Travel money planning
Best Travel Card for South America and Latin America
For South and Central America, carry two debit cards from different providers and some US dollars. Wise is the best main card when the route mixes dollar countries (Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama) with pesos and reais, because one USD balance covers both. Revolut Standard suits UK residents who spend moderately, N26 suits euro-account holders who mostly pay by card, and Bybit Card (EU) suits EEA residents who spend crypto. Cuba is cash-only for visitors, since international cards no longer work there, and travellers from Russia, whose bank cards do not work abroad, are best served by US dollars, the local currency in Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama.
By DmytroUpdated 14 min read
Short answer
- Wise: one USD balance pays in Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama without conversion; a US-issued card withdraws USD 250 a month free of Wise fees, then USD 1.95 + 1.95% (as of 21 Sep 2026).
- Revolut Standard (UK, as of 26 Sep 2026): pesos and reais at Revolut’s rate with no fee up to GBP 1,000 a rolling month; free cash stops after 5 withdrawals or GBP 200.
- N26 (EU plans) settles peso and real payments at the Mastercard rate on every plan; Bybit Card (EU) adds 0.5% to that rate (both as of 26 Sep 2026).
- Cuba: bring enough US dollars or euros for the whole stay and change them only at Cadeca; the FCDO update of 25 Sep 2026 says foreign cards no longer work.
Card fees for one month outside Europe
- N26 Smart10.00 EURExchange 0.00 · ATM 5.10 · Plan 4.90 · Card 0.00 · card delivery extra
- Bybit Card EU10.50 EURExchange 6.50 · ATM 4.00 · Plan 0.00 · Card 0.00 · crypto conversion extra
- N26 Standard15.10 EURExchange 0.00 · ATM 5.10 · Plan 0.00 · Card 10.00
- Wirex Standard≥ 7.00 EURExchange 0.00 · ATM 2.00 · Plan 0.00 · Card 5.00 · + conversion fee shown in the app
- Wise≥ 8.35 EURExchange 0.00 · ATM 1.35 · Plan 0.00 · Card 7.00 · + conversion fee shown in the app
Not ranked: Nexo Card Base (virtual card only on this plan: no ATM cash; total covers card payments)
The best cards for Latin America and who each suits
Wise for mixed dollar and peso routes, Revolut or N26 for card spending, Bybit Card for EEA crypto holders.
Wise is the strongest main card for a route that mixes dollar and peso countries. Top up US dollars once: the same balance pays in Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama with no conversion, and in Mexico, Colombia or Peru the card converts at Wise’s published fee, with no foreign transaction fee on top. Free cash depends on where the card was issued: a US card takes USD 250 a calendar month without a Wise fee, then USD 1.95 + 1.95% per withdrawal (as of 21 Sep 2026), while a UK or EEA card takes GBP 250 or EUR 250, then 2.69% of the amount above (as of 10 Oct 2026).
Revolut Standard works for UK residents on a shorter trip who mostly pay by card. Pesos and reais exchange at Revolut’s own rate with no fee on the first GBP 1,000 in a rolling month and 1% above that, plus 1% for weekend exchanges where that fee applies (UK, as of 26 Sep 2026). On a peso-cash trip the ATM allowance goes fast: 5 withdrawals or GBP 200 a rolling month, then 2% with a GBP 1 minimum.
N26 is for euro-account holders who tap to pay in restaurants, hotels and shops. Every plan settles peso and real payments at the Mastercard rate with no N26 FX fee. Cash is where the plans split: Standard and Smart add 1.7% to each non-euro withdrawal, while Go (EUR 9.90 a month) and Metal add nothing (EU plans, as of 26 Sep 2026).
Bybit Card (EU) fits EEA residents who already hold crypto on Bybit EU: it charges 0.5% over the Mastercard rate, and cash is free up to EUR 100 a month, then 2% (as of 26 Sep 2026); converting the crypto is priced separately. Nexo Card is dearer in the region, because its European terms charge 2% on weekdays and 2.5% at weekends outside the EEA, UK and Switzerland (as of 26 Sep 2026).
Latin America card fees side by side
What each card charges for peso and real payments, local ATM cash and spending in dollar countries.
