If you are new to Colombia and you are planning a trip to the country, right after finding out if Colombia is safe, and where is it located, you need to know which currency Colombia uses. Right between the Colombian peso value, and the different bills and coins we use, here is a guide to Colombian money that will help you navigate your finances during your trip.

Colombian Peso

During the past few months the Colombian peso has fluctuated, leaving the average value of a dollar in (around) 3,300 (three thousand and three hundred) pesos. One Euro is 3,700 pesos. It might sound like a lot, but in reality, it is more like 1 dollar = 3.3 pesos. Try to forget about those three last digits. One bottle of water costs around 2,500 pesos (less than one dollar), and having a meal in a restaurant could cost around 50,000 pesos (around 15 dollars). 

Colombian bills 

On the question about which currency Colombia uses, we already know that it is the Colombian peso, but what about the look of those pesos. There are six different bills: 

$100,000: around US$30 – It is not that usual to see this bill circulating.

$50,000: around US$15 – This one has Gabriel Garcia Marquez on it.

$20,000: around US$6

$10,000: around US$3

$5,000: around US$1.50

$2,000: around US$0.50

Colombian coins

There are also five denominations of coins: $50, $100, $200, $500, and $1000