Guam Currency & Money Guide: Exchange, Cards, and Tips

Guam uses the US Dollar (USD), cards are widely accepted, ATMs are easy to find, and tipping follows typical US norms of 10–15% at restaurants and for taxis. Most travellers can simply bring a mix of cards and cash, track expenses in USD, and exchange foreign currency before arrival.

Think of Guam as a US island in Micronesia when it comes to money. The Guam currency is strictly USD — other currencies, including Singapore Dollars, Japanese Yen or Korean Won, are not accepted at shops or ATMs. According to Guam’s tourism information, the dollar is the only official currency and there are no restrictions on importing or exporting foreign cash.

Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) are widely accepted in hotels, malls, car rental desks and restaurants, especially around Tumon and Tamuning. Many larger businesses also support contactless payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay, though small family-run shops may still be cash-first.

ATMs are available at the airport, major shopping centres and most hotels, with typical international bank withdrawal fees of around USD 3–6 per transaction in 2026. Tipping culture mirrors the mainland US: plan for 10–15% at sit-down restaurants, similar percentages for taxis, and USD 1 per bag or per night for hotel staff.

To keep your Guam budget under control, using the Hello app to track spending in USD — while automatically converting from your home currency — makes it much easier to see your real trip costs at a glance and split expenses fairly with friends.

Guam’s official and only currency is the US Dollar (USD), so most visitors should think in USD and exchange money before arrival rather than relying on other currencies on the island. Bringing a mix of small USD bills and cards works best for everyday travel in Guam.

Guam is an unincorporated territory of the United States, and all transactions — from hotel bills to street snacks — are priced in USD. Local tourism resources emphasise that US dollars are the sole legal tender, with notes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100, and coins down to 1 cent.

If you’re travelling from Singapore, Guam doesn’t accept SGD directly. As of early 2026, many financial sites report an exchange rate around 1 SGD ≈ 0.75 USD, meaning SGD 100 is roughly USD 75. Rates fluctuate daily, so it’s best to check a live FX source or your bank before you fly.

Because sales tax is not applied in Guam the same way as many US states, the price you see is usually very close to what you pay, though service charges may appear on hotel and restaurant bills. For a typical 4–5 day trip, most visitors find that USD 200–400 in cash, plus at least one main credit or debit card, is a comfortable amount.

A simple strategy: keep your larger expenses (hotels, car rental, activities) on cards and reserve cash for tips, small cafes, parking, and rural shops that may be cash-only outside Tumon’s tourist core.

The best way to get Guam currency (USD) is usually to exchange or withdraw before you arrive, but you can find money changers and banks around Tumon and Tamuning if needed. Airport booths, mall exchanges and bank branches all offer USD with slightly different rates and fees.

Foreign currency exchange is available at Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport, major banks such as Bank of Guam and First Hawaiian Bank, and select hotel front desks. Tourism guidance notes that rates and service fees vary by location, so it’s smart to compare at least two options if you’re exchanging a large amount.

In the Tumon–Tamuning area, money changers like Rustan’s Foreign Exchange, Pinoy Express Foreign Exchange, and Xchanged operate in commercial zones and have posted rates that may be more competitive than hotel desks. Some guides also mention a currency exchange outlet in Guam Premier Outlet (GPO) in Tamuning, convenient if you’re already shopping there.

If you’re coming from Singapore, you’ll often get a better Guam exchange rate by converting SGD to USD at a Singapore bank, multi-currency account, or city money changer before your trip. Many travellers aim for small denominations (USD 1, 5, and 10) for tips and bus fares, plus a few USD 20s and 50s for larger purchases.

For withdrawals once you land, check with your home bank about overseas ATM fees and dynamic currency conversion (DCC). Choosing to be charged in USD rather than your home currency at ATMs and terminals usually gives a fairer rate and avoids hidden mark-ups of 3–5%.

Cards and ATMs are widely available in Guam’s tourist areas, and contactless payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay are increasingly accepted, but carrying some cash is still important for smaller vendors, tips, and more rural parts of the island.

Travel guides for Guam highlight that major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) are accepted at most hotels, car rental companies, larger restaurants and retail stores, especially around Tumon’s beachfront and DFS shopping areas. Debit cards tied to international networks usually work as well, as long as you’ve enabled overseas usage with your bank.

Contactless payments have grown in popularity in recent years. According to regional payment summaries, many hotels and chain restaurants support tap-to-pay cards, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay, though mobile wallets are not universal. Local mom-and-pop diners, food trucks, and small activity operators may still prefer cash.