The table shows each provider’s own charges. A Latin American ATM can add an operator fee on top; it usually appears on the screen before you confirm, so cancel and try another machine if it is high.
| Card | Paying in pesos or reais | Local ATM cash (provider fee) | Spending in dollar countries | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | No foreign transaction fee; Wise converts from your balance at its published fee | US card: USD 250 a month free, then USD 1.95 + 1.95%; UK or EEA card: GBP or EUR 250 free, then 2.69% | A USD balance spends with no conversion | Routes mixing dollar and peso countries |
| Revolut Standard | Revolut rate; free up to GBP 1,000 a rolling month, then 1%, and 1% more at weekends where it applies | Free for 5 withdrawals or GBP 200 a rolling month, then 2% (min. GBP 1) | Dollar spending counts toward the same GBP 1,000 allowance | UK residents on shorter trips |
| N26 | Mastercard rate with no N26 FX fee, whatever the plan | Standard and Smart add 1.7%; Go and Metal add no N26 markup | Dollar payments also at the Mastercard rate | Euro-account holders who pay by card |
| Bybit Card (EU) | 0.5% over the Mastercard rate, crypto conversion charged separately | Free to EUR 100 a month, 2% beyond that | The same 0.5% on dollar payments | EEA residents spending crypto |
What your trip costs with each card
Enter your trip and the cards are ranked by what they charge in fees, using each card’s published prices for where you live.
Enter foreign-currency amounts at their value in EUR.
Assumes a euro card used in another currency outside Europe, so payments and cash are converted.
Of the cards with a full price, N26 Smart is cheapest: about 10.00 EUR; Bybit Card EU costs 10.50 EUR. Wirex Standard costs 7.00 EUR and Wise 8.35 EUR, each plus a conversion fee that depends on the currency (the app shows it before you pay). Nexo Card Base has only a virtual card on this plan, so it cannot withdraw cash and is left out of the comparison.
- 1N26 SmartCheapestEEA (euro account) · Review
Trip total: 10.00 EUR
Per month: 10.00 EUR
- Exchange
- 0.00 EUR
- ATM
- 5.10 EUR
- Plan
- 4.90 EUR
- Card
- 0.00 EUR
card delivery extra
Fees as of 26 Sep 2026 · source
- 2Bybit Card EUEEA (euro account) · Review
Trip total: 10.50 EUR
Per month: 10.50 EUR
- Exchange
- 6.50 EUR
- ATM
- 4.00 EUR
- Plan
- 0.00 EUR
- Card
- 0.00 EUR
crypto conversion extra
Fees as of 26 Sep 2026 · source
- 3N26 StandardEEA (euro account) · Review
Trip total: 15.10 EUR
Per month: 15.10 EUR
- Exchange
- 0.00 EUR
- ATM
- 5.10 EUR
- Plan
- 0.00 EUR
- Card
- 10.00 EUR
Fees as of 26 Sep 2026 · source
- 4Wirex StandardEEA (euro account) · Review
Trip total: 7.00 EUR
Per month: 7.00 EUR
- Exchange
- 0.00 EUR
- ATM
- 2.00 EUR
- Plan
- 0.00 EUR
- Card
- 5.00 EUR
+ conversion fee shown in the app
Fees as of 26 Sep 2026 · source
- 5WiseEEA (euro account) · Review
Trip total: 8.35 EUR
Per month: 8.35 EUR
- Exchange
- 0.00 EUR
- ATM
- 1.35 EUR
- Plan
- 0.00 EUR
- Card
- 7.00 EUR
+ conversion fee shown in the app
Fees as of 10 Oct 2026 · source
- 6Nexo Card BaseEEA (euro account) · Review
Trip total: 21.50 EUR
Per month: 21.50 EUR
- Exchange
- 21.50 EUR
- ATM
- 0.00 EUR
- Plan
- 0.00 EUR
- Card
- 0.00 EUR
virtual card only on this plan: no ATM cash; total covers card payments
Fees as of 26 Sep 2026 · source
Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba and the dollar countries
Which currency to pay in and the local money rules that change the plan.
Pay in the local currency everywhere except Cuba: Mexican, Colombian, Chilean and Argentine pesos, Brazilian reais, Peruvian soles, and US dollars in Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama. In the dollar countries a Wise USD balance is the cheapest way to pay, because nothing is converted at all.
In Mexico, the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) advises using ATMs in daylight inside shops or malls, avoiding large withdrawals and carrying fewer cards and less cash. In Brazil it warns of card cloning at ATMs and in shops; if notes from an ATM carry pink marks, take them to the bank or the police to be exchanged. In Argentina you may be asked for your passport when paying by credit card, so keep a copy somewhere safe.
