Travel money · Updated 2026 · Independent
Cash or card?
Quick answer: in most of Western Europe, the Nordics, North America, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore you can travel almost cash-free. In much of Asia, Africa, Latin America — and, surprisingly, in Germany and Japan — you should still carry local cash. A few places are special: China runs on Alipay/WeChat, while Cuba and Argentina are cash-first. Find your destination below.
- 58countries
- 23card-friendly
- 15bring cash
Cards work Mixed Bring cash
Europe
| Country | Cash or card? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Cards work almost everywhere | Contactless everywhere; you can travel cash-free with ease. |
| Ireland | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards accepted almost everywhere, cities and towns alike. |
| France | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards widely accepted; keep a little cash for bakeries and small markets. |
| Germany | Bring cash | Surprisingly cash-heavy for a wealthy country: many restaurants, bakeries and small shops are cash-only. Always carry euros. |
| Netherlands | Cards work almost everywhere | Very cashless; note some places take Dutch debit (Maestro) only, so a Visa/Mastercard plus a little cash covers the gaps. |
| Switzerland | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards are common, but cash is still used, so carry some francs. |
| Austria | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in cities; cash for small cafes, markets and rural spots. |
| Italy | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards accepted in cities and restaurants; carry euros for markets, small towns and some taxis. |
| Spain | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards widely accepted across the country. |
| Portugal | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards accepted almost everywhere; the Multibanco network is excellent. |
| Greece | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in cities and hotels; carry cash for islands, tavernas and kiosks. |
| Croatia | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards on the coast and in cities; some cash for small vendors. |
| Iceland | Cards work almost everywhere | Among the most cashless places on earth: you barely need cash at all. |
| Norway | Cards work almost everywhere | Effectively cashless; cards and phones work everywhere. |
| Sweden | Cards work almost everywhere | One of the world's most cashless countries; many places refuse cash. |
| Denmark | Cards work almost everywhere | Effectively cashless nationwide. |
| Poland | Cards work almost everywhere | Very card-friendly (the BLIK system is everywhere). |
| Czechia | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in Prague and cities; carry koruna for small vendors. |
| Turkey | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards common in cities and hotels; carry lira for bazaars, taxis and small towns. |
| Georgia | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in Tbilisi and cities; cash handy elsewhere. |
Asia
| Country | Cash or card? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | Bring cash | Still cash-oriented despite the tech: many restaurants, temples, small shops and rural areas are cash-only. Carry yen; 7-Eleven ATMs reliably take foreign cards. |
| South Korea | Cards work almost everywhere | Extremely card-friendly; cards and mobile pay work almost everywhere. |
| Singapore | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards and contactless accepted almost everywhere. |
| Hong Kong | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | The Octopus card and cards cover most things; carry cash for markets and small eateries. |
| Taiwan | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in stores and hotels; cash still rules night markets and small vendors. |
| Thailand | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in malls and hotels; carry baht for street food, markets and tuk-tuks. |
| Vietnam | Bring cash | Cash-dominant; cards mostly at hotels and bigger restaurants. Carry dong. |
| Cambodia | Bring cash | Largely cash, and US dollars are widely used; carry small bills. |
| Indonesia (incl. Bali) | Bring cash | Cash for most things; cards at hotels and bigger venues. Carry rupiah. |
| Philippines | Bring cash | Mostly cash outside malls and hotels. |
| India | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards and UPI are growing fast in cities, but carry rupees for small vendors, rickshaws and rural areas. |
| Sri Lanka | Bring cash | Cash for most purchases; cards at hotels and larger restaurants. |
| Nepal | Bring cash | Cash is essential outside big hotels; ATMs in cities, few in the mountains. |
| China | Bring cash | A special case: domestic mobile payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay) dominate and foreign cards or even cash are often refused. Set up Alipay or WeChat with a foreign card before you go, and carry some yuan as backup. |
| Maldives | Cards work almost everywhere | Resorts are card-friendly and US dollars are widely accepted. |
Middle East
| Country | Cash or card? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards accepted almost everywhere. |
| Israel | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards widely accepted nationwide. |
