💰 Quick Context: The Uruguayan Peso
Uruguay uses the Uruguayan Peso (UYU / $U). At roughly 42 UYU to $1 USD, divide by 40 for a quick estimate ($U400 is about $10). A coffee costs $U80–180, a restaurant meal $U400–1,200, and a hotel night $U3,000–15,000. Uruguay is expensive by South American standards. Montevideo and Punta del Este are fairly card-friendly, but carry cash for markets, smaller towns, and rural areas.
🎧 Order Uruguayan Peso Before You Fly
Have cash in hand when you land. Insured delivery, 2–5 day shipping.
Order UYU → CEI Currency ExchangeCash vs. Card: What to Expect in Uruguay
Montevideo's Ciudad Vieja and Pocitos neighborhoods are comfortably card-friendly. Restaurants along the Rambla, Tienda Inglesa and Disco supermarkets, and most hotels handle card payments without issue. Punta del Este's restaurant and hotel scene is similarly well set up for Visa and Mastercard.
Cash is needed for ferias (street markets) like Feria de Tristán Narvaja (Montevideo's massive Sunday market), local restaurants in the interior, buses outside Montevideo, and tips. Colonia del Sacramento has moderate card acceptance. Restaurants along Calle de los Suspiros and the main streets take cards, but smaller souvenir shops in the historic quarter prefer cash.
How much to carry: $U2,000–4,000 (about $50–100 USD) is a good backup. Bring extra if visiting ferias or heading to rural estancias.
How to Get Pesos for Your Uruguay Trip
Uruguay is one of the most card-friendly countries in South America. Montevideo's Ciudad Vieja and Pocitos neighborhoods are genuinely card-first: every Tienda Inglesa and Disco supermarket, every Rambla restaurant, the entire Punta del Este restaurant and hotel scene, and most chain stores take Visa and Mastercard contactless. Cash still helps at ferias (Feria de Tristán Narvaja, Montevideo's massive Sunday market), local restaurants in the interior, intercity buses, and tipping. There's also a Uruguay-specific perk for tourists: foreign card payments at restaurants and hotels are exempt from the 22% IVA (VAT), which means paying with a foreign card actually beats paying cash by a meaningful margin. Two cheap routes for getting pesos: pre-order before takeoff or pull from a Banco Itaú or Santander Uruguay ATM after landing.
Order pesos before you fly
For pre-arrival UYU, two paths. A currency-exchange service like CEI Currency Exchange may stock Uruguayan pesos on request, with insured 2–5 day delivery. Most US home banks (Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi) generally do not stock UYU. Uruguay does not have a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner. The cleanest setup for most Uruguay trips: a Wise card for restaurant and hotel card payments (capturing the 22% IVA-exempt tourist discount on those bills, a rare perk), plus a small starter envelope of pesos for ferias and local-bus runs.
Withdraw from a Uruguayan bank ATM
On the ground, the cheapest source of UYU is one of the major Uruguayan bank ATMs. Banco Itaú Uruguay, Santander Uruguay, BBVA Uruguay, BROU (Banco Repúblic), and Scotiabank Uruguay all give the actual interbank rate with no markup. Most don't add their own operator fee for foreign cards. Withdrawal limits run roughly UYU 8,000–15,000 per transaction. Bank ATMs cluster around Montevideo (Ciudad Vieja, Pocitos, Punta Carretas), Punta del Este (along Avenida Gorlero), and at MVD (Carrasco International) airport arrivals. Decline DCC every time the screen offers "charge in USD". See the Best ATMs section below for the bank-by-bank lineup. Want to know what a Banco Itaú Uruguay withdrawal will actually cost on your card? Drop it into our ATM fee calculator.
Airport counters & "casa de cambio" booths
Three traps to walk past in Uruguay. The currency-exchange counters in arrivals at MVD (Carrasco International) advertise rates that look reasonable but routinely run 5–10% off the interbank rate. The casas de cambio along Montevideo's 18 de Julio Avenue and around Plaza Independencia use the "sin comisión" framing while baking the markup into the rate. And the standalone independent ATMs at smaller hotel arcades layer DCC pitches and operator fees. Stick to bank-branded ATMs at Banco Itaú, Santander, BBVA, BROU, or Scotiabank Uruguay; decline DCC; and pay with a foreign card at restaurants and hotels to capture the 22% IVA-exempt tourist discount on those purchases. Uruguay does not yet have a city-specific guide on this site, but the Best ATMs section below covers the bank lineup.
