Currency in Cook Islands: NZD Send & Spend FX Guide
Resources for Expats, Travelers and Entrepreneurs Navigating Life and Trade in the Cook Islands with the New Zealand dollar.
What's in this Cook Islands currency guide?
What currency is used in the Cook Islands?
The official currency of the Cook Islands (country code: CK) is the New Zealand dollar, with symbol NZ$ and currency code NZD.
What is a good New Zealand dollar exchange rate?
The BestExchangeRates.com currency comparison table below helps you see the total cost of your currency transaction by showing the exchange rates offered by different providers. It also makes it easy to spot potential savings from market-leading FX services compared to bank rates.
To see a full list of rates, enter your transaction type, currencies and amount then click ‘GET RATES’:
Loading rates...
|
|
|
Frequently Asked Questions
What currency should I use in the Cook Islands?
The domestic currency in the Cook Islands is the New Zealand dollar.
What is the New Zealand dollar currency code and symbol?
The three letter currency code for the New Zealand dollar is NZD — symbol is NZ$.
What does the New Zealand dollar look like?
Here is an example New Zealand dollar banknote:
Which countries use the New Zealand dollar?
It is the domestic currency in New Zealand, Cook Islands, Niue, Pitcairn and Tokelau.
Is the New Zealand dollar a closed currency?
No, the New Zealand dollar is freely available and convertible. See guide: What is a closed currency?
What are equivalent amounts of USD and NZD?
Here are some popular conversion amounts for USD to NZD (US dollar to New Zealand dollar)*.
| USD | NZD |
|---|---|
| $ 577.50 | NZ$ 1,000 |
| $ 2,888 | NZ$ 5,000 |
| $ 11,550 | NZ$ 20,000 |
| $ 57,750 | NZ$ 100,000 |
More amounts
*Converted at the current USDNZD interbank exchange rate. Calculate actual payout amounts for Send Money and Travel Money exchange rates.
Travel money for the Cook Islands
Using Wise for New Zealand dollar travel money is a smart choice for savvy travelers. With its competitive exchange rates and low fees, Wise allows you to convert and manage multiple currencies effortlessly.
Be careful when using your own bank's Debit/Credit Card, as your bank may also charge an extra 3% as an “Overseas Transaction Charge” plus “Overseas ATM” fees for withdrawing cash on top of the standard Visa/Mastercard 2.5% from market mid-rate.
For card purchases, if you are offered a choice of currencies always select to Pay in New Zealand dollar otherwise you will typically get much worst dynamic currency conversion (DCC) exchange rates.
If you really want New Zealand dollar cash before departure, you can save money by ordering online. You generally get better rates and can pick up the NZD cash locally or even on travel day at the airport.
USD/NZD Market Data
The below interactive chart displays the USD/NZD change and UP📈 DOWN📉 trends over the past 1 Year.
Send Money to the Cook Islands - Best Rates
To get a good (and fair) exchange rate when sending money to the Cook Islands you need to find and compare exchange rates for International Money Transfers (IMTs).
The available FX rates for sending money abroad can be very different to the mid-market (wholesale) rate which you see reported online and in the News.
You should especially compare your own bank's exchange rates to those available from Money Transfer specialists to see how much you can save - we make that calculation easy in the below table.
Get a better deal for foreign transfers to the Cook Islands
When sending money to the Cook Islands it’s important to compare your bank’s rates & fees with those we have negotiated with our partner money transfer providers. To get a better deal you should follow these 4 simple steps :
- Open an account with a BER reviewed FX provider (id docs may be required)
- You specify the local or New Zealand dollar amount you want to transfer
- Make a local currency domestic transfer for the requested amount to the provider's bank account in your country
- Once your funds are received by the provider the converted NZD amount will be transfered to the recipient account you specify in the Cook Islands.
Use the above calculator to compare the exchange rates of FX specialist providers rates versus your bank's standard rates you can hopefully save around 5% and maybe more - end result is more New Zealand dollar deposited into the recipient bank account and less margins and fees kept by the banks!
