Which ATMs To Use Abroad - 2 April 2018 Edition.
This post is updated weekly by @snaptravel. Please make sure you are looking at the latest edition.
The following list provides information about the best ATMs to use abroad to avoid local bank charges.
About.
I have written the difficulty level of finding ATMs that do not charge fees next to the country in brackets ranging from easy to impossible. For countries where it is easy to find ATMs that do not charge, I have left the list blank. However, be sure to read the screen carefully before making a withdraw, as there are always exceptions. In all other cases, I have listed only the ATMs that are free to use. If no ATMs are free, I have listed the cheapest known option instead. If you find anything is no longer valid, please let me know in the comments section.
Also Note.
Sometimes an ATM will ask if you want to be charged in the local currency or in your home currency. In these cases, always choose the local currency. If you are charged in your home currency, you will usually get a bad exchange rate and may be charged additional fees. This is also the case when using your card to make purchases. It's worth stating this as you hand your card over, as vendors don't always ask and just assume you'd prefer to be charged to your home currency.
A-Z Of Countries And The Best ATMs.
| Countries (Difficulty Of Avoiding Charges) | Free/Cheapest ATMs | Max Withdraw | *Additional Info |
| Bolivia (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Bolivia do not charge fees. |
| Brazil (Difficult) | | | |
| Banco Do Brasil - Free | 500 BRL | |
| Cambodia (Very Difficult) | | | |
| Maybank - Free* | 1000 USD** | *Free only for Visa cards. **Limit seems to be set by card issuing bank. I only withdrew 200 USD so I cannot confirm the 1000 USD claim. |
| Canada (Difficult) | | | |
| Scotiabank - Free | 1000 CAD | |
| Chile (Difficult) | | | |
| Banco Internacional - Free | 200,000 CLP | |
| China (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in China do not charge fees. |
| Colombia (Moderate) | | | |
| Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) - Free | 600,000 COP | |
| Davivienda - Free | 600,000 COP | |
| Hong Kong (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Hong Kong do not charge fees. |
| India (Moderate) | | | |
| Bank Of Baroda (BOB) - Free | 25,000 INR | |
| State Bank Of India (SBI) - Free | 40,000 INR | |
| Japan (Difficult) | | | |
| Seven Bank (7-Eleven) - Free | 100,000 JPY* | *Magnetic strip card transactions and American Express cards are limited to 30,000 JPY |
| Malaysia (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Malaysia do not charge fees. |
Morocco (Easy) | | Although most ATMs in Morocco do not charge fees, the following maybe exceptions that do charge foreign cards: Société Générale. |
| Peru (Difficult) | | | |
| Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP) - Free* | 700 PEN | *Limited to one withdrawal every 30 days. |
| Caja Arequipa - Free* | 700 PEN | *Only free for Visa Cards, MasterCards are charged 18 PEN. |
| Thailand (Impossible) | | | |
| Aeon Bank - Charges 150 THB* | 20,000 THB | *Lowest known fee. |
| Krungsri Bank - Charges 200 THB*| 30,000 THB | *This bank has a higher fee but allows a larger withdraw which works out slightly cheaper. |
| Vietnam (Difficult) | | | |
| Military Bank - Free| 5,000,000 VND | |
| Find something wrong? Would you like to add or change something on the list? | Share the relevant details in the comment section and the information will be added to next weeks list. All contributors will be credited in next weeks post. |
Card Information
| UK Cards | Information |
| Nationwide Debit Card (Visa) | Charge for withdraws from foreign ATMs - £1 +2% | Charge for purchases in foreign currencies - +2%. (Visa currency exchange rates). |
| Revolut Prepaid Debit Card (MasterCard) | ATM withdraws are free up to £200 per month - +2% thereafter | Purchases in foreign currencies are free. (Revolut currency exchange rates*) *Though the Revolut exchange rate is usually excellent, I've noticed with some currencies it can vary widely depending on the time of day. It's worth checking the rate in the app before making large withdraws or purchases. |
| US Cards | Information |
| Schwab Brokerage Account + Checking Account (Visa) | Refunds all ATM fees incurred monthly. (You must open a brokerage account, minimum investment $1000.) US residents only. |
The following people have contributed to the list. If you found the information here useful, please visit their blogs and support them with your upvotes.
| Photographer. Traveller. Adventurer. Founder and curator of @travelfeed. Join the Steemit Travellers on Discord! |
| We Travel The World 91 Days At Time, On The Road For Over 7 Years and visited now 19 locations this way. @travelfeed founder and curator. |
To be credited here. | Share what you know and help the list grow. |
The information provided in this post does not represent the official policy of any bank or financial organisation. All information is anecdotal and based on my most recent personal experience, or taken in good faith from fellow users of this platform. I take no responsibility for any unexpected fees you may incur while acting on this information. | | |
