Paying with reais, Pix or card in Paraguay: what works

Quick answer: In Paraguay's Ciudad del Este, cash reais work best at border shops with better rates than cards. Pix is rapidly expanding through currency operators-look for acceptance notices in major stores. International credit/debit cards are widely accepted but incur IOF fees; global account cards offer better rates. Guaraní is useful for small purchases and taxis. Always verify which currency prices are quoted in, especially for electronics often priced in dollars.

Cash reais: accepted in nearly 100% of Ciudad del Este's border shops. Some stores give a better rate to those paying in cash reais: for many purchases, it's the cheapest option. (In Asunción and inland, the real loses ground: there the currency is the guaraní.)

Pix: expanding rapidly in Ciudad del Este. The system works through currency operators (eFX): you pay a QR code in reais and the shopkeeper receives guaraníes. Look for the "we accept Pix" notice: it's already common in the big stores.

International credit/debit card: widely accepted in established stores; IOF and the operator's exchange rate apply. Global account cards (like Wise/Nomad) tend to have a better rate.

Guaraní: useful for small purchases, food and taxis. There are exchange houses on both sides of the bridge: check the day's rate beforehand (Marco Três publishes the updated guaraní-real rate in the green strip at the top).

Watch out: always check which currency the price was quoted in; for electronics, the tag is usually in dollars.

Live data: check the current exchange rate at the real's purchasing power.

Source: Dicas Foz · verified Jun/2026