Cuba works differently. The FCDO update of 25 Sep 2026 says international cards such as Visa and Mastercard are no longer accepted and cannot withdraw cash; visitors pay in cash or with Cuban prepaid cards such as CLASICA. US dollars and euros are widely accepted, and changing money anywhere other than a Cadeca exchange house is illegal. Bring cash for the whole stay plus a reserve, and ask hotels and tour operators how they take payment before you arrive. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Cuba.
| Country | Currency | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Mexican peso (MXN) | Withdraw in daylight at ATMs inside shops or malls, in small amounts |
| Brazil | Brazilian real (BRL) | Exchange only through authorized FX channels; take pink-marked notes to the bank |
| Argentina | Argentine peso (ARS) | Carry your passport or a copy for credit-card payments |
| Cuba | Cuban peso (CUP); USD and EUR widely accepted | Foreign cards are refused; bring cash and change it only at Cadeca |
| Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama | US dollar (USD) | Pay from a Wise USD balance with no conversion |
| Colombia, Peru, Chile | COP, PEN, CLP | Pick the local currency on every terminal and ATM screen |
Peso cash, ATM operator fees and DCC
Spend the free allowance first, cancel expensive operator fees and always choose pesos or reais.
Cash from a Latin American ATM can cost twice: once from your card provider and once from the machine’s operator, whose fee shows on screen before you confirm. Use the card that still has allowance left this month, and plan amounts so you are not at an ATM every day.
Example (Wise, US-issued card, as of 21 Sep 2026): after the first USD 250 of the calendar month, a withdrawal of Mexican pesos worth USD 150 costs USD 1.95 + 1.95% × 150 = USD 4.88 in Wise fees, plus the operator’s charge. On Revolut UK Standard, a GBP 100 withdrawal after the allowance costs GBP 2 (2%, as of 26 Sep 2026).
When a terminal or ATM offers to bill you in dollars, euros or pounds instead of pesos or reais, that is dynamic currency conversion (DCC). Visa calls it optional and priced with the provider’s own rate and markup, so press the local-currency option; in Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama that option is US dollars.
Rental-car and hotel deposits, phone payments
A credit card for holds, physical cards for ATMs and the phone wallet for indoor payments.
Car-rental desks and hotels can block a deposit on your card and may ask for a physical credit card in the driver’s or guest’s name. Confirm the card type and amount when you book, and leave enough room on the card for the block.
Revolut and N26 support Apple Pay and Google Pay; for Wise and Bybit Card, phone-wallet support follows the country that issued the card. In Brazil, the FCDO says thieves target phones, particularly between 4pm and 9pm, and advises against using a phone in the street, so pay street vendors and taxis with the physical card and keep the phone wallet for indoor payments. Carry the backup card apart from the main one, in line with the FCDO’s Mexico advice to carry fewer cards.
Paying by card in Latin America from Russia
Russian-issued cards do not work abroad, so the plan is US dollar cash or a card from your country of residence.
Visa and Mastercard suspended their Russian operations in March 2022, so cards from Russian banks cannot pay or withdraw cash anywhere in Latin America, and Mir cards work in very few places abroad.
US dollars are the most useful cash to bring: they are the local currency in Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama and are widely accepted in Cuba, where they may be exchanged only at Cadeca. The next section shows where to change them in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia and how much cash each border asks you to declare.
Wise, Revolut, N26 and Bybit Card (EU) open accounts only for legal residents of their supported countries who pass identity checks, and RedotPay lists Russia as a restricted jurisdiction (as of 24 Aug 2026). If you legally live outside Russia, open an account where you live before the trip; if you live in Russia, plan the whole trip on cash.
Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia when your cards do not work abroad
Where to change dollars, what to declare and where you need cash, country by country.
In all four countries the plan is US dollars changed into local currency at a bank or licensed exchange, or a card from a bank in the country where you legally live. Colombia is the easiest for card payments: the FCDO says credit and debit cards are widely accepted in hotels, shops and restaurants there, and advises keeping receipts, because customs may ask how you spent your money when you leave.
| Country | Changing and carrying cash | At the border | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico (MXN) | Use exchange offices with care and in daylight | You may be asked to prove you have enough money for the stay | Departure tax is cash-only at some airports and border crossings; the Quintana Roo visitor tax is paid online and checked at Cancún airport |
| Argentina (ARS) | Carry cash out of sight, ideally in a money belt under your clothes | Declare cash or travellers cheques worth more than USD 10,000 | Credit-card payments can require a passport |
| Brazil (BRL) | Change money through authorised FX channels such as banks | Declare cash or travellers cheques worth USD 10,000 or more online | Card cloning is reported at ATMs and in shops |
| Colombia (COP) | Change money at banks and authorised exchanges, never on the street | Declare more than USD 10,000 in any currency to DIAN | Use ATMs in business hours inside a bank, supermarket or shopping centre |
Latin America card and cash checklist
Six things to sort out before the flight.
