ATM Machines in Brazil and Banking
Boat in Rio de Janeiro
ATMs in Brazil are everywhere. You will find many ATMs in airports, retail areas, and popular tourist areas.
Some people don’t have any problems using Brazilian ATMs with a US or EU ATM cards. Others do. Some banks accept foreign cards more readily than others, so if you have more than one ATM or credit card, make sure to bring a spare.
In general, Banco Bradesco, HSBC, Banco 24 Hors, and Banco de Brazil all work well.
Banco 24 Horas tends to charge high fees. The rate they charge is about 10% higher than the interbank rate.
Bradesco is somewhat better. It charges about 5% over interbank rate.
Banco do Brazil is perhaps the most fair. It usually charges the interbank rate itself.
Banco Itau can be a bit of a problem. Its ATMs don’t always except foreign cards. Avoid using them if there are other ATMs available.
Note that at most ATMs, you can’t get more than R$100 after 9pm, so don’t plan on paying big bills after that time! This is for security reasons to prevent robbery.