Travel Money Guide: Southeast Asia

We give you the skinny on how to best take and use money in Southeast Asia, so you can make the most of the region's tropical beaches, delicious food and unbeatable cultural experiences.

Compare travel cards for Southeast Asia

• Prepaid Travel Money Cards
• Travel Credit Cards
• Travel Debit Cards
• Foreign Cash

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Name	Product	Available Currencies	ATM Withdrawal Fee	Initial Load Fee	Reload fee
Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard		AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,AED	USD $2.50, EUR €2.50, GBP £2.00, NZD $3.50, THB ฿80.00, CAD $3.50, HKD $18.00, JPY ¥260.00, SGD $3.50, AUD $3.50, AED 10.00	$0	$5		Up to 11 currencies on 1 card locked in exchange rates and no load fees.	More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Name	Product	Foreign currency conversion fee	Interest-free period	Purchase rate	Annual fee
Bankwest Zero Platinum Mastercard Finder Award		0%	Up to 55 days on purchases	14.99% p.a.	$0	Get 0% p.a. on balance transfers for 26 months (with a 2% BT fee), ​an ongoing $0 annual fee and 0% foreign transaction fees.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Coles Rewards Mastercard		0%	Up to 55 days on purchases	19.99% p.a.	$0 annual fee for the first year ($99 p.a. thereafter)	Get 40,000 bonus Flybuys Points or $200 off a Coles Supermarket shop, a $0 first-year annual fee and a 14-month balance transfer.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Bankwest Breeze Platinum Mastercard		0%	Up to 55 days on purchases	0% p.a. for 15 months, reverts to 9.9% p.a.	$0 annual fee for the first year ($69 p.a. thereafter)	Get 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, a $0 first-year annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
NAB StraightUp Card		0%		N/A	$0	Save with 0% interest charges and 0% foreign transaction fees. Plus, $0 monthly fees when you don't use the card or carry a balance.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Name	Product	Card access	ATM Withdrawal Fee	Monthly Account Fee	Internatonal ATM Fee	Foreign transaction fee
HSBC Everyday Global Account Finder Award		Visa	$0		$0	0%	Special offer: $100 cash bonus for new HSBC customers. Earn 2% cashback on tap and pay purchases (T&C's apply). Enjoy no minimum ongoing balance or transaction requirements and the flexibility to hold up to 10 currencies. Apple Pay and Google Pay available.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Great Southern Bank Everyday Snap Account		Visa	$0		$4.50	2.95%	Refund of international ATM withdrawal fees and international card transaction fees (conditions apply). $0 monthly account fee. Unlimited fee-free everyday transactions. Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay available. Savings Top Up tool automatically transfers to linked savings account.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi Global Currency Account		Mastercard	$0		$0	0%	Earn up to 0.75% p.a. interest on your AUD balance. $0 monthly account fee. Enjoy one linked debit card to hold up to 10 currencies and receive foreign currencies for free.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Name	Product	Minimum Order Amount	Maximum Order Amount	Delivery/Pickup Method	Commission Fee
Foreign Xchange Travel Money		$0	$9,999	In Store,Home Delivery	$0	Order multiple currencies in one transaction and have it delivered directly to your door anywhere in Australia. No delivery fee for orders over $1,000. A $10 flat fee applies to orders less than $1,000.	More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Which travel card, debit card or credit card?

Visa and Mastercard branded credit cards, debit cards and travel cards have wide acceptance in Southeast Asia. If you have an American Express, you'll need to take a Visa or Mastercard card too. In the cities, you'll find ATMs are easy to find, but in smaller towns and off the beaten track there's no guarantee you'll be able to get cash from an ATM (ATMs can be scarce and frequently run out of cash). Card acceptance in these areas is also sketchy at best, so make sure you have enough cash to cover you for the times you're venturing outside of urban centres.

Travel money options for Southeast Asia at a glance

_{This table is a general summary of the travel money products in the market. Features and benefits can vary between cards.}

Why we recommend a combination of travel money options

Make sure you've spread your travel budget across a couple of cards. For example a travel card, debit card or credit card. Carry Australian dollars and US dollars cash too. This will give you more options if you're travelling between countries, conditions can change between countries and ATM availability is not guaranteed outside Southeast Asian cities.

If you have any questions about travel money for Southeast Asia, get in touch with us using the form at the bottom of the page.

How each travel money option works in given country

Using travel money cards

A travel card allows you to hold a number of different foreign currencies at the same time. Spend in the currency of your destination and you can avoid the fee for currency conversion. Thai baht and Singapore dollars are supported currencies on a number of products, and the Commonwealth Bank Travel Money Card lets you load Vietnamese dong as well. Brunei dollars, Cambodian riels, Indonesian rupiah, East Timor dollars, Laos kip, Malaysian ringgits, Philippine pesos and Burmese kyats are not supported currencies.

If you're travelling to the aforementioned countries, a travel card with no currency conversion fee (eg, Qantas Cash) is suited. However, travel cards are fee-heavy products, so you're going to pay for international transactions one way or another. For example, cards which don't charge for currency conversion might charge for international ATM use. You'll also have to pay front end fees when you purchase, load or reload the card.