Sort these out while you are still at home, where new cards and security codes reach your registered address and phone.
Checklist
- Wise topped up in US dollars if Ecuador, El Salvador or Panama is on the route.
- A second debit card from another provider, activated, PIN memorised and kept in a different bag.
- A credit card in the driver’s or guest’s name for rental and hotel deposits.
- Monthly ATM allowances written down: USD 250 on a US Wise card, GBP or EUR 250 on a UK or EEA one, 5 withdrawals or GBP 200 on Revolut UK Standard.
- US dollars or euros in cash for arrival, and for the whole stay if Cuba is included.
- Issuer emergency numbers and card-freeze steps saved offline, plus a passport copy for card payments in Argentina.
FAQ
What is the best travel card for South America?
Wise, paired with a debit card from a second provider. Its USD balance pays without conversion in Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama and converts at a published fee elsewhere; a US-issued Wise card withdraws USD 250 a month free of Wise fees (as of 21 Sep 2026). UK residents can use Revolut Standard as the second card.
What is the best debit card for South America?
For euro-account holders, N26: peso and real payments go through at the Mastercard rate on every plan, and Go removes the 1.7% markup that Standard adds to non-euro cash (EU plans, as of 26 Sep 2026). For residents of other countries that Wise serves, Wise is the more flexible debit card.
Can I pay by card in Latin America?
Yes, everywhere except Cuba. Cards work in hotels, restaurants and shops, and ATMs give local cash. Carry some pesos or reais for small vendors and taxis, choose the local currency at every terminal and keep a second card.
Do Visa and Mastercard work in Cuba?
No. According to the FCDO update of 25 Sep 2026, cards issued abroad are no longer accepted and cannot withdraw cash. Bring US dollars or euros for the whole stay and change them only at Cadeca exchange houses.
How can travelers from Russia pay in Latin America?
With cash or a card from the country where they legally live. Visa and Mastercard cards from Russian banks have not worked abroad since March 2022, and Mir is rarely accepted; US dollars are the local currency in Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama and are widely taken in Cuba.
Where can I change US dollars in Colombia, Brazil and Mexico?
In Colombia, at banks and authorised money exchanges; the FCDO warns against changing money on the street. In Brazil, through authorised FX channels such as banks. In Mexico, at exchange offices during the day.
How much cash can I bring into Argentina, Brazil or Colombia without declaring it?
Less than USD 10,000 needs no declaration in any of the three. Argentina asks you to declare cash or travellers cheques worth more than USD 10,000, Brazil USD 10,000 or more (declared online) and Colombia more than USD 10,000, declared to DIAN (FCDO, checked 10 Oct 2026).
Sources
- Cuba travel advice: Warnings and insurance — FCDO
- Cuba travel advice: Safety and security — FCDO
- Mexico travel advice: Safety and security — FCDO
- Brazil travel advice: Safety and security — FCDO
- Argentina travel advice: Safety and security — FCDO
- Mexico travel advice: Entry requirements — FCDO
- Argentina travel advice: Entry requirements — FCDO
- Brazil travel advice: Entry requirements — FCDO
- Colombia travel advice: Safety and security — FCDO
- Colombia travel advice: Entry requirements — FCDO
- Traveling to Brazil — Banco Central do Brasil
- Dynamic Currency Conversion — Visa
- Wise card fees (US) — Wise
- Wise card fees (UK) — Wise
- Wise card fees (Ireland) — Wise
- How much does it cost to withdraw cash with my Wise card? — Wise
- Wise multi-currency account uses — Wise
- Revolut UK Standard fees — Revolut
- Revolut pricing plans — Revolut
- Revolut supported residence countries — Revolut
- N26 foreign transaction fees — N26
- N26 cash withdrawal conditions — N26
- N26 EU plan comparison — N26
- N26 supported residence countries — N26
- Bybit EU card fees and limits — Bybit EU
- Nexo Card European and global conditions — Nexo
- RedotPay unsupported countries and regions — RedotPay
- Visa Suspends All Russia Operations — Visa
- Mastercard Statement on Suspension of Russian Operations — Mastercard
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