For a side-by-side comparison of every method (bank wire, travel card, pre-order, ATM, exchange counter) including USD-to-UYU timing tips, see our complete Getting Currency guide →.
Best ATMs to Use in Uruguay
Uruguay's major banks operate ATMs across the country. These machines typically offer fair exchange rates, though your home bank may charge its own foreign transaction fee. Always choose UYU when prompted.
Banco República (BROU)
Uruguay's state-owned bank with the largest ATM network in the country. You will find BROU ATMs in Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia del Sacramento, and virtually every city and town across Uruguay.
Recommended
Banco Santander Uruguay
Wide ATM coverage across Uruguay, especially in Montevideo and major cities. Santander machines are reliable with English-language interfaces available.
Recommended
Banco Itaú Uruguay
Good ATM presence in Montevideo and Punta del Este. Itaú machines are modern and straightforward to use for foreign card withdrawals.
Recommended⚠ Watch Out for Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)
DCC is not widespread in Uruguay but appears at some Punta del Este restaurant terminals and standalone ATMs near the Colonia ferry port. The screen will offer to charge you in USD instead of UYU. Always decline and choose UYU. The conversion markup is typically 4–7%. Since many Punta del Este businesses already accept USD directly, the DCC prompt can seem logical, but it always costs you more than letting your own bank do the conversion.
ATMs to Avoid in Uruguay
Standalone ATMs in tourist zones can charge extra fees and push DCC with poor exchange rates. Stick to the bank ATMs listed above whenever possible.
Standalone Tourist-Area ATMs
Unbranded machines in shopping malls, near ferry terminals in Colonia, and along Punta del Este's beachfront. These may charge extra per-withdrawal fees and offer unfavorable exchange rates through DCC.
AvoidPaying by Card in Uruguay
Card Networks
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at hotels, restaurants, Tienda Inglesa and Disco supermarkets, and shops across Montevideo and Punta del Este. American Express works at larger hotel chains and some upscale restaurants on Gorlero Avenue in Punta del Este, but many smaller businesses do not take it. OCA is Uruguay's domestic card network. You may see the OCA logo on terminals, but foreign visitors do not need an OCA card.
Contactless & Mobile Payments
Tap-to-pay works at newer terminals in Montevideo restaurants, Tienda Inglesa and Disco supermarkets, and most Punta del Este hotels and restaurants. Coverage is expanding but not yet universal. Apple Pay and Google Pay work at the same modern terminals. Montevideo buses use the STM rechargeable card system ($U42–52 per ride). Cash is not accepted on Montevideo buses. Buy an STM card ($U80) at kiosks near bus stops.
Where Cards May Not Work
Feria de Tristán Narvaja, Montevideo's sprawling Sunday market stretching 20+ blocks, is almost entirely cash-only. Rural estancias and smaller towns in the interior (Tacuarembó, Treinta y Tres) rely heavily on cash. Intercity buses outside Montevideo often require cash for tickets purchased at the station. Family-run parrillas and local restaurants outside Ciudad Vieja and Pocitos prefer cash.
Tipping in Uruguay
Tipping Guide
At restaurants, 10% is standard. Check your bill first, as some Punta del Este restaurants add a "cubierto" (cover charge of $U50–100) that is not a tip. At Mercado del Puerto parrilla counters, leaving $U50–100 change is appreciated. Cafés do not expect tips, but leaving small change is a kind gesture.
Taxi drivers: round up to the nearest convenient amount ($U350 fare, pay $U400). Tour guides in Colonia or wine country receive $U200–500 per person for a full-day tour. Hotel porters receive $U50–100 for luggage assistance.
Montevideo, Punta del Este & Colonia: Practical Money Tips
Things to Know
For city-specific tips, see our Montevideo money guide covering Ciudad Vieja ATMs, Mercado del Puerto cash tips, and bus card setup.
Day trips from Buenos Aires: Take the Buquebus or Colonia Express ferry (about 1 hour). If you are coming for just a day, $U2,000–3,000 or $50 USD covers most expenses in Colonia. USD is widely accepted at hotels and restaurants in Punta del Este, but you will get a better exchange rate paying in pesos from a BROU ATM.
Punta del Este is South America's Hamptons. During peak season (December through February), restaurant dinners run $U800–2,000 and beachfront hotels start at $U8,000+ per night. Budget travelers should visit during shoulder season (March or November). Mercado del Puerto in Montevideo is a must-visit for parrilla. Most stalls accept cards, but bring $U500–1,000 for drinks and smaller vendors. A full asado meal costs $U600–1,200.
