🇵🇪 This is the deep-dive ATM guide for Lima and the anchor for the Peru cluster. The bank-ATM-over-Globalnet rule, the posted ~S/15-20 operator fee, the soles-or-dollars screen, the Scotiabank-is-the-BoA-Alliance-partner fact, and the always-decline-DCC rule hold across Peru. For district-by-district card acceptance, prices, and the cambistas, see the Lima Money Guide. For the cambista street-exchange strategy and trekking cash, see the Peru Money Guide. For brand detail, see the BCP and Scotiabank Perú guides. Flying in? Jorge Chávez (LIM) currency guide.
🧾 Order Soles Before You Fly
Land with a sol float so your first machine can be a careful one. Insured 2–5 day US delivery, rate below the airport counters.
Order Soles → CEI Currency ExchangeThe Lima ATM reality: bank machines yes, Globalnet no
Getting soles in Lima is easy and cheap if you know which machine to walk to, and three facts decide the cost.
Bank ATMs are the cheap option. The four big networks (BCP, Interbank, BBVA, Scotiabank) dispense soles at the interbank rate and post a foreign-card operator fee of about S/15 to S/20 on the screen before you confirm. The machines to avoid are the standalone Globalnet units in hotel lobbies and tourist plazas, which add a higher fee and push DCC hard.
The soles-or-dollars screen. Lima bank ATMs let you choose to dispense soles or US dollars. Take soles for daily spending; only take dollars if you genuinely need USD (for a tour deposit, or to feed a cambista later).
One bank is special for BoA cards. Scotiabank Perú is Peru's only Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA card pulls fee-free there. Every other card is best paired with a no-FX-fee card; see the Scotiabank guide and the BCP guide.
Where to get soles in Lima, by district
Miraflores: the easiest district for travelers. BCP, Interbank, BBVA, and Scotiabank branches cluster around Parque Kennedy, Avenida Larco, and Avenida José Pardo, plus a full bank-ATM row inside the Larcomar mall on the cliff. Use the branch and mall machines, not the street-facing standalones along Larco at night.
San Isidro: Lima's financial district, so bank ATMs are everywhere along Avenida Camino Real and around the El Olivar park, including inside the office towers and the Real Plaza Salaverry mall nearby. The safest, most plentiful machines in the city.
Barranco: the bohemian district has BCP and Interbank branches near the main plaza and Avenida Grau, but fewer machines than Miraflores, so top up before an evening out rather than hunting for a cajero after dinner.
Centro (Historic Center): bank branches around Plaza San Martín and Jirón de la Unión; withdraw at a branch machine in daylight here and keep cash discreet, as the historic center is busier and pickier about security.
Malls (Larcomar, Jockey Plaza, Real Plaza): the single best place to use an ATM in Lima. Each major mall has a row of bank cajeros indoors, well lit and monitored, with the full BCP/Interbank/BBVA/Scotiabank lineup.
The airport: your first soles come from a bank cajero in the new Jorge Chávez terminal, not a Globalnet machine or a counter. Full detail in our LIM airport guide.
What it actually costs to get soles in Lima, by method
| Option | Where | Markup | Cost on $100 / ~S/375 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotiabank ATM + BoA card (Alliance) | Miraflores, San Isidro, LIM | Interbank rate, surcharge waived | ~$99 (BoA 1% only) |
| Bank ATM + Schwab (fee refunded) | Any bank branch or mall | Interbank rate, operator fee refunded | ~$99-100 |
| BCP / Interbank / BBVA ATM, standard card | Citywide | Interbank + posted ~S/15-20 fee | ~$95-97 + home-bank fee |
| Globalnet standalone ATM | Hotel lobbies, tourist plazas | Higher operator fee + DCC pitch | ~$85-93 |
| Accepting DCC at any machine | Anywhere | +5-12% if you choose 'charge in USD' | ~$88-95 |
Peruvian bank ATMs post the operator fee on screen before you confirm. Scotiabank is the one BoA Global ATM Alliance partner; a Schwab card refunds the operator fee at any bank machine. Indicative rate ~S/3.75 per USD. For street USD-to-sol exchange, the licensed cambistas covered in the Peru guide often beat all of the above.
⚠ The one thing to get right: decline DCC, and take soles. Any machine, bank or Globalnet, can offer to "charge in US dollars" or dispense dollars instead of soles. For spending, always take Peruvian soles (PEN) and let your card network convert at the interbank rate, DCC adds 5–12 percent on top of the operator fee. The standalone Globalnet machines push this hardest. See our DCC explained page.
Best card pairing for Lima
Wise for cards, Schwab to refund the sol fee
A Wise debit card gives zero FX markup and the real interbank sol rate at hotels and restaurants in Miraflores, San Isidro, and Barranco. A Charles Schwab card refunds the S/15 to S/20 operator fee worldwide, so a bank-ATM withdrawal in any mall becomes effectively free. If you happen to bank with Bank of America, carry that card too and use it specifically at Scotiabank for the Alliance waiver. Take soles not dollars, and decline DCC.
Get the Wise Card →Use bank-and-mall machines for safety
Card skimming has been documented at some street-facing standalones in Lima's tourist areas. The fix is simple: withdraw inside a bank branch, a hotel lobby, or a mall (Larcomar, Jockey Plaza, Real Plaza), cover the keypad, and skip any machine that looks tampered with. Miraflores and San Isidro have the densest safe coverage.
Carry small notes, and a USD reserve for cambistas
Lima leans on cash for taxis, markets, and tips, so keep small sol notes; S/100 bills can be hard to break with small vendors. If you plan to use the licensed green-vested cambistas for the best USD-to-sol rate, bring clean, post-2009 US$100 bills, and check the rate against your phone before handing money over. The full cambista strategy is in the Peru guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ATMs are best in Lima?
Bank machines: BCP, Interbank, BBVA, Scotiabank, all at the interbank rate with a posted ~S/15-20 fee. BCP has the largest network. Avoid the standalone Globalnet units. BoA cardholders: use Scotiabank.
Should I withdraw soles or US dollars?
Soles for daily spending, at the interbank rate. The dual-currency screen lets you pick USD, but only do that if you need dollars for a tour deposit or a cambista. Always decline DCC.
How much do Lima ATMs charge?
A posted ~S/15-20 operator fee per withdrawal on foreign cards, plus your home bank's fees. Schwab refunds the operator fee; Wise removes FX markup. Globalnet machines cost more.
Are Lima ATMs safe?
Yes, if you use branch, lobby, and mall machines rather than street standalones, especially at night. Cover the keypad. Miraflores and San Isidro are easiest for safe bank ATMs.
Is there a Bank of America Alliance partner in Lima?
Yes, Scotiabank Perú. A BoA card pulls fee-free there (~1% only). Other banks charge BoA 3%. A no-FX-fee card is the cleanest all-rounder.
Can I get soles before I arrive?
Yes, the sol is convertible. CEI ships soles to a US address in 2-5 days. Most travelers pre-order a small first-day float and pull the rest at a Lima bank ATM.
Wise + Schwab for Lima ATMs
Wise zero FX markup for hotels and restaurants; Schwab refunds the S/15-20 bank-ATM fee. Take soles not dollars, use mall machines.
Get the Wise Card →