Currency, cash and card payments

Australian banknotes are made of polymer and come in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. Cash can be part of your plan for your first expenses and for occasions when you prefer not to pay digitally. Do not assume it will be accepted everywhere: many businesses can specify payment methods before a purchase. Since 1 January 2026, however, supermarkets and fuel retailers covered by Australia’s Cash Acceptance Codes must provide a reasonable opportunity to pay cash for in-person transactions of AUD500 or less between 7 am and 9 pm. Exceptions include certain small businesses and exempted retailers. Cash is an option, not a guarantee for every transaction.

If you exchange cash, compare the final amount rather than only a “fee-free” claim. The retail exchange rate can include a margin, and separate fixed or percentage fees may also apply. When comparing, record how many Australian dollars you will receive for the same starting amount and which fees are added separately. Conversion rates move over time, so an older example rate should not be used as today’s travel budget.

A foreign debit or credit card may incur overseas or foreign-currency fees from your card provider. Cash withdrawals can also involve fees from the card provider and the ATM operator; rules for cash advances and interest can differ by card. Compare the terms of your own card with a travel money card if you are considering one. That option can have its own fees for purchase, withdrawals, inactivity or transactions in a currency you have not loaded.

Some terminals or ATMs offer to charge your purchase in your home currency instead of AUD. This is a separate conversion option, not automatically the cheaper one. Compare the displayed total with your card terms; your provider may still charge a fee when the transaction is processed overseas, even if it is charged in your home currency. The total amount and fees matter more than the displayed exchange rate alone.

Before travelling, decide which bookings you will pay for with each card and how you will access cash if needed. Keep a second payment option separate from your main card so that loss or a blocked card does not remove every way to pay at once. Compare each option on four points: acceptance, clarity of the price or exchange rate, convenience, and what happens if it is lost or stolen.

Include the foreign-currency, withdrawal and conversion charges for the payment methods you actually use in your budget. Keep this payment plan separate from the rules for carrying large amounts of cash across the border; the arrival process is covered in customs, biosecurity and travel luggage. The overall plan is in travel costs, money and payments, with related guides to budgets by travel style and rental costs and deposits. General preparation is covered by travel planning and stays, the overview of everyday life and the economy, and health and safety.