Grenada sits in a sweet spot for Caribbean travel: genuinely beautiful, not overcrowded, and cheaper than its neighbours if you know where to put your money. But the island has a split personality when it comes to pricing. Stay in the hotel zone along Grand Anse Beach and eat at resort restaurants, and you will burn through cash quickly. Step one street back, ride the minibuses, and eat where locals eat, and your daily costs drop dramatically.
This guide uses verified 2026 prices to give you a real picture of what Grenada costs across every budget tier.
The Currency Situation
Grenada uses the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD), which is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate: 1 USD = 2.70 XCD. US dollars are accepted almost everywhere in the tourist zone, but you will receive change in EC dollars. At rural markets and roadside stalls, vendors may apply an informal rate slightly less favourable than 2.70 - always carry small EC bills to avoid losing money on change.
ATMs are available in St. George's and along Grand Anse. Visa and Mastercard work at hotels and larger restaurants. Cash is king for minibuses, street food, and small guesthouses.
Real Daily Budgets for Grenada
Here is what three types of travellers actually spend in a day.
The Budget Backpacker: $80-120/day
This tier works if you are comfortable with basic guesthouses, eating local, and using the public minibus network.
- Accommodation: $20-45/night in a hostel dorm or simple guesthouse
- Food: $15-25/day (street food, local roti shops, market lunches)
- Transport: $3-8/day on minibuses
- Activities: $0-15/day (free beaches, one paid attraction every few days)
Grenada has no large hostel scene, so budget dorms are limited. Your best bet is guesthouses in the L'Anse aux Epines area or in St. George's itself, which tend to run cheaper than Grand Anse equivalents.
The Flashpacker Mid-Range: $180-280/day
Most visitors fall here. You want a private room, a mix of local and beach-restaurant dining, and at least one activity per day.
- Accommodation: $90-150/night at a guesthouse or boutique hotel
- Food: $40-70/day (breakfast at guesthouse, local lunch, dinner at a beach restaurant)
- Transport: $15-30/day (car rental split between 2 people, or taxi for longer trips)
- Activities: $20-60/day (snorkelling tour, plantation visit, or national park entry)
The Grand Anse Luxury Standard: $400+/day
Luxury resorts on the southwest coast charge international rates. Silversands Grand Anse, Spice Island Beach Resort, and Calabash Cove are the headline properties, starting at $400/night and reaching over $1,000 during peak Christmas and Carnival periods.
Fine dining at resort restaurants adds another $80-150 per person per meal. Private excursions and yacht charters run $300+ for a half-day.
Accommodation Pricing by District
Beachfront Premium: Grand Anse and Morne Rouge
Grand Anse is the main resort strip. Mid-range hotels here start around $90-130/night for a standard double in the shoulder season (May-November). The Radisson Grenada Beach Resort is one of the more affordable full-service options in this zone. Luxury properties like Silversands start at $400+ and spike during the December-April high season.
Morne Rouge, immediately south of Grand Anse, has a quieter beach and slightly cheaper rates. Some guesthouses here charge $70-100/night for a clean double room with air conditioning.
Residential Value: L'Anse aux Epines
This marina and villa district south of Grand Anse is popular with long-stay visitors. Small guesthouses and self-catering apartments here run $60-90/night. You will need a car or taxi to reach the beach, but the trade-off in price is worth it for stays longer than three nights.
Off-the-Beaten-Path Savings: Carriacou and Sauteurs
Carriacou, Grenada's sister island, has a genuinely local feel and lower prices. Guesthouses in Hillsborough start at $50-80/night. Sauteurs in the north of the main island is rarely visited by tourists and has almost no accommodation infrastructure - you would need to stay elsewhere and day-trip.
Note: getting to Carriacou requires the Osprey Lines ferry from St. George's Carenage. The one-way adult fare is EC$80 (about $30 USD). The trip takes roughly 90 minutes in calm conditions.
Food and Dining Costs on the Spice Isle
Food spending is where you have the most control over your daily budget.
Street Food and Local Markets in St. George's
The Saturday morning market at Market Square in St. George's is the best value eating on the island. Fresh fruit, vegetables, local snacks, and prepared meals are sold at prices set for residents, not tourists.
- Roti (local flatbread wrap with meat or vegetable filling): $3-5
- Fresh fruit (mango, papaya, soursop - seasonal): $1-3 per piece
- Fried bake and salt fish (breakfast staple): $2-4
- Local fish plate at a market stall: $6-8
Local rum shops and roadside cookshops scattered around St. George's and the residential parishes serve full hot meals for $7-12, usually including the protein, rice and peas, and fried plantain.
The True Cost of Oil Down
Oil down is Grenada's national dish - a slow-cooked one-pot stew of breadfruit, salted meat, callaloo, and coconut milk. At a local cookshop, a generous portion costs $6-10. At a beach restaurant in Grand Anse, the same dish is presented as a signature experience for $20-30. Both versions are made with care - the price difference is purely location.
Beach Shacks vs. Resort Restaurants
Beach bars and casual shacks along Grand Anse serve grilled fish, burgers, and rum punches at $12-20 per main course. A Carib beer here costs $3-4.
Resort restaurants are a step up in price and presentation. Expect to pay $30-55 per person for a main course and drink at the dining rooms of mid-tier hotels. High-end resort restaurants run $60-100+ per head without wine.
Transport Logistics: Minibuses vs. Car Rentals
Navigating Public Minibus Routes and Fares
Grenada's public minibus system is the cheapest way to move around the island. These privately operated vans run fixed routes from St. George's bus terminal and from the Esplanade Mall area.
