Currency exchange in Ciudad del Este: how to compare safely

In Ciudad del Este, change money at an exchange house (casa de cambio) or a bank in the microcentro rather than on the pavement, and ask how much you'll receive in total before handing anything over. Shops take guaraníes, US dollars and Brazilian reais, but each one sets its own rate (Western Union⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), so it often pays to arrive with dollars or guaraníes already changed, or to pay by Pix or card where it's accepted.

Which currency to shop in

Most shops, arcades and malls downtown price in US dollars; street stalls are the exception (ABC Color, 2021⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). The same guide notes that shops give a slightly worse rate than an exchange house. So:

• If the price is in dollars, pay in dollars. Paying in reais or guaraníes adds a second rate set by the seller.
• For small spending on stalls, food or taxis, carry guaraníes in small notes.
• Before paying, ask for the final price in the currency you'll pay with, not the one on the tag.

Where to change money, and where not to

• Exchange houses and banks. They are regulated by the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) and must ask for ID from the first dollar (ABC Color, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). That's a plus: if something goes wrong, you have a receipt and a counter to return to.
• Street changers. They work along Route PY02, from the Oasis roundabout to the Friendship Bridge approach (ABC Color, 2021⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Licensed brokers can change up to US$10,000 a day, but in 2024 the BCP had only 11 registered, and the exchange-house association estimated around 1,000 working informally (ABC Color, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). On the street you can't tell which one you're dealing with.
• The reference rate. The Central Bank of Paraguay⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ publishes daily rates. Check them on your phone before you go so you know whether an offer is reasonable.

How to compare two quotes

1. Ask for both buy and sell. The house buys your currency at one price and sells you the other at another; only the side you use matters.
2. Ask for the total, not the rate. "How many dollars do I get for these reais?" avoids surprises from fees or rounding.
3. Compare two places on the same block before changing a large amount.
4. Change in stages. You don't need to change your whole trip budget in one place first thing.

Fake notes: what to check at the counter

Fake US$100 notes have circulated in Ciudad del Este, and police warned that reais, pesos and guaraníes are forged too (Última Hora, 2016⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Count and check the notes at the counter, in front of the cashier, before putting them away; if something looks wrong, ask for a replacement on the spot. Once you've walked away, it's your word against theirs.

Paying without changing: Pix, QR and cards

• Pix: since February 2024, shops on the Bancard network can take Pix from Brazilian customers if they've enabled it (Infonegocios⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Ask what rate they apply first.
• QR and cards: in April 2026, 7 out of 10 Bancard electronic payments were by QR (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). A foreign card is charged in guaraníes, and your bank applies its own rate and fees.
• If a shop overcharged you, the municipality's consumer protection office, the 1st Police Station and the prosecutor's office helped Brazilian tourists recover their money in 2026 (Última Hora, 2026⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Report it straight away, receipt in hand.

Heading back to Brazil with shopping

Brazil's Receita Federal allows US$500 of purchases per person every 30 days by land, individual and non-transferable (Receita Federal⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Keep all receipts together: you'll need them at customs and as proof of the rate you were charged. The microcentro by the bridge fills up early, with shops typically opening between 6 and 7 a.m. and closing mid-afternoon (ABC Color, 2021⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), so change money when you arrive, not at the end of the day.