How to Pay in Uruguay

Uruguay is one of the most digitally advanced countries in Latin America, so apps work reliably across Montevideo and Punta del Este. Cash is still useful in smaller towns, but card payments and app-based services are widely accepted in cities. WhatsApp is the default communication channel for nearly everything here.

Payment & Finance Apps

Mercado PagoEssential

Uruguay's dominant digital wallet. Locals pay by QR code in supermarkets, restaurants, and street fairs from Montevideo to Punta del Este, and send instant transfers between friends.

Pro tip: Sign-up needs a Uruguayan ID and local phone number, so visitors cannot join. Pay with a foreign-issued card instead: Uruguay automatically refunds 9 VAT points at restaurants and car rentals on foreign cards, making them cheaper than cash.

App Store Play Store

Prex

Uruguayan prepaid Mastercard and wallet holding both pesos and dollars. One of the few local accounts that some non-residents can actually open, popular with visiting Argentines.

Pro tip: Worth the setup only for longer stays, since you need a local phone number and identity checks. Short-term visitors get better value simply tapping a foreign card, which also triggers Uruguay's automatic tourist VAT discounts.

App Store Play Store

App details

Mercado Pago in other countries Prex in other countries

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