math. Once you stop thinking in your home currency and start seeing the 5-to-1 ratio as a natural law, everything gets a lot easier.