Paraguay
Cards, ATMs and cash in Paraguay: what to expect
Cards work in Asunción malls, hotels and supermarkets, but cash still runs everyday Paraguay: buses, taxis, markets and small towns. Carry guaraníes from mall ATMs in Asunción, Ciudad del Este or Encarnación, take out larger amounts to limit fees, and always pay in guaraníes rather than your home currency.
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GuideParaguay
Key facts
- Cards accepted
- Malls, hotels, supermarkets, larger restaurants in Asunción, Ciudad del Este, Encarnación
- Cash needed
- City buses, taxis and app rides, markets, small towns, Chaco and Mennonite colonies
- Best ATMs
- Bank ATMs inside shopping malls; use during mall hours
- Typical withdrawal limitcheck
- About 1,500,000–3,000,000 PYG per transaction, bank-dependent
- Foreign transaction fee
- Often 3% plus a local ATM fee; check your own bank
- Currency to pay in
- Guaraníes (PYG); decline conversion to your home currency
- Cards to carry
- Visa and Mastercard; Amex less useful outside hotels
Details
Paraguay is a cash-first country with a card layer on top. In Asunción, Ciudad del Este and Encarnación, hotels, supermarkets, pharmacies, fuel stations and mid-range restaurants take Visa and Mastercard without fuss. Step outside those places — a bus, a market stall, a roadside kiosk, a small town in the Chaco — and you need notes in hand.
ATMs are the practical way to get guaraníes. The reliable ones sit inside shopping malls and bank branches, where there is security and staff nearby. Bank branches typically open Mon–Fri 08:30–13:30, so plan withdrawals around mall hours rather than a Sunday evening. Airport arrivals halls have ATMs, but rates of failure are higher and queues form when a flight lands.
Take out larger amounts per transaction. Most banks cap a single withdrawal at roughly 1,500,000–3,000,000 PYG, and each withdrawal carries its own fee, so two big pulls beat five small ones. If an ATM refuses your card, try another bank rather than the same machine again — foreign-card acceptance varies by bank and by day.
Cards also work for booking buses and hotels online, and for app rides where the app supports a card. In practice many drivers still prefer cash, so keep small notes for the last leg of the day. For day-to-day spending money, see the country's currency and exchange page before you arrive.
| Situation | Card | Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Mall, supermarket, chain pharmacy | Yes | Yes |
| Hotel, mid-range restaurant | Usually | Yes |
| City bus | No (card system changing — check) | Yes |
| Taxi, Bolt / Uber / MUV | App-dependent | Common |
| Market, small shop, kiosk | No | Yes |
| Small town, Chaco, Mennonite colonies | Rarely | Yes |
| Fuel station | Usually | Yes |
Card acceptance can change; carry a cash buffer for any day outside the three main cities.
Summary table
Use this as a quick reference for what to do at the machine and at the till.
| Item | What to expect | Action |
|---|---|---|
| ATM fee | Local fee per withdrawal, amount varies by bank (check) | Withdraw larger amounts, fewer times |
| Your bank's fee | Often about 3% foreign transaction fee (check) | Use a no-fee travel card if you have one |
| Withdrawal limit | About 1,500,000–3,000,000 PYG per transaction (check) | Split across two withdrawals if needed |
| Currency conversion prompt | Offered at ATM or terminal | Choose guaraníes, not your home currency |
| Card network | Visa and Mastercard widely accepted (check) | Carry a backup card from a different network |
| Emergency cash | US dollars exchange in cities | Keep US$100–200 as backup |
All figures are 2026 estimates; confirm with your own bank before travel.
Tips
Withdraw inside a mall or bank branch during daylight, not on a quiet street at night. Cover the keypad, and put the cash away before you leave the machine.
Tell your bank you are travelling to Paraguay. Card blocks on the first foreign transaction are a common and avoidable problem.
Keep a mix of denominations. Small notes pay for buses and taxis; a 100,000 PYG note is hard to break at a kiosk.
Carry a second card stored separately from the first, and a small US dollar reserve for the day a machine eats your card.
For longer stays, a local wallet or bank app may be worth setting up, but most visitors do fine with a foreign card plus cash.
- Withdraw in malls, in daylight
- Fewer, larger withdrawals
- Always choose guaraníes at the prompt
- Keep small notes for transport
- Carry a backup card and some US dollars
FAQ
Questions people ask
Are credit cards widely accepted in Paraguay?
In Asunción, Ciudad del Este and Encarnación, yes — malls, hotels, supermarkets and mid-range restaurants take Visa and Mastercard. Outside those cities, and for buses, taxis and markets, expect to pay cash in guaraníes.
Which ATMs have the lowest fees in Paraguay?
Fees vary by bank and change often, so no single network is reliably cheapest (check). Bank ATMs inside shopping malls are the most dependable for foreign cards; withdrawing larger amounts less often cuts the total cost more than hunting for a specific brand.
Should I pay in local currency or my own?
Always pay in guaraníes. If an ATM or card terminal offers to convert to your home currency, decline — the rate is usually worse than your bank's. Let your own bank do the conversion.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialBanco Central del Paraguay
- secondaryWikivoyage – Paraguay