| Jordan | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in hotels and cities; carry dinars for taxis, markets and small towns. |
| Qatar | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards accepted almost everywhere. |
| Egypt | Bring cash | Carry cash: cards work at bigger hotels and restaurants, but most day-to-day spending and tips are cash. |
| Morocco | Bring cash | Cash-dominant; cards at hotels and riads. Carry dirham (a closed currency you get on arrival). |
| Oman | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in cities and malls; cash for souqs and small shops. |
Americas
| Country | Cash or card? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards and mobile pay everywhere; keep small cash for tips. |
| Canada | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards and contactless accepted almost everywhere. |
| Mexico | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in cities and resorts; carry pesos for markets, small towns and taxis. |
| Costa Rica | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards common and US dollars widely accepted; some cash for rural areas. |
| Colombia | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in cities; carry cash on the Caribbean coast and in small towns. |
| Peru | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards in cities; carry soles for markets, buses and small vendors. |
| Chile | Cards work almost everywhere | Fairly card-friendly, especially in Santiago. |
| Argentina | Bring cash | Bring US dollars in cash: the informal 'blue' rate gives far more pesos than cards, so cash goes much further. Cards work but at a worse rate. |
| Brazil | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards and Pix are common in cities; carry reais for small vendors. |
| Cuba | Bring cash | Effectively cash-only for visitors, and many foreign cards (especially US-issued) do not work. Bring enough euros or dollars for the whole trip. |
Africa
| Country | Cash or card? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | Cards widely accepted in cities; carry cash for townships, small towns and tips. |
| Kenya | Cards in cities, cash for the rest | M-Pesa mobile money is everywhere and cards work in hotels; carry some cash too. |
| Tanzania | Bring cash | Cash for most things, including Zanzibar; cards at bigger hotels. |
Oceania
| Country | Cash or card? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Cards work almost everywhere | Cards and contactless everywhere; cash rarely needed. |
| New Zealand | Cards work almost everywhere | Effectively cashless in most places. |
| Fiji | Bring cash | Resorts take cards; carry Fijian dollars elsewhere. |
Getting cash and avoiding fees abroad
- Use a bank/travel card with low foreign fees. A card that does not charge foreign-transaction fees (many modern travel and challenger-bank cards do not) saves you 2-3% on every purchase.
- Withdraw from bank ATMs, not airport or standalone machines, which often charge high fees and offer poor rates.
- Always choose to be charged in the local currency at ATMs and card terminals. “Pay in your home currency?” (dynamic currency conversion) quietly adds a markup — decline it.
- Carry a small backup of local cash even in card-friendly countries, for tips, markets, small vendors and the occasional card-only-fails moment. Check our currency converter for the current rate.
A note on this guide: this is general travel guidance, and payment habits vary within a country and change over time. Confirm before you travel, and carry some local cash as a backup wherever you go. It is not financial advice.
Cash and cards FAQ
Should I bring cash or use a card abroad?
It depends where you are going. In card-friendly countries (most of Western Europe, the Nordics, North America, Australia, South Korea) a card covers almost everything. In cash-heavy places (much of Asia, Africa, Latin America, plus Germany and Japan) carry local cash for daily spending, and use cards for hotels and bigger purchases.
How much cash should I carry travelling?
Enough for a day or two of small spending (food, transport, tips) plus a modest reserve. Top up from bank ATMs as you go rather than carrying large amounts, and split your cash and cards between bags for safety.
Should I get local currency before I travel?
Usually no. Airport and home-bank exchange rates are poor. It is cheaper to withdraw a small amount from a bank ATM on arrival. The exceptions are cash-first places like Cuba and Argentina, where bringing euros or US dollars makes sense.
How do I avoid ATM and card fees abroad?
Use a card with no foreign-transaction fees, withdraw from bank ATMs, take out larger amounts less often, and always decline ‘pay in your home currency’ (dynamic currency conversion) at machines and terminals.
Do credit cards work everywhere?
No. Even in card-friendly countries some small vendors are cash-only, and a few destinations (notably China, where Alipay/WeChat dominate, and Cuba, where foreign cards often fail) need special preparation. Always carry a backup.
Plan the rest of your trip
Sorted your money? Check the Travel Cost Index to budget your trip, see how much to tip by country, whether you can drink the tap water, and how to get mobile data abroad.