Nicaragua Currency: Dollars or Córdobas, ATMs and Cards in 2026

In this guide

Nicaragua's currency is the córdoba (C$), and the Banco Central de Nicaragua has fixed the official rate at C$36.6243 per US dollar for all of 2026. US dollars are easy to exchange and widely accepted in tourist areas, but card payments inside the country are settled in córdobas. Monkeys Travels & Tours quotes its tours in US$.

Dollars or córdobas: which should you use?

Use both. The córdoba is the legal currency, and the US dollar is the foreign currency most widely accepted in tourist areas. Three official facts frame how that works in 2026:

The rate does not move. The central bank kept the annual crawl at 0% for 2026, so the official rate is C$36.6243 per dollar all year, according to its press note. Shops and changers still apply their own rates around it.
Prices are shown in córdobas. Since January 1, 2025, businesses must display prices in córdobas with the symbol C$, as EFE reported when the central bank announced the rule.
Dollars are the only easy foreign currency. The UK says US dollars are the only freely exchangeable foreign currency and that banks do not exchange British pounds. Canada says you cannot exchange Canadian dollars in Nicaragua. Bring US dollars, not pounds, euros or Canadian dollars.

In tourist areas you can pay in dollars, but change usually comes back in córdobas, and ATM Fee Saver notes that businesses often apply poor rates when pricing in US dollars. For small purchases, córdobas cost you less.

Quick conversion at the official rate

US dollars	Córdobas (official rate)	Córdobas	US dollars
US$1	C$37	C$20	US$0.55
US$5	C$183	C$100	US$2.73
US$10	C$366	C$200	US$5.46
US$20	C$732	C$500	US$13.65
US$100	C$3,662	C$1,000	US$27.30

Rounded from C$36.6243 per dollar. Expect a slightly worse rate in shops and at exchange counters.

Banknotes, coins and the condition of your dollars

Córdoba notes in circulation come in C$10, C$20, C$50, C$100, C$200, C$500 and C$1,000, according to an EFE report from April 2023. The central bank also issued a C$5 note on October 1, 2020. Coins include C$5, 50 centavos and 25 centavos, reissued in June 2023, and older coins keep circulating alongside them.

A C$1,000 note is about US$27, which is a lot of change for a fruit stand or a taxi. Break big notes at supermarkets, gas stations and hotels, and keep C$20 to C$100 notes for small payments.

Your dollars need to look good. ATM Fee Saver warns that damaged or old bills may be rejected. Bring clean bills without tears or ink marks, and a supply of US$1, US$5 and US$10 bills.

ATMs: fees, limits and where to find them

ATMs in Nicaragua dispense córdobas, and some also offer US dollars, per ATM Fee Saver (February 2026). The UK confirms you can withdraw either currency.

What to know	Detail
Maximum per withdrawal	US$500 per transaction; daily limits typically US$1,000 to US$1,500
Banks that charge foreign cards	Lafise BanCentro, Banpro and BAC Credomatic
Lower-cost option	Many ATMs on the Bancared network charge no access fee; BDF, Banco Avanz and Ficohsa are listed as the best for foreigners
Currency conversion offer	Decline it and choose to be charged in córdobas; accepting means the ATM's own rate plus a charge

Your own bank may add fees and limits on top. Canada warns that ATMs outside major cities may not be available and that card and ATM fraud occurs. Withdraw in a city before you head to Ometepe, the Tola beaches or the coast north of San Juan del Sur, and prefer machines inside banks or shopping centers.

Credit and debit cards

Canada says credit cards are usually accepted. What changed in 2025 is how they are charged. Under a central bank circular issued after a decision of November 28, 2024, every card payment settled inside Nicaragua, with credit, debit or prepaid cards issued in the country or abroad, is processed in córdobas, even when the price is quoted in dollars. Card terminals are configured to process only córdobas.

What that means for you:

A hotel bill quoted at US$100 is charged as roughly C$3,662, and your bank converts it to your currency.
A card with no foreign transaction fee saves money on every purchase.
Plan on cash in córdobas for markets, small restaurants and beach stalls.

Where to change money

Change at banks or official exchange offices only, says Canada. The UK warns that changing money on the street can make you a target for muggers, and notes that money changers with official identification often work at the front of banks. If you cross by land from Costa Rica, our Peñas Blancas border guide covers the fees you pay at the border.

How much cash to carry

There is no official figure for this, so plan by activity: keep cash for entrance fees, tips, market shopping and small meals, and use the card for larger bills. A practical pattern is a mix of córdobas for small daily spending, clean US dollars as a reserve, and one card kept separate from the others.

Our tours are quoted in US$ with the inclusions written down, so you know in advance what is already paid. Lunch on the Granada + Masaya Volcano day is not included, and the Masaya Artisan Market is where cash in córdobas is most useful. Tipping is covered in our guide on tipping in Nicaragua.

Monkeys tour	Duration	Price
Airport Transfer, MGA or LIR	door to door	from US$30 per person (groups of 4 to 6); US$55 solo
Liberia Airport to Nicaragua	3 to 4 hours	from US$45 per person (groups of 4 to 6); US$80 solo
Granada + Masaya Volcano	9 hours	from US$45 per person (groups of 4 to 6); US$80 solo
Masaya Artisan Market & Folklore	3 to 4 hours	from US$30 per person (groups of 4 to 6); US$55 solo

To book, write on WhatsApp to +505 8506 1173 with the date, the number of people and your hotel.

What Monkeys does

Monkeys Travels & Tours is a private tour operator based in Rivas, founded in 2018 by Everth Palma, who was born and raised in Rivas.

Prices quoted in US$, with price and inclusions confirmed in writing before you travel.
Private tours in a private vehicle, never combined with other travelers, with bilingual guides born in Rivas.
On the Liberia transfer, the driver crosses Peñas Blancas with you.
WhatsApp +505 8506 1173, every day from 7:00 to 20:00, with answers in under an hour.
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
Not included: meals, tips and travel insurance.

Questions we get every week

Can I use US dollars in Nicaragua?

Yes, in tourist areas US dollars are widely accepted and easy to exchange. Since January 2025 businesses must show prices in córdobas, and change is often given in córdobas at the shop's rate, so carry both. Bring clean, untorn bills: damaged or old bills may be rejected.

What is the exchange rate between the córdoba and the dollar?

The Banco Central de Nicaragua fixed the official rate at C$36.6243 per US dollar for all of 2026, with a crawl of 0%. Shops, banks and street changers apply their own buying and selling rates around it.

Do ATMs in Nicaragua give US dollars?

Some do. ATMs dispense córdobas, and some also offer US dollars. ATM Fee Saver reports a maximum of US$500 per withdrawal and names Lafise BanCentro, Banpro and BAC Credomatic as banks that charge foreign cards a fee. Decline the ATM's own conversion and choose córdobas.

Are credit cards accepted in Nicaragua?

Usually, says the Government of Canada. Since January 2025, every card payment made inside Nicaragua is settled in córdobas, even when the price is quoted in dollars, so your bank converts the charge. Carry cash for markets, small towns and Ometepe.

Sources

Every figure in this guide comes from one of these pages, checked on the date shown above.