IVA (VAT) tax refund: Tourists can claim a 10.5% refund on purchases over $U600 at participating shops. Ask for the Tax Free form at checkout and process it at Carrasco International Airport (MVD) before departure. Airport ATMs: BROU and Santander ATMs are in the arrivals area at MVD. Use these instead of exchange counters.
Money Safety in Uruguay
Staying Safe
Uruguay is one of South America's safest countries. Violent crime targeting tourists is rare. Standard precautions apply in Montevideo's Ciudad Vieja after dark and around the Tres Cruces bus terminal. Watch for pickpockets at Feria de Tristán Narvaja (Sunday market) and on crowded buses. Keep your wallet in an inside pocket.
Use BROU or Santander ATMs inside bank branches rather than street-facing machines, especially at night. BROU ATMs dispense up to $U20,000 (about $500) per transaction, so you can minimize the number of withdrawals. Let your bank know you are traveling to Uruguay before departure. South American transactions can trigger fraud holds, and a blocked card in Colonia or the interior is hard to resolve quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use US dollars in Uruguay?
Many hotels and restaurants in Punta del Este accept USD, and some businesses in Montevideo do too. However, you will get a better exchange rate by paying in Uruguayan pesos. Withdraw pesos from a BROU or Santander ATM for the best value.
How do I get from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento?
Take the Buquebus or Colonia Express ferry from Buenos Aires (about 1 hour). Tickets are paid by card online. For a day trip, $U2,000–3,000 or $50 USD covers most expenses in Colonia. The historic quarter has moderate card acceptance.
How does Montevideo bus payment work?
Montevideo buses use the STM rechargeable card system. Cash is not accepted on buses. Buy an STM card at kiosks near bus stops for about $U80, then load credit onto it. Each bus ride costs around $U42–52 depending on distance.
Is Punta del Este expensive?
Yes. Punta del Este is Uruguay's most expensive area, with prices comparable to major European cities during peak season (December through February). A restaurant dinner runs $U800–2,000, and beachfront hotels start at $U8,000+ per night. Budget travelers should visit during shoulder season.
Can I get a VAT refund in Uruguay?
Yes. Tourists can claim an IVA (VAT) refund on purchases over $U600 at participating shops. Ask for the Tax Free form at checkout. Process the refund at the airport before departure. The refund is typically 10.5% of the purchase price.
Is cash needed at Mercado del Puerto?
Most stalls at Mercado del Puerto in Montevideo accept cards, but some smaller vendors and drink stands are cash-only. Bring $U500–1,000 in case. A full parrilla (grilled meat) meal at the market costs $U600–1,200.
Skip the Foreign Transaction Fees
The Wise card converts your money at the real mid-market exchange rate. No markups, no surprises. Spend Uruguayan pesos like a local.
Get the Wise Card →Quick Comparison
| Method | Cost | Convenience | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-FX-fee card (contactless) | Best (no fees, mid-market rate) | ★★★★★ | Daily spending in Montevideo, Punta del Este, restaurants |
| Uruguayan bank ATMs (BROU, Santander, etc.) | Low (fair rate, minimal fees) | ★★★★★ | Cash for ferias, rural areas, and buses |
| Standalone / independent ATMs | High (fees + poor rates + DCC) | ★★★☆☆ | Never recommended |
| Airport exchange counters | High (5–12% markup) | ★★☆☆☆ | Absolute emergency only |
Uruguay Quick Facts
| Currency | Uruguayan Peso (UYU / $U). Divide by 40 for a quick USD estimate |
| Cash vs. Card | Card-friendly in Montevideo and Punta del Este. $U2,000–4,000 cash backup recommended |
| Best ATMs | BROU (Banco República), Santander Uruguay, Itaú Uruguay |
| Contactless | Growing in Montevideo and Punta del Este |
| Card Acceptance | Good in Montevideo and Punta del Este. Less reliable in rural areas and ferias |
| Tipping | 10% at restaurants (not always included) |
| DCC Risk | Possible in Punta del Este and Colonia. Always choose UYU |
| Best Strategy | No-FX-fee card for most spending. Bank ATM cash for ferias, buses, and rural areas |
Uruguay City Guides
Neighborhood-level money guides for Uruguay's top destinations. Where to find ATMs, which areas need cash, how to pay for transport, and more.