Travel Money 2026: Cash, Exchange, Cards and Payments

Travel Money 2026: Cash, Exchange, Cards and Payments

The best way to handle your money while travelling fits in one sentence: a no-foreign-fee card to pay, a little local cash for everything else, and always refuse conversion into your home currency when you pay or withdraw. This generic guide applies to every destination. For exact amounts (airport taxi, local ATMs, customary tips), see each country’s practical page.

Before you leave: card, bank and a little cash

Preparation happens at three levels. First, the card. Check whether yours charges foreign exchange fees: a traditional card often takes 2 to 3 percent per transaction, while a neobank card (Wise, Revolut, N26) applies the real interbank rate with almost no markup on weekdays. If you travel often, opening a fee-free account pays for itself quickly.

Next, the bank. Tell it your dates and destinations. A sudden charge halfway across the world can trigger a security block, and unblocking a card from abroad on a Sunday night is no fun. Also note your international lost-card number, which differs from your usual domestic one.

Finally, your starter cash. Change a small amount before you leave, the equivalent of 50 to 150 USD in local currency, just enough to pay for the taxi or train from the airport and cover the first few hours. No need to carry wads of notes: exchanging at home is rarely good value and the local ATM will do better.

The two-payment-method rule

Never rely on a single card. Carry two, ideally on different networks (one Visa, one Mastercard), stored separately. If one is blocked, lost or swallowed by an ATM, the other takes over. It is the traveller’s best peace-of-mind insurance.

On the ground: ATM, exchange bureau and DCC

Once you arrive, the ATM is your best friend for getting cash. It applies the Visa or Mastercard network rate, far fairer than an exchange bureau. Three precautions, though.

1. Withdraw large amounts. The fixed fees (roughly 0 to 5 USD depending on the bank, sometimes more from the local operator) get diluted over a big withdrawal. One 300-dollar withdrawal costs far less than six 50-dollar ones.
2. Refuse DCC. This is the most important point on this page.
3. Choose a real bank’s ATM. Avoid independent machines like Euronet, often placed near tourist sites: they combine high fees with an unfavourable rate.

The DCC trap (Dynamic Currency Conversion)

When you pay or withdraw, the terminal sometimes asks: “Would you like to pay in your home currency or in local currency?” Choosing home currency feels reassuring, you see the amount in your own money straight away. That is exactly the trap. This conversion, called DCC, is done by the merchant or ATM, who sets a rate 3 to 7 percent worse than your card network’s, sometimes far more.

The right answer is always the same: local currency. Your bank then converts at the Visa or Mastercard rate, the best value. DCC is optional and you have the right to refuse it: if a terminal has already picked your home currency for you, ask to cancel and restart in local currency.

Exchange bureau: backup only

The exchange bureau keeps an occasional use: a backup if no ATM accepts your card, or to use up leftover cash. But margins reach 5 to 15 percent on the rate. Always compare the displayed rate with the real rate of the day (a currency converter app is enough) and steer clear of airport and station counters, which offer the worst terms.

How much cash to carry?

There is no single answer, it depends on the destination and your travel style. The principle: always carry a little cash, without lugging a fortune.

• Highly digital countries (Northern Europe, South Korea, big cities): cards work almost everywhere. A small cash buffer for emergencies is enough.
• Cash-dominant countries (rural Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America outside major cities): bring more cash, in small notes, for markets, local transport and small shops.
• First hours everywhere: 50 to 150 USD in local currency for the airport transfer and first meal, before you find an ATM.

Our travel budget calculator helps you estimate the total to plan for, based on destination and length of stay.

Tipping: a custom that varies hugely by region

Tipping follows no global rule. What is expected in one country can cause discomfort in another. Always keep a few small notes in local currency for this: a service rendered is rarely thanked by card.

• United States and Canada: 15 to 20 percent in restaurants, an expected custom rather than a bonus. Also figure on 1 to 2 USD per service (bellhop, housekeeper).
• Europe: service is often included. Round up the bill or leave 5 to 10 percent for outstanding service, with no obligation.
• Southeast Asia: a tip of 5 to 10 percent is appreciated in restaurants, and 1 to 5 USD for a guide or driver is warmly received, though not expected.
• Japan, China, South Korea: no tipping. The gesture can even create awkwardness, as quality service is culturally the norm.
• Middle East and North Africa: the “baksheesh” is part of the culture, small sums for many services.

Refer to each destination’s practical page for exact amounts and local customs.

Keeping your money safe while travelling

A few simple habits sharply cut the risk.

• Split it up. Do not keep all your cards and cash in one place. Some on you, some in the hotel safe.
• Shield your withdrawals. Cover the keypad at the ATM, favour those inside a bank branch, and beware of suspicious devices (added readers, loose keypads).
• Turn on notifications. Most banking apps alert you in real time on every transaction. For that, keep a data connection via an eSIM: it also serves to validate payments through strong authentication.
• Photograph your cards (front, plus the lost-card number) and store the copy in a secure space, separate from the physical cards.
• Keep an emergency note (a well-hidden dollar or euro bill) for situations where nothing else works.

Going further

• All our practical guides : visa, money, transport, health
• Best travel bank card : comparison of no-fee cards
• Best travel bank : accounts and neobanks for travel
• Travel budget calculator : estimate your spending

Page written by Marie L., travel specialist. Advice verified against the official sources of the Visa and Mastercard networks and travel-money reference data. Updated: 10 June 2026.