Practical
Money, cards and cash
Card acceptance is better than most visitors expect. Cash still matters in specific, predictable places.
Market stall counter in Medellín
You can get through a week in Medellín on cards alone in most restaurants, supermarkets and clinics. Where cash still wins is small: bakeries, markets, neighborhood taxis and anything that runs on a counter rather than a terminal.
Practical rules
- Withdraw inside a bank branch or a supermarket rather than from a street-facing machine.
- Decline the ATM's offer to convert to your home currency — take the charge in pesos.
- Keep small notes. Change for large notes is a genuine daily friction.
- Tell your bank you are travelling, or expect a blocked card on day two.
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Waiting area of a private clinic in Medellín
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