Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Chile or cash is king?
In my Chile trip, I never had problems in Santiago - both hostels accepted card instantly. But in Punta Arenas, my hostel wanted cash upfront, and the Scotia ATM nearby saved me. Chile is a mix: expect cards in cities, but always carry pesos when heading to Patagonia or Atacama. Don’t assume all hostels are card-ready.
Chile is modern in terms of payments. In Santiago and Valparaíso, my hostels ran card payments like anywhere else. But in smaller towns - Puerto Varas, Castro in Chiloé - cash-only was still common. Banco de Chile and Santander ATMs worked with my foreign card, though they charge fees. Plan ahead: cards are fine in cities, but cash is essential for smaller or remote hostels.
Hostels in big Chilean cities (Santiago, Valparaíso, Concepción) are very card-friendly. I checked into three and all swiped my Visa smoothly. When I got to San Pedro de Atacama, it was cash only, and the few ATMs there had long queues. If avoiding last-minute runs matters, withdraw in Santiago before heading to tourist towns.
In Santiago, every hostel I tried accepted card without issue, including ones in Bellavista and near Estación Central. In Valparaíso too, Visa and Mastercard were normal. However, down south in Puerto Natales, one hostel’s terminal was “offline,” and I had to pay cash. ATMs like BancoEstado and BCI are common, but fees add up. Chile is generally card-friendly, but in remote Patagonia, cash still rules.