Money

The Bolivian currency is called the « Peso boliviano », commonly called “boliviano” and generally represented by the following symbol: Bs. If you see the $ symbol, this will be in reference to the US dollar. This is sometimes accepted as a method of payment, but it will be easier to have it changed into the local currency.

There are many bureau de change across La Paz. There are also many in Sucre, Potosi and Santa Cruz. However, there are very few in Uyuni, and they are often closed on Sundays and Saturday afternoons.

In the touristic cities, you can also change the euro. For other currencies such as the Canadian dollar, British pound or others, only a few bureau de change in the big cities will be able to change them, and at a rather unfavorable rate. It is therefore recommendable to have some American dollars for your trip.

If you use traveler checks, you will not be able to use it as a method of payment, so you will have to have them changed at a bank or by presenting your passport. Be careful, traveler’s checks in a different currency than the USD will be very difficult to change.

Finally, bank cards such as Visa, American Express, and MasterCard are only accepted in establishments of a certain standard (hotels, restaurants, gift stores). In some cases, the transaction fees (usually around 5%) will be added when you complete your transaction.

Do keep in mind that ATMs will not allow you to withdraw big sums of money (maximum 500 US$ per day), even if you have agreed to a certain withdrawal limit with your bank beforehand.