Currency conversion with fee comparison

You have €1,000 to spend in Paris. Should you bring dollars and convert at the bureau, bring an ATM card, or just tap with your credit card? Each option has a different effective rate. This calculator compares them.

Trip spending amount (€)

Your home currency

Options you have

Credit card (no foreign-tx fee) Credit card (3% foreign-tx fee) Debit card with EU-friendly ATM (e.g., Wise, Revolut) Debit card with ATM fee Bureau de change at airport or city Hotel currency exchange Traveller's cheques (PTS/US$ legacy) Pre-load a currency card before flying

What this tool actually solves

The bureau de change at the airport offers a worse rate than the city, the city is worse than the bank, and all three are worse than your card. The DCC trap (the terminal offers to charge you in dollars instead of euros — a 5–8% mark-up) is the most common traveller pitfall. This calculator shows the effective cost of €1,000 of spending by option.

How to read the result

Each row is one option, with the effective cost in your home currency. The "best" line is the lowest-cost option. The DCC warning is included in the card rows.

Limitations

Exchange rates change daily. The interbank mid-market rate is what the bank sees; what you get is typically 1.5–4% worse on cards and 4–8% worse at bureaux. ATM withdrawal fees are fixed (€1.50–€3 typical in France), not percentage-based.

FAQ

What is DCC and how do I avoid it?

DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion) is when the payment terminal offers to charge you in your home currency instead of euros. The rate looks convenient but is 5–8% worse than the interbank. When the terminal asks "pay in euros or in USD/GBP?", always choose the local currency — euros.

What about crypto or Revolut?

Revolut and Wise both offer interbank-mid FX on card spends (with weekend mark-ups on Revolut, none on Wