Peru
Cards, ATMs and cash in Peru: what to expect
Cards work in Lima hotels, big restaurants and chain shops, but cash (soles) still runs markets, taxis, colectivos and small towns. Carry S/ 200–400 in mixed notes, withdraw from bank-branded ATMs in daylight, and always choose to pay in soles, not your home currency.
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Key facts
- Card acceptance
- Widely accepted in Lima, Cusco, Arequipa hotels, chain shops and mid-range restaurants; rare for markets, colectivos, small stalls and rural towns
- Cash you need
- S/ 200–400 (about US$55–110) in mixed notes as a baseline; more outside cities
- Best ATMs
- Bank-branded machines (BCP, BBVA, Interbank, Scotiabank); avoid standalone kiosk ATMs in tourist strips
- Typical ATM fee
- About S/ 15–25 per withdrawal on foreign cards, plus your own bank's fee
- Withdrawal limit
- Often S/ 400–700 per transaction; some machines allow more
- Currency choice at the terminal
- Always pay in soles (PEN); declining the machine's own-currency conversion usually saves 3–7%
- Cards to carry
- Visa and Mastercard most reliable; Amex patchier; keep a backup card separate from your wallet
- Notify your bank
- Set a travel notice and a PIN you know by memory; chip-and-PIN is standard
Details
Peru runs on two payment worlds at once. In Lima's Miraflores and San Isidro, Cusco's centre and Arequipa's plaza area, you can tap a Visa or Mastercard for hotels, tour agencies, supermarkets and mid-range restaurants without thinking about it. Step one block off the tourist grid — a market stall, a combi, a family-run menu place — and cash is the only option. Plan for both.
ATMs are everywhere in cities and at Lima airport, but they are not equal. Machines branded by banks (BCP, BBVA, Interbank, Scotiabank) are the safer default: they sit inside or beside a branch, have cameras and staff nearby, and dispense soles. Small standalone ATMs in souvenir streets or hostels often charge more and are the ones skimmed most often. Use them in daylight, cover the keypad, and if the machine behaves oddly, cancel and walk to the next bank.
Take out larger amounts less often. A single S/ 500 withdrawal costs one fee instead of three, and gives you the small-note problem to solve at a counter rather than at a market. Ask for the withdrawal in soles; if the machine offers to convert to your home currency, decline — the rate it uses is usually 3–7% worse than your bank's.
Cards also fail for boring reasons: your bank blocks the first foreign transaction, the machine is out of cash, or the network is down during a storm. Carry a second card stored somewhere other than your main wallet, plus a photocopy or phone photo of your passport and card numbers. Report a lost card to your bank and, if it was stolen, file a police report (denuncia) — insurers usually ask for it.
Digital wallets and apps help at the margin. Yape and Plin are the local phone-payment systems and are used by many small vendors, but they generally need a Peruvian bank account, so most visitors cannot use them. Contactless card taps work at larger terminals. Keep some coins for toilets, buses and tips.
Summary table
| Situation | Card or cash | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lima hotel, chain shop, mid-range restaurant | Card | Visa and Mastercard reliable; Amex patchier |
| Cusco and Arequipa tourist centre | Card | Smaller places may add a card surcharge — check |
| Markets, street food, small shops | Cash | Soles only; change is often short |
| Taxis, colectivos, combis | Cash | App taxis may accept card in-app |
| Rural towns and villages | Cash | Withdraw before you leave the city |
| ATM withdrawal | — | Bank-branded machines; about S/ 15–25 fee — check |
| Card terminal abroad | — | Choose soles, not your home currency |
| Tipping | Cash | About 10% in restaurants if not included |
Tips
- Withdraw in daylight from a bank branch ATM, not a street kiosk.
- Carry S/ 10, 20 and 50 notes; S/ 100 and S/ 200 notes are hard to break in small places.
- Keep a backup card and some US dollars cash separate from your main wallet.
- Set a travel notice with your bank before you fly, and know your PIN by memory.
- Check your card's foreign transaction fee — some charge 3% on every purchase.
- Photograph your passport, cards and insurance policy and store them in the cloud.
- In Cusco and Puno, tell your bank you are travelling above 3,000 m if it asks for locations.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Are credit cards widely accepted in Peru?
In Lima, Cusco and Arequipa, yes — hotels, chain shops and mid-range restaurants take Visa and Mastercard. Outside those areas, and for markets, taxis and colectivos, cash in soles is still the norm. Carry both.
Which ATMs have the lowest fees in Peru?
Bank-branded machines (BCP, BBVA, Interbank, Scotiabank) are the usual pick. Foreign-card fees run about S/ 15–25 per withdrawal, plus your own bank's charge — check current rates. Withdraw larger amounts less often to cut the total.
Should I pay in local currency or my own?
Always choose soles. If the terminal or ATM offers to convert to your home currency, decline — that rate is typically 3–7% worse than your bank's. Let your bank do the conversion.
Can I use my card for taxis and colectivos?
No. Street taxis, colectivos and combis are cash only. App taxis such as Uber and Cabify usually charge your card in-app, which is one reason they are the safer option in cities.
How much cash should I carry in Peru?
S/ 200–400 (about US$55–110) in mixed notes covers a normal day of meals, taxis and entry fees. Carry more if you are heading to small towns or rural areas where ATMs are scarce or unreliable.
What if my card is blocked or stolen?
Call your bank immediately and use your backup card. For theft, file a police report (denuncia) — insurers usually require it. Keep card numbers and your passport photo stored separately from your wallet.
Deep dive
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