- Most short routes within St. George's or to nearby areas: EC$1.50-3 (under $1.20 USD)
- Longer routes (St. George's to Grenville or Sauteurs): EC$5-8 ($2-3 USD)
The catch: minibuses operate during daylight hours only and service drops off significantly after 6pm. They do not run fixed schedules - you wait until the van fills up and departs. For day-tripping within the island, they are reliable and very cheap. For evening returns or early-morning airport runs, you will need a taxi.
Airport taxi rates from Maurice Bishop International Airport to Grand Anse run $20-25 USD for a standard taxi.
Rental Car Pricing and Hilly Terrain Realities
Renting a car is the best way to explore Grenada independently, especially for reaching the interior, the north coast, and the waterfall trails.
- Economy/compact car: $55-70/day
- SUV or 4x4 (recommended for interior roads): $80-110/day
- Local driving licence: $12 USD, obtained at the police station on arrival
The interior of Grenada is not flat. Roads leading to Grand Etang National Park and the waterfall areas are single-lane, steep, and have tight hairpin bends. A standard economy car can handle these roads in dry conditions, but if you plan to explore off the main coastal ring road, upgrading to a higher-clearance vehicle is worth the extra $20-30 per day. Comprehensive coverage with a reduced excess (around $200-400) is strongly recommended.
Water Taxis and Ferry Costs to Carriacou
Osprey Lines operates fast ferry service between St. George's and Carriacou. The schedule runs Monday to Friday with two sailings in each direction; Saturday has one sailing each way.
- Adult one-way fare: EC$80 (approx. $30 USD)
- Child (5-12) one-way: EC$50 (approx. $19 USD)
- Journey time: approximately 90 minutes
Note: the Dolly C ferry ran aground in early 2025 and is out of service. Osprey Lines is currently the primary option.
Water taxis for shorter hops - such as from the Carenage to Grand Anse - cost roughly $5-8 per person depending on the operator.
For more details on reaching the island, see our guide to flights to Grenada.
Sightseeing Fees and Activity Costs
Diving and Snorkelling the Underwater Sculpture Park
The Underwater Sculpture Park at Molinere Bay is Grenada's most distinctive attraction - a collection of submerged sculptures by artist Jason deCaires Taylor that serve as an artificial reef.
A Marine Protected Area (MPA) fee applies to all divers and snorkellers:
- MPA user fee: $7 USD per person per visit (this fee is set to increase to $10 from October 2027)
This fee is typically included in tour prices, but confirm when booking.
- Snorkelling tour (2-site, half-day): $50-60
- 1-tank dive: $80
- 2-tank dive: $112
- Sailing + snorkel combo: $100-130
- Glass-bottom boat (no swimming): $45
For a complete overview of what to expect in the water, see our Grand Etang National Park guide for inland alternatives when the sea is rough.
National Park Permits: Grand Etang and Waterfalls
Grand Etang National Park sits in the volcanic crater at the island's centre. The park charges a small visitor centre entry fee of around $2 USD for the main facilities. Hiking the trails themselves is generally free, though a donation to the visitor centre is customary.
Popular waterfall hikes in and around the park - including Seven Sisters Falls and Annandale Falls - may charge a small site fee of $2-5 USD payable at the entrance.
Guided hikes range from $30-60 depending on route difficulty and group size.
Spice Plantation and Historic Distillery Entry Fees
Belmont Estate in the north of the island is one of the best agri-tourism experiences in the Caribbean. The working cocoa and spice farm offers guided tours lasting 45-60 minutes.
- Adult entry: $6 USD (EC$16)
- Children under 12: $3 USD
- Open Monday to Friday, 8am-3:30pm (closed Saturday)
For rum history, the River Antoine Rum Distillery in St. Patrick Parish is the oldest working water-powered rum distillery in the Caribbean, dating to 1785.
- Guided tour: $15 USD
- No advance booking required; walk-ins welcome
Chocolate-making experiences at estates around the island run $30-50 for a hands-on session.
Spicemas Carnival: Budget for Seasonal Price Surges
Spicemas Carnival runs in August each year. During this period, accommodation prices in St. George's and Grand Anse can double or triple, and advance booking is essential. If you are travelling during Carnival, budget at least 30-50% more than standard mid-range daily rates. On the flip side, this is the most energetic time to visit, with J'ouvert, mas camps, and street parties happening across the island.
A Note on Currency Exchange and Cash Friction
The fixed XCD-USD rate of 2.70 is consistent at ATMs and banks. However, informal exchange at market stalls and small vendors sometimes applies a rate of 2.50-2.60 when breaking large USD bills. To avoid losing money on change, carry EC$5 and EC$10 notes for daily spending. Withdraw EC dollars from ATMs in St. George's rather than exchanging at hotels, where rates are less favourable.
For SIM card options and staying connected on a budget, see our guide to the best SIM card for Grenada.
How to Plan a 7-Day Budget
Here is a realistic 7-day breakdown for a solo mid-range traveller:
| Category | Estimated Total (7 days) |
|---|---|
| Accommodation ($110/night avg) | $770 |
| Food ($50/day) | $350 |
| Transport (3 car rental days + taxis) | $270 |
| Activities (diving, plantation, park) | $180 |
| Miscellaneous (tips, snacks, souvenirs) | $100 |
| Total | ~$1,670 |
Budget travellers can realistically do 7 days for $700-900 by using guesthouses, minibuses, and free beaches. Luxury visitors should plan for $3,500+ without flights.
For planning when to visit to balance prices and weather, see our guide on the best time to visit Grenada.
