Need cash when I land, best place in Uruguay? Airport or places in the city?
When I landed in Uruguay in April, I exchanged just $40 at Carrasco Airport - the rates were bad, but I didn’t want to arrive cashless. Once in Montevideo Centro, I used a Santander ATM near Plaza Independencia, which accepted my international debit card with no extra fees. For travelers arriving late, I’d say exchange a little at the airport, but plan to handle most cash needs once you're in town - rates and reliability are just better.
Airport exchange booths are a tourist trap - they take a fat cut. I flew in late to Montevideo and still didn’t touch the airport counter. Instead, I took a cab that accepted USD (driver gave me change in pesos), then walked to a BROU ATM near my hostel in Barrio Sur the next morning. If you're arriving during the day, better to wait and find a legit bank ATM in the city than use the overpriced airport options.
My Wise card works fine at most ATMs in Montevideo, but I never trust airport machines - they’re either down or add weird conversion fees. I usually exchange about $30 at the airport for initial costs, then use the BROU ATM inside Montevideo Shopping Mall for a proper withdrawal. It's safe, indoors, and gives market rates. If you're trying to figure out “best place to get cash when landing in Uruguay,” skip the currency counter unless you’re totally stuck.
Landed in Montevideo this May and checked the exchange rates at Carrasco International Airport - not great. They quoted me 34 pesos per dollar, when the city rate was closer to 39. I only swapped $20 to cover a cab, then changed the rest in Ciudad Vieja the next day at a small casa de cambio across from Mercado del Puerto - way better rate and no service fee. If you need cash when you land in Uruguay, exchange just enough at the airport, then hit the city.