Peru
Money in Peru: currency, ATMs, cards and tipping
Peru uses the Peruvian sol (PEN, S/). Carry cash for markets, small towns, taxis and village entrance fees; cards work in Lima and Cusco hotels and larger restaurants. Withdraw from ATMs inside banks or malls, keep small notes, and tip 5–10% in restaurants only where a service charge is not already added.
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GuidePeru
Key facts
- Currency
- Peruvian sol (PEN, S/), written S/ before the number
- Cards work
- Hotels, larger Lima and Cusco restaurants, tour operators, supermarkets
- Cash needed
- Markets, small towns, taxis, colectivos, village entrance fees, tips
- ATM rule
- Use machines inside banks or malls; carry small notes for change
- US dollars
- Accepted by some hotels and tour operators; clean, undamaged notes only
- Restaurant tip
- 5–10% if no service charge is added
- Hotel IGV refund
- Foreign tourists staying under 60 days can have 18% IGV removed from hotel bills with passport and digital entry record
- Daily cash budget
- Backpacker S/ 115–240, mid-range S/ 380–790, comfort S/ 1,450–3,200 per person
By passport, month and cost
The sol is the only currency you need day to day. How much cash to carry depends on where you are and what you are paying for, not on your passport. Cards are reliable in Lima and Cusco; outside those cities, plan on cash.
Season changes the cash question more than nationality does. In the May–September dry season, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the Inca Trail are busy, ATMs run dry faster and change is short. In the November–March wet season, some highland roads and village services slow down, so carry enough soles for a day or two beyond your plan.
| Situation | Cash or card | What to carry |
|---|---|---|
| Lima and Cusco hotels, larger restaurants | Card | One backup card; tell your bank you are travelling |
| Markets, small towns, village entrance fees | Cash | S/ 100–200 in S/ 10, 20 and 50 notes |
| Taxis, colectivos, buses | Cash | Small notes; drivers rarely have change |
| Tour operators, Machu Picchu trains | Often US dollars or card | Check the operator's currency before you book |
| Tips and small purchases | Cash | S/ 20–50 in coins and small notes |
2026 estimate. Tourist-site prices for foreigners are set in soles; trains and many tours are priced in US dollars.
Step by step
Change money at a bank, a licensed casa de cambio, or an ATM. Street changers work fast but count your notes before you hand anything over, and never change money in a hurry at a bus terminal.
Withdraw from ATMs inside banks or shopping malls during opening hours. Machines on the street are more exposed to skimming, and a machine that is out of cash in a small town can leave you stuck. Take out larger amounts less often to limit fees, then break the notes at a supermarket or pharmacy.
Carry a mix: a few S/ 100 and S/ 50 notes for hotels and tours, and a pocket of S/ 10, 20 and coins for taxis, markets and tips. Vendors frequently cannot break a S/ 100 note early in the day.
Keep your passport with you for hotel check-in and for the IGV tax removal on hotel bills. Foreign tourists staying under 60 days can have the 18% sales tax taken off by showing the passport and the digital entry record; ask at check-in rather than assuming it is applied.
- Change at a bank or licensed casa de cambio, not on the street
- Use ATMs inside banks or malls, in daylight
- Break large notes at supermarkets and pharmacies
- Keep S/ 10, 20 and coins for taxis, markets and tips
- Show your passport at hotel check-in to ask about the IGV removal
Tipping
Tipping is not obligatory in Peru, but it is common in tourist areas and appreciated. In restaurants, 5–10% is normal when no service charge has been added; check the bill first, because some places in Lima and Cusco add 10% automatically.
For taxis, round up to the nearest sol or two rather than calculating a percentage. Hotel staff who carry bags or arrange transport usually get S/ 5–10. Tour guides and drivers on a full-day trip commonly get S/ 20–50 per person, more on multi-day treks where the crew is larger.
In markets and small local restaurants, tipping is not expected. Keep small coins for bathrooms, bag storage and anyone who watches your luggage.
| Service | Typical tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant | 5–10% | Skip if a 10% service charge is already on the bill |
| Bar | S/ 2–5 or round up | Not expected at local bars |
| Taxi | Round up to the nearest sol or two | Agree the fare before you get in |
| Hotel porter or luggage help | S/ 5–10 | Per bag or per trip |
| Tour guide | S/ 20–50 per person per day | More on multi-day treks |
| Tour driver | S/ 10–20 per person per day | Often shared with the guide's tip |
Amounts are 2026 estimates for tourist areas; local expectations are lower.
Watch-outs
Counterfeit notes circulate, especially in busy tourist areas. Check the watermark and the security thread when you receive S/ 50 and S/ 100 notes, and hand back anything that feels wrong immediately.
Some hotels and tour operators quote in US dollars. Ask which currency you will be charged in and whether the card machine adds a conversion fee; paying in soles is often cheaper if your card does not charge a foreign transaction fee.
Keep a small reserve of soles for the end of a trip. At the airport, exchange rates are worse and queues are long, so arrive with enough for a taxi and a meal.
- Check S/ 50 and S/ 100 notes for watermarks and threads
- Ask whether hotel and tour prices are in soles or US dollars
- Keep enough soles for your last taxi and meal
- Carry a backup card kept separately from your main one
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Peru?
The Peruvian sol, written PEN or S/ before the amount. US dollars are accepted by some hotels and tour operators, but markets, taxis and small towns run on soles.
Should I use cash or a card in Peru?
Use cards in Lima and Cusco hotels, larger restaurants and supermarkets. Carry cash for markets, small towns, taxis, colectivos and village entrance fees. Withdraw from ATMs inside banks or malls and keep small notes.
How much should I tip in Peru?
5–10% in restaurants when no service charge is added, round up for taxis, S/ 5–10 for hotel luggage help, and S/ 20–50 per person per day for a tour guide. Tipping is not obligatory outside tourist areas.
Can I pay in US dollars in Peru?
Some hotels and tour operators accept clean, undamaged US dollar notes, and Machu Picchu trains are often priced in dollars. Everyday spending — markets, taxis, small restaurants — is in soles.
Are ATMs easy to find in Peru?
Yes in Lima, Cusco, Arequipa and other cities, especially inside banks and malls. In small towns and villages, machines are fewer and can run out of cash, so carry a reserve of soles.
Can I get the sales tax removed from my hotel bill?
Foreign tourists staying under 60 days can have the 18% IGV removed from hotel bills by showing the passport and the digital entry record. Ask at check-in; not every hotel applies it automatically.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialBanco Central de Reserva del Perú
- officialSUNAT – tax refund for tourists
- officialPROMPERÚ – official tourism site
- secondaryWikivoyage – Peru