ATMs are easy to find at the airport, major malls (like GPO and Micronesia Mall), supermarkets, and hotel lobbies. Typical fees in 2026 include a local ATM charge of around USD 3–5, plus a foreign transaction fee from your home bank that can add 2–3% per withdrawal. Planning fewer, larger withdrawals helps reduce these costs.

When you’re splitting group expenses, using the Hello app makes card-heavy trips much simpler: you can import bank statements or scan receipts with AI, then automatically convert and divide costs in multiple currencies, including USD, so everyone sees their fair share regardless of their home currency.

Guam follows US-style tipping culture, with 10–15% standard in restaurants and taxis, and USD 1–2 per bag or per night for hotel staff. While not legally mandatory, tipping is widely expected in service industries and forms part of workers’ income.

According to Guam’s Japanese-language tourism information, the island uses the US dollar and does not apply a separate consumption tax, but tipping customs mirror mainland US. For sit-down restaurants with table service, adding 10–15% of the bill is typical. Some venues, especially those serving big tour groups, may already include a service charge, so check your receipt before tipping extra.

For taxis, tipping around 10–15% of the fare is considered polite, especially if the driver helps with luggage or waits while you run an errand. Hotel porters or bell staff usually receive USD 1 per bag, and housekeeping staff often receive about USD 1 per room per night, left on a bedside table or desk.

In casual settings like fast-food counters or coffee kiosks, tipping is more flexible. You might round up or drop USD 1 in a tip jar, but it’s not required. For guided tours or water sports excursions, USD 5–10 per person for a half-day trip is a common guideline if you enjoyed the experience.

To budget ahead, you can set a simple tipping envelope in the Hello app: track tips as a separate category, see your running total in USD, and compare it to your planned budget so you’re generous but not surprised by extra end-of-trip costs.

Digital card payments are common in Guam, but Asian e-wallets like WeChat Pay or PayPay are not widely used; most travellers rely on cards, cash, and occasionally Apple Pay or Google Pay, while staying alert to basic card and ATM fraud risks common worldwide.

Guam’s payment landscape is similar to other US destinations like Japan or Thailand in terms of card usage, but differs in its limited support for regional digital wallets. Hotels and chains often accept contactless card payments, yet Chinese or Japanese e-wallets are rarely integrated, so visitors from Asia should not depend on WeChat Pay, Alipay or PayPay for everyday transactions.

Common money-related scams are usually variations of global themes rather than Guam-specific tricks: skimming devices on unattended ATMs, overcharging taxis without meters, or unofficial tour operators demanding cash up front. Using ATMs attached to banks or inside malls, checking restaurant bills carefully, and agreeing taxi fares before departure are simple ways to reduce risk.

To save money, consider:

• Using fee-free or low-fee cards for overseas purchases and ATM withdrawals.
• Avoiding dynamic currency conversion at terminals — always choose to be charged in USD.
• Eating where locals eat: many family-run Chamorro and Filipino eateries offer hearty meals for USD 10–15 in 2026, versus USD 25–35 at resort restaurants.

The Hello app’s multi-currency budget tracking helps you spot these savings in real time. You can tag expenses by category (food, transport, activities), compare your Guam spending to past trips, and use AI-powered categorisation to quickly see where you’re overspending and where you’re staying on track.

Most travellers want to know if Guam uses US dollars, how much cash they need, whether cards work everywhere, and what the tipping rules are. In short: it’s all USD, cards are fine in tourist areas, cash helps for small purchases, and tipping is typically 10–15%.

Q: What currency does Guam use?
A: Guam uses the US Dollar (USD) exclusively. As Guam is a US territory, businesses and ATMs operate only in USD, and other currencies like SGD, JPY or KRW are not accepted directly.

Q: What’s the typical Guam exchange rate from Singapore Dollars?
A: In early 2026, financial sources commonly show 1 SGD ≈ 0.75 USD, though this rate moves daily. Always check your bank or a live FX site just before you convert.

Q: How much should I budget per day?
A: A mid-range traveller might spend USD 100–150 per day in 2026, covering meals, transport, moderate activities, and a bit of shopping. Resort stays or diving packages can push this to USD 200–250 on active days.

Q: Are credit cards and ATMs reliable?
A: Yes, in Tumon, Tamuning and major malls, cards and ATMs are widely available. Rural villages and beach shacks may be cash-only, so keep at least USD 50–100 in small bills for each day outside main tourist hubs.

Q: How can I stay connected and track my Guam expenses?
A: Using a Hello eSIM for Guam gives you instant data on arrival, and the Hello app lets you scan receipts, split costs in multiple currencies, and see your total Guam spend in USD and your home currency without juggling spreadsheets.