In this guide
In Villarrica you can pay for most things by QR code or card at supermarkets, restaurants and downtown shops, but cash still rules at Mercado Nº 1, the farmers' market, taxis, the horse-drawn karumbé and entry fees outside town. The practical move is to withdraw guaraníes from an ATM inside a bank or supermarket early on a weekday, and carry small notes for anything that doesn't take QR.
How do people pay in Villarrica?
- QR codes: the most used electronic payment in Paraguay, with 68.1% of payments processed in April 2026 (ABC Color, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). Supermarkets are the heaviest users (Infonegocios (opens in a new tab)). If you have a Paraguayan bank or wallet app, most places downtown and on Boulevard Vicente Mario will take it.
- Cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Cabal and local cards are in use (Argentine Foreign Ministry, 2021 (opens in a new tab)). For visitors, Visa and Mastercard are the safest bet.
- Cash: essential at small places, stalls and for transport.
What do you need cash for, and how much?
These are usually paid in guaraníes, in hand:
- Mercado Municipal Nº 1: around 375 stalls selling produce, meat, food and clothes, next to the bus terminal (ABC Color, 2022 (opens in a new tab)). Small notes and your own bags.
- Feria Amistad: farmers sell in Plaza Libertad (ABC Color, 2025 (opens in a new tab)).
- Taxis: outside Asunción there are no meters and fares are agreed upfront (iExplore (opens in a new tab)); have the exact amount.
- Karumbé: in 2017 a city tour cost G. 100,000 (Última Hora, 2017 (opens in a new tab)).
- Day trips: Salto Suizo charged G. 25,000 per person in December 2023 (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)); out of town, don't count on QR or mobile signal.
More reference costs in budgeting in Villarrica.
Banks and ATMs: hours and safety
- Hours: banks open Monday to Friday, mornings; the Argentine Foreign Ministry's 2021 guide gave 09:00 to 12:30 (Argentine Foreign Ministry, 2021 (opens in a new tab)). If you need a teller, go early and check your branch's hours in the bank's app.
- Weekends: no tellers on Saturday or Sunday. Get your weekend cash on Friday.
- ATMs: use machines inside buildings rather than on the street, and don't carry large sums (GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)). Withdraw in daylight and put the money away before you walk out.
Discounts and receipts: small savings
- Bank days: banks run supermarket discounts on a fixed weekday, with specific cards and a monthly cap (ABC Color, 2024 (opens in a new tab)). Do your big shop that day; to choose where, see supermarkets in Villarrica.
- Ask for a receipt: issuing one is mandatory, and the tax office (SET) once shut a Villarrica shop for not doing so (Última Hora (opens in a new tab)).
Coming from Brazil or abroad
- Pix: Bancard enabled Pix for Brazilian customers in 2024, starting in border areas (Infonegocios, 2024 (opens in a new tab)), and by 2025 it was spreading in Pedro Juan Caballero (Campo Grande News, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). Villarrica is far from the border, so don't rely on it: carry guaraníes.
- Exchange: exchange houses keep longer hours than banks, 09:00 to 17:00 on weekdays according to the same guide (Argentine Foreign Ministry, 2021 (opens in a new tab)). For options and transfers, read currency exchange and transfers in Villarrica.
FAQ
Can you pay by QR code in Villarrica?
Yes, at most supermarkets, restaurants and downtown shops; QR is 68.1% of electronic payments in Paraguay. Bring cash for the market, the farmers' fair and taxis.
What are bank hours in Villarrica?
Weekday mornings. Check your branch's hours in the bank's app and take out weekend cash on Friday.
Is Pix accepted in Villarrica?
Don't count on it. Bancard rolled out Pix starting at the border; in Villarrica bring guaraníes or a Visa or Mastercard.
Where is it safe to withdraw cash?
At an ATM inside a bank, supermarket or other building, in daylight, without carrying large sums afterwards.
