Currency.
Chilean currency is called “peso”. Bills are of 1.000, 2.000, 5.000, 10.000 and 20.000 pesos. Coins are of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 pesos.
Use of Foreign Currency.
Cash in foreign currency is not generally accepted, except at some hotels which offer discounts on taxes for foreigners paying in cash with US dollars.
Credit Cards.
Credit cards are widely accepted. The most frequently accepted ones are Visa, MasterCard and Diners Club. In larger businesses, American Express is also welcomed.
Money Exchange.
The foreign currency market in Chile is not regulated by the government. This enables one to buy and sell money in any "Casa de Cambio". These money exchange houses are very common in the downtown area in Santiago , near Universidad de Chile, in Providencia Av. and in other commercial centers.
Automatic Teller Machines.
In banking and commercial areas and at many gas stations, it is easy to find automatic teller machines "Redbanc", which dispense pesos. These 24/7 cash machines accept local bank cards as well as banking cards in financial networks such as Cirrus, Plus, and Maestro.
Taxes and Tipping.
Value-added tax (VAT) is 19% and is always included in the price. Tipping is usual for all services except for taxi drivers
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