• Tip: These accounts are dual card accounts. You get a backup card to use incase your lose the first card or it's stolen.
• Tip: If you purchase a travel card at a branch, there's a chance it won't have your name embossed on the front. This may cause issues with acceptance in Southeast Asia.

Using debit cards

The Citibank Plus Transaction Account is the only travel friendly debit card on the market. The Citibank Plus comes with a Visa Debit card which can be used all over the world without paying the additional fee for currency conversion and Citibank do not charge international ATM fees for making withdrawals at overseas ATMs. And the best part? It costs nothing to open the account and there's no monthly charge either.

• Tip: Visa (Mastercard too) provide a money back guarantee if you're the victim of card fraud overseas.

Using credit cards

Both Bankwest (platinum credit cards only) and Latitude 28° Global Platinum Mastercard don't charge for currency conversion and international ATM withdrawals. It's generally not a good idea to use your credit card to withdraw cash from an ATM — cash advance interest and the cash advance fees apply when these products are used for this purpose. These fees can be avoided by preloading these products with your own money. Note that a local ATM operator fee may still apply and GE Money will charge a cash advance fee regardless. Using a credit card with a positive balance also voids the anti-fraud guarantees from Mastercard and Visa.

• Tip: Some credit cards provide complimentary international travel insurance when you charge the cost of your return overseas travel ticket to the account.
• Tip: Make sure you tell your bank about your travel plans if you don't travel frequently, they may block your card if they see a 'suspicious' overseas transaction.

Using traveller's cheques

An almost obsolete form of travel money, traveller's cheques can be cashed in more places in Thailand and Cambodia compared to other parts of the world. In Thailand, traveller's cheques may be cheaper to cash at a bank than when withdrawing baht from an ATM. A number of Thai banks will cash cheques for a fee of 33 baht (compared to 150 - 200 THB for ATM withdrawals). If you're travelling to the Philippines, anecdotal evidence suggests cheques can not be cashed at any place.

Taking cash with you

Although each country in the region uses different currencies, US dollars can be used throughout Southeast Asia. In some places (Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos especially) you'll see prices quoted in US dollars, and some businesses such as hotels may prefer payment in US dollars. If you do take US dollars to Southeast Asia, make sure you have an eye on the exchange rates so you know how much you should be paying. In the rural areas of Southeast Asia, debit, credit and travel cards will not be accepted. Make sure you have enough cash to cover your planned expenses (and then some).

Using an ATM

Cities in Southeast Asia are well serviced by ATMs. You won't have a problem using Visa and Mastercard branded products. Be prepared to pay an ATM operator fee, the vast majority of ATMs in Southeast Asia charge a fee when you make a withdrawal.

• Tip: Pick an odd number when you withdraw cash from an ATM. This will give you smaller bills which are easier to use.

Exchange cash

It's best to get the currency of the destination you're visiting. Australian dollars can be easily changed to the local currency in tourist centres and international airports throughout the region. In Cambodia and Burma, and to a lesser extent Laos, where US dollars are the currency of the street, you'll get the local currency in change when you pay with US dollars.

• Tip: If you have the opportunity to withdraw US dollars from an ATM, get some extra cash to use throughout the region as you travel to different countries.
• Tip: Thai baht is accepted in areas of Laos.

Today's exchange rate AUD to PHP

Some of the major Southeast Asian currencies include:

	Country	Currency	Code
	Brunei	Dollar	BND
	Cambodia	Riel	KHR
	East Timor	Dollar	USD
	Indonesia	Rupiah	IDR
	Laos	Kip	LAK
	Malaysia	Ringgit	MYR
	Myanmar	Burmese kyat	MMK
	Philippines	Peso	PHP
	Singapore	Dollar	SGD
	Thailand	Baht	THB
	Vietnam	Dong	VND

Buying currency in Australia

If getting the best rate is your main concern, it's better to wait to exchange your Australian dollars till you arrive at your destination — you'll get more for your dollar exchanging money at a bank or exchange office in Southeast Asia. Laos kip (LAK) and Burmese kyat (MMK) are difficult to find in Australia. The following financial institutions can sell you foreign cash.

How much money do I need to bring to Southeast Asia?

Southeast Asia is a budget holiday destination compared to Australia and other parts of the world. You'll find that developed economies such as Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and especially Singapore are more expensive than emerging destinations such as Cambodia, Burma and Laos. You will be able to spend as much money as you can afford in Southeast Asia, you can get an idea about budget prices in the table below.

	Bangkok (Thailand)	Singapore	Vientiane (Laos)	Hanoi (Vietnam)
	Hostel dorm bed $10 - $20 per night	Hostel dorm bed $10 - $25 per night	Hostel dorm bed $7 - $15 per night	Hostel dorm bed $5 - $15 per night
	Khao Gang (curried rice / street food) $1 - $3	Chicken and fish dumpling noodles (street stall) $8	Lao Sausage / Sai Oua (street food) $3	Budget meals at a cafeteria $1.50
	Marketing shopping on Koh Sahn Road$0.50 - $7.50	Visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens TripFree	Visit the Lao People's Army Museum $0.80 admission fee	Sightseeing at Hoan Kiem Lake and Turtle tower Free

_{*Prices are approximate and are subject to changes.}