Currency
The Brazilian currency is the Real (“heh-ALL”), plural Reais (“heh-Eyes”), noted as “R$”. The exchange rate fluctuates, but on February 23, 2006, US$ 1.00 = R$ 2,13. Please note that the decimal in Brazil is marked with a comma. The Brazilian Real is divided into 100 Centavos.
Bank notes in circulation are the following: R$ 1, R$ 5, R$ 10, R$ 50 and R$ 100.
The following coins are in circulation: R$ 0,01 – R$ 0,05 – R$ 0,10 – R$ 0,25 – R$ 0,50 – R$ 1.
Credit cards are widely accepted in large cities in Brazil, in restaurants, hotels, travel and car rental agencies and stores.
Major Brazilian banks offer ATMs. Not all of them accept the major foreign cards, though. ATMs online locators for major cards are: Visa/Plus cards (1-800-843-7587); MasterCard/Cirrus cards (1-800-424-7787); and American Express cards.
Traveler’s checks are always a good idea, being a safe way of carrying values in any international trip. In spite of that, note that in many places the rate for exchanging traveler’s checks is lower than for cash. You can exchange traveler’s checks at casas de câmbio (exchange houses), banks, hotels (usually for a comparatively lower rate) and travel agencies.
When exchanging money, it is usually recommended to look for banks for the best rates. If you are bound for smaller cities, remember to exchange money in before the trip, as exchange services are found more often in large cities.
The Consulate-General of Brazil in New York is not a Tourism Office, nor is equipped to provide individuals with detailed information. These pages are for basic information, general purpose only. * We’re not a tourism office * please look at the information above on the left for more detailed help with your questions about Brazil.
