Work out currency exchange for travel instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
The real cost of exchanging money is the spread plus any fee. A 3.2% spread on 800 costs about 25 in hidden margin — far more than the visible 4.50 fee — which is why comparing effective rates rather than advertised fees matters.
Exchange cost
provider rate = interbank x (1 - spread); received = (amount - fee) x provider rate
Airport bureaux, often 8-12%. High street bureaux are 3-5%, and multi-currency cards and fintech providers 0.3-1%.
No. Dynamic currency conversion typically adds 3-6% on top of your card's own rate. Always choose to be charged in the local currency.