Paying for things in San Juan del Sur: cash, cards and córdobas

Nicaragua runs on the córdoba, written C$. US dollars are widely accepted in San Juan del Sur because of the number of visitors, but the town is far more cash-based than most people expect.

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Delivery from C$184 in town and C$276 to the outer beaches. Every fee is agreed before we set off.

A local shop counter with groceries being paid for

Córdobas or dollars

  • Both circulate here. Prices are usually quoted in córdobas, and you will often get córdobas back as change even when you pay in dollars.
  • Dollar notes need to be in good condition. Torn or heavily marked notes get refused, which surprises people who have never had a note inspected before.
  • Small denominations are worth more than their face value in practice. Breaking a large note in a small shop is a genuine daily problem.

Cards are the exception, not the rule

  • Larger hotels and some restaurants take cards. Small shops, market stalls, taxis and most delivery generally do not.
  • Plan to hold some cash rather than relying on tapping a phone. That is not a warning about safety, just about how the town works.
  • If you are here for a while, the weekly rhythm most residents settle into is one cash trip and everything else arranged from home.

How Blink handles payment

  • Cash on delivery in córdobas or US dollars, whichever you have on you.
  • The price is agreed over WhatsApp before we set off, so you know exactly what to have ready and nothing gets negotiated at your door.
  • For a grocery shop you pay what the receipt says plus the fee, and you get the receipt with the order to check it against.
  • For transfers and larger jobs, paying in advance is an option if you would rather not travel with the cash.

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Message us in English or Spanish. We answer by hand, so you get a real person and a real price rather than an automated reply.

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