Clarity on Currency

Hello Chris,

I would say "Rs" is the local symbol used in Mauritius for the Mauritian Rupee, while "MUR" is the international currency code used in banking, and global transactions just like "EUR" for the Euro. In shops, you will usually see the symbol "€" instead of the word "Euro".

For your airport transfer, I recommend booking a taxi through our trusted partner here: https://partners.expat.com/en/63-204-ai … match.html

All the best,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

Thank you

So when I arrive I should exchange my currency to  Rs not Mur. The site you referred me to is in Mur,  I’m assuming they are the same Even though they have different exchange rates.

Again thank you

@cnicholson124

Hello,

(Mauritian) Rs and MUR are the same. When you arrive, tell them you need local currency (Mauritian rupees/MUR). As explained by Cheryl, "Rs" is a generic symbol used in many countries for rupees. "MUR" is the ISO 4217 currency code for the Mauritian Rupee.

€ = EUR

Rs = MUR

The symbol for Mauritian Rupees is:

Rs

So, you would write it like: Rs 100 (meaning 100 Mauritian Rupees).

However, for clarity in international contexts, especially when different rupee currencies are involved, people often use the currency code:

MUR

So:

Rs 100 = informal/local use

MUR 100 = formal/international use (e.g., banks, forex, travel)

Thank you for the clarification

It is cheapest not to use money exchange at the airport or elsewhere but rather to withdraw a few hundred Rupees (MUR or Rs, same thing) with your foreign credit or debit card at an ATM at the airport, or at a shopping mall en route to where you are staying.

your foreign bank should charge you something like 3% on the transaction while money exchange is more expensive.

When withdrawing cash from an ATM overseas, always choose "local currency" or "without conversion" to avoid potentially high currency conversion fees and get the best exchange rate. This option will debit your card in the local currency of the country you are in, and you won't be charged an extra fee for currency conversion.

Local Currency/Without Conversion:

This option will debit your account in the local currency of the country you are in. You will get the exchange rate directly from the ATM network, which is usually the best rate available.

With Conversion:

This option allows you to pay in your home currency. However, the ATM will convert the amount to your home currency, and this conversion may come with a high fee or an unfavorable exchange rate.

Why is "local currency" better?

No extra fees:

You won't be charged extra fees for the conversion, as the transaction is directly processed in the local currency.

Better exchange rate:

The exchange rate used by the ATM network is typically the most favorable one available.

In summary:

When withdrawing cash from an ATM overseas, always select the option that debits your account in the local currency or "without conversion" to avoid potentially high fees and get a good exchange rate.

Rs and MUR are the same thing, as others have said, and nothing to do with the Indian rupee.

As for exchange, I move money from my home country to my Mauritian bank accounts when the ForEx rate is good for me, but I also often use my foreign debit card in supermarkets etc as I get a very good rate of exchange on it too. My earnings are in GBP, so all of my MUR originates from that currency anyway. My UK bank doesn't charge additional fees for purchases in MUR, if it did it wouldn't make any sense for me to use it.