Bolivia — Currency & Money

The boliviano (BOB) is officially pegged near Bs 6.9 to the US dollar, but an acute dollar shortage since 2023 has produced a parallel market with a substantially weaker street rate — at times 50-100% above official through 2024-25. The practical consequence: card payments and bank ATM withdrawals convert at the official rate and are therefore poor value, so bring US dollars in cash and exchange them carefully in-country. Outside top hotels, cash is king anyway; ATMs exist in all cities but dispense bolivianos at the official rate.

Tipping is not customary — round up restaurant bills or leave 5-10% at nicer places; taxis are negotiated, not tipped.