Four currencies circulate where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet: the Argentine peso, the Brazilian real, the Paraguayan guaraní and the US dollar, which many shops use as a yardstick. A visitor who spends two days here may handle all four. Where to change money depends on how much cash you really need, what it is for and which side you are on. We give no rates, because they move every day. We explain the options and how to compare them.
Work out what you need in cash
Tourist-oriented shops in Ciudad del Este commonly show prices in US dollars and take several currencies, each at the shop’s own rate. For a shopping day, dollars or a card usually do, and guaraníes are only for small things such as a snack or a local ride.
In Foz do Iguaçu people pay in reais or by card. In Puerto Iguazú many shops and restaurants accept reais and dollars, again at their own rate. Paying in a currency that is not the local one is convenient but seldom the cheaper way.
Where money is changed
- Exchange houses. There are many in the commercial areas of the border cities. They post a buying and a selling rate and usually ask for identification.
- Banks. Formal, slower, with limited opening times.
- Cash machines. They give local currency on a foreign card. The cost is set by your bank and by the machine’s bank, and there is a ceiling per withdrawal. Ask your bank before you travel.
- Cards. The conversion is done by your card issuer. In Argentina the rules for foreign cards have changed more than once, so ask your issuer what applies now.
- Airports and hotels. Handy, generally at a less favourable rate.
- Street money changers. You will see them near the bridges and in Ciudad del Este. There is no receipt, and there is a risk of forged or miscounted notes. We suggest using authorised exchange houses.
Comparing offers
- Look at the gap between the buying and the selling rate, and ask whether a commission is added.
- Compare two or three places in the same street.
- Count the notes at the counter. Amounts in guaraníes carry many zeros, so check each note.
- Keep the receipt.
- Bring dollar notes in good condition. Torn, marked, old or small notes may be refused or taken at a worse rate.
Leftover money
Guaraníes are hard to change away from Paraguay and its border towns, so spend them or change them back before you move on. Reais are easier to change on the Argentine side of the border, and pesos are best dealt with before you leave Argentina.
On the transfer
The currency and method of payment for a transfer are agreed in the quote. If you need to stop at an exchange house on the way, say so when you book; stops are made on request. If you carry a large sum in cash, each country sets the amount above which it must be declared. See our guide to customs allowances.