USD To BRL: Convert United States Dollar to Brazilian Real

If you’re planning a trip to Brazil in the near future, you may want to exchange some of your money into Brazilian reais, the country’s official currency. The international symbol for the currency is BRL.

When it comes to terminology, one unit of BRL is called a real (written out as R$1) and the plural is reais. In both cases, the “r” is pronounced like the English letter “h,” so these words may sound like “hey-all” and “hey-eyes” to a non-Portuguese speaker.

This post has everything you need to know about converting USD to BRL, including where to secure the best exchange rates and how to avoid paying high fees on your conversion.

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How to Convert USD to BRL

Calculating a conversion of dollars to reais is fairly simple. You can either make the conversion using a currency calculator or do it by hand.

1. Use a Currency Calculator

Using a currency conversion calculator is often the easiest way to get an estimate when you’re converting currency. Since exchange rates fluctuate on a daily basis, using a calculator can ensure your math is correct.

Keep in mind that exchanging currency often comes with added fees that a conversion calculator won’t be able to predict. For instance, credit card companies and ATM networks usually charge a 1% conversion fee on all foreign transactions. Individual merchants may also charge supplemental fees if you ask them to convert the price of an item to your home currency at checkout.

2. Calculate it Manually

The other option is to do the calculation manually using a simple mathematical formula. However, in order to do this, you need to know the current exchange rate. At the time of writing, $1 USD is worth R$5.2 BRL.

Once you know that information, multiply the amount you have in USD by the current exchange rate. The resulting number will show you the amount of reais that you have to spend on your trip.

Manual Currency Conversion Example

Let’s say you have $500 USD and would like to figure out how many reais you have for a trip to Brazil. Using the current exchange rate, the formula for your conversion would look like this:

$500 USD x 5.2 = R$2,600 BRL

How to Buy BRL

When you’re ready to buy BRL, it’s a good idea to plan ahead to ensure that you pay the fewest fees. Here are three ways to get the currency you need while minimizing the fees you’ll be charged:

Exchange at a bank or credit union before your trip: Heading to your bank before your trip is often the most cost-effective way to exchange currency. Since you have an existing relationship with them, your bank is likely to give you the best exchange rates and charge the lowest fees. For example, Bank of America doesn’t charge its account holders an exchange fee. However, it does charge a shipping fee of $7.50 USD on orders worth less than $1,000.
Visit your bank or an in-network ATM for withdrawals where possible: Similarly, if you need to exchange more money while you’re on your trip, try to visit a branch of your bank or find an in-network ATM. For example, Citibank waives ATM fees for Citigold users if they make a withdrawal from an ATM with a CIRRUS, MAESTRO or Mastercard logo while abroad. Most banking apps have an “ATM locator” feature to help you find the closest option, and using an ATM affiliated with your bank can help you avoid excess fees.
Order currency online: If your bank doesn’t offer online shipping, you can also use a third party to get currency delivered to your door. However, be aware of inflated costs with some of these vendors. Currency Exchange International (CXI), for instance, advertises that it does not charge an exchange fee for home deliveries. However, you’ll pay up to $30 for overnight shipping on transactions under $1,000 USD.