Comoros & Mayotte: Money & Costs

These figures apply to Comoros. Mayotte is considerably more expensive, with the cheapest accommodation starting at US$60.00 a day, and snack-type meals beginning at about US$4.00 . The tourist industry on Comoros is woefully underdeveloped, and the Comoran franc is still hogtied to the euro. This makes basic accommodation both overpriced and underwhelming, and the islands one of the more expensive destinations in the region. If you can camp, or find a modest pension , and are willing to exist on pastries and cheap Comoran food from the local cafes, you can get by on as little as US$25.00 a day. Staying at self-contained bungalows and dining on European dishes in restaurants will set you back about US$70.00 a day. If you go the whole paradise enchilada and stay at the boutique resorts with swimming pools, casinos, private beaches, dining rooms and lah-di-dah service, you'll be looking at upwards of US$350.00 per day.

The Banque Internationale des Comores (BIC) is an efficient bank that exchanges all currencies, but the best currency to carry around and exchange is the euro. There are several branches of the BIC in both Moroni and Mutsamudu, but the only bank on Mohéli is the bank-in-a-satchel, which flies in and out of the island every second Monday. Don't get caught there without cash because it might be a long time between withdrawals. Except in upmarket hotels and restaurants that exchange money at vastly inflated rates, credit cards are next to useless.

In Mayotte, money can be changed at the Banque Française Commerciale Océan Indien in Mamoudzou or Dzaoudzi. The more upmarket restaurants, and most hotels, travel agencies and car hire firms accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Diners Club cards. If you have the right kind of card, you can even withdraw money from an automatic teller machine. And you'll need plenty of it if staying in Mayotte for any length of time.

Bargaining is something of a tradition in Comoros (less so on Mayotte), and the idea of a fixed price is as strange as a three dollar note, but there is an etiquette that goes with the bargaining. The process should be unhurried and conducted in a spirit of mutual admiration for your opponent's bargaining prowess. Hostile or agitated offers will only increase the price of the item. Tipping is not the norm except in the more Frenchified environs of Mayotte, but tipping staff for good service is appreciated.