About the USA

Monetary Units: The U.S. monetary system follows the decimal system. The basic unit is the dollar “$”.The most widely used bills are in denominations of $1, $5, $10 and $20. Occasionally, a bill of $2, $50 or $100 may be seen. Each dollar is divided into 100 cents. Currency in the form of a coin is: 1 cent (penny), 5 cents (nickel), 10 cents (dime), and 25 cents (quarter).

Value of a Dollar Following is a list of average prices:
  • Cup of coffee: $2.00
  • Espresso-based Drink: $5.00+
  • Hamburger, fries & drink: $9 – $11
  • Lunch at a restaurant: $20+
  • Movie Theater (cinema): $10 – $14
  • Letter stamp in U.S. $.55 cents
Sales Tax: Most states in the U.S. charge a sales tax on tangible personal property and services, such as clothing, restaurant and fast food meals, services, newspapers, books, toiletries, etc. The sales tax varies; in the state of Maryland it is 6%. Sales taxes are added at the register, so be prepared for your bill to be more than the price tag on an item. In Ocean City, an additional 1% sales tax is added. The state of Delaware has no sales tax. Tipping: Tipping, also known as gratuity, is giving a small amount of money to another person for a service. These are the most often tipped services:
Gratuity Services
  • Waiter/waitress: 18% of food bill
  • Barbers/hairdressers: 18% of bill
  • Taxi drivers: 10% – 15% of fare
  • Food delivery persons: No less than $5
You should never tip police officers, physicians, government employees or university employees. It may be interpreted as a bribe, which is illegal. You do not tip bus drivers, theater ushers, museum guides, salespeople, employees at fast food restaurants or hotel clerks. Location: Ocean City is located on the East Coast of Maryland, on the Delmarva Peninsula. Following is the distance from Ocean City to a few major metropolitan areas:
Other Locations outside Ocean City
  • Baltimore, Maryland: 135 miles, 2.5 hour drive
  • New York, NY: 235 miles, 4.5 hour drive
  • Philadelphia, PA: 151 miles, 2.5 hour drive
  • Washington, DC: 146 miles, 2.5 hour drive

Close

Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly.

Get More Information