Overview
Check foreign-transaction and cash-withdrawal fees with your bank before travel, and use established bank ATMs where possible. Prices displayed by shops generally exclude sales tax until checkout, while hotel bills may include several taxes and mandatory charges. Ask for the complete price before confirming an expensive booking or service, retain receipts and never exchange money through an unlicensed street seller.
U.S. banknotes share the same physical dimensions, so the printed denomination and security features matter more than note size. The $2 note remains legal tender even though it is encountered less often than other denominations. Merchant authorization holds, hotel deposits and pending card transactions can temporarily reduce an available balance without representing the final settled charge.
