Money & Payments in Cusco

Good to Know

• Visa and Mastercard are reliably accepted in tourist-oriented businesses, but many small vendors and markets accept cash only.
• ATM fees range from free (Banco de la Nación) to 20+ soles elsewhere; minimize fees by withdrawing maximum allowed amounts and making fewer transactions.
• Always choose to pay in soles at ATMs rather than your home currency to avoid poor exchange rates from Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC).
• Use ATMs inside banks or shopping centers, not on the street, and avoid late-night withdrawals.
• Some establishments charge 3–10% surcharges for card payments; confirm prices before authorizing transactions.
• Notify your bank before travel to prevent card blocks due to suspicious foreign activity.
• Carry small-denomination soles (10–50 PEN) for tipping, markets, and public transport; larger bills can create change difficulties.
• Tipping is not mandatory and should reflect service quality. In restaurants, verify if a service charge ('servicio') is already included before adding a tip.
• Tip in soles, not dollars, so service workers don't face exchange costs.
• For multi-day treks, bring enough cash in small bills since ATM access is unavailable during the trek.