The currency of Chile is the Chilean peso, written with the ISO code CLP and the dollar sign $ (often shown as CL$ to avoid confusion with the US dollar). It is the only legal tender in the country and is issued and managed by the Banco Central de Chile. In mid-2026 one US dollar buys roughly 900–950 Chilean pesos, so visitors quickly get used to dealing in thousands rather than small change.
The Chilean Peso at a Glance
The peso is the everyday money for everything in Chile, from a coffee in Santiago to a national park entry fee in Patagonia. A few essentials worth knowing before you arrive:
- Name: Chilean peso (peso chileno)
- ISO code: CLP
- Symbol: $ or CL$
- Issuing authority: Banco Central de Chile (Central Bank of Chile)
- Subunit: none in practical use — the centavo has long been discontinued
Because there is no working subunit, prices are always whole numbers. The smallest amount you handle in cash is effectively the 10-peso coin, and many retailers round cash totals to the nearest 10 pesos since the smaller coins were withdrawn from circulation.
Banknotes and Coins in Circulation
Chile issues five banknote denominations, all printed on durable polymer rather than paper. Each note carries a figure from Chilean history or culture:
- $1,000 — green, featuring independence-era figure Ignacio Carrera Pinto
- $2,000 — purple, featuring patriot Manuel Rodríguez
- $5,000 — red, featuring poet Gabriela Mistral
- $10,000 — blue, featuring naval hero Arturo Prat
- $20,000 — orange, featuring scholar Andrés Bello
Coins come in 10, 50, 100 and 500 pesos. The $100 coin is the workhorse for parking meters, kiosks and small purchases, while the $500 coin is the highest-value piece in everyday use. The $5,000 note is a point of national pride: Gabriela Mistral was the first Latin American author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1945, making Chile one of the few countries to honour a female Nobel laureate on its money.
A Short History of Chilean Money
Chile first adopted the peso in 1817, shortly after declaring independence from Spain, replacing the colonial real. That original peso served the country for well over a century. Persistent inflation in the mid-twentieth century led the government to introduce the escudo in 1960 to simplify prices.
The experiment was short-lived. In 1975 the peso returned at a rate of one new peso to 1,000 escudos, and it has remained the national currency ever since. A pivotal moment came in 1989, when the Banco Central de Chile was granted formal independence from the government. That autonomy is widely credited with giving Chile one of the most credible monetary regimes in Latin America and keeping long-run inflation comparatively low.
Why Copper Drives the Peso
The Chilean peso is unusually sensitive to a single commodity: copper. Chile is the world's largest copper producer, and the metal accounts for a large share of the country's exports. When global copper prices rise, dollars flow into Chile and the peso tends to strengthen; when prices fall, the peso usually weakens. Economists sometimes describe the CLP as a "commodity currency" for exactly this reason. This link makes the peso's exchange rate more volatile than its low domestic inflation alone would suggest, so the rate you see can shift noticeably from one trip to the next.
Using Money as a Traveler in Chile
Chile is one of the more card-friendly countries in South America. Credit and debit cards are accepted in restaurants, supermarkets, hotels and shops across Santiago, Valparaíso and the main tourist regions. Contactless payment is common in cities. You will still want some cash for local markets (ferias), shared taxis known as colectivos, small towns and remote areas near the Atacama Desert or Torres del Paine.
ATMs (cajeros automáticos) are widespread and the easiest way to obtain pesos at a fair rate, though many charge a withdrawal fee. A quirk worth remembering: Chile uses a period to mark thousands, so a price tag reading "$10.000" means ten thousand pesos, not ten. Tipping around 10% in sit-down restaurants is customary and is often added as a suggested line on the bill. For more on the country itself, see our chile country guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the currency of Chile called?
It is the Chilean peso, abbreviated CLP and written with the $ sign, often as CL$ to distinguish it from the US dollar. It is issued by the Banco Central de Chile.
How many Chilean pesos are in a US dollar?
In mid-2026, one US dollar is worth roughly 900–950 Chilean pesos. The exact rate moves with global copper prices and other market factors, so check a live converter before travelling.
Can I use US dollars in Chile?
Generally no. The peso is the only legal tender, and most businesses price and accept payment in pesos. A handful of tourist hotels and tour operators may quote prices in dollars, but you will pay for daily expenses in CLP.
Does the Chilean peso have cents?
Not in practice. The centavo subunit was discontinued long ago, so all prices are whole pesos and cash totals are typically rounded to the nearest 10 pesos.