Brazilian Currency and Money in the Amazon

The currency of Brazil is the Real (pronounced Hey-AL), plural Reais (Hey-AYes) denoted as BRL or R$. It is a floated currency and since 1999 has performed well against other currencies, including the Euro, the US Dollar and the Pound.

For our currency conversions we normally use X-rates.com, although of course they provide a market mid-point and not what you'll get on your travels. A simple link for the Brazilian Real is provided below based on x-rates.com rates - just click GO to see the current market rate of the Real with respect to a large basket of currencies (you can select an alternative currency if you wish, using the drop-down box). The link will open in a new window - just close to return to visitmanaus.com.


It is still somewhat difficult to get Reais outside Brazil, although we expect it to get easier as time goes by. Normally you will have to bring US Dollars (don't bring Euro or Pounds or anything else with you - even if you can get someone to change it, the rate will be dreadful. We´ve also had people turn up with travellers cheques - don't. There are a small number of bureaux that will change currency here, and the easiest is probably the one at the airport, so don't forget in the general euphoria of arriving that you will need Reais. Also please note that 99% of the banks here do not have a foreign currency section and will not change your currency.

Credit cards are readily accepted here now, and by far the most common is Visa, followed by Mastercard (both now operated by CIELO in Brazil). Amex and Diners you can probably leave at home. The Maestro (debit) card is also now widely accepted. Anything else, don't think about bringing.

Some visitors arrive believing that the Dollar is still king and that everyone will accept it in payment. Wrong. Here in Brazil, the Real is king. Period.

So who will and won't accept payment by card? A surprising number of shops now operate card readers over a mobile phone connection, and this includes nearly all supermarkets. The only time you'll have a problem is if the cellular network is down or there's a power cut (both not exactly uncommon, but you'd have to be unlucky to fall foul of it). Hotels, Jungle Lodges (not all - check first), tour operators (likewise), commonly accept payment by card. Small retailers in Manaus may not, and once you get out of Manaus it's cash only - don't go to a neighbouring town without it. Finally, restaurants and bars can still be a bit odd - probably around 60% - 70% of the larger restaurants will; smaller ones won´t, and it´s still rare for a bar to accept cards, which I know will irritate a friend of mine in Ireland who is not above charging a beer and a packet of crisps to his card and getting some cash back at the same time.