Chilean Peso · $ · Official currency of Chile
The Chilean peso ($) was introduced in 1975, replacing the former escudo in a currency reform. It's regarded as one of the more stable currencies in South America.
Five denominations circulate: $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, and $20,000, featuring historical figures and natural landscapes of Chile.
In big cities like Santiago, card payments are extremely common, making it easy to get by without cash. In remote tourist destinations like Patagonia, though, card networks can be unreliable, so it's safer to carry plenty of cash. Exchanging at a bank or licensed exchange office (casa de cambio) in the city usually gets a better rate than at the airport.
You can view the real banknote designs on the Banco Central de Chile's official page.
See Chilean Peso banknotes at today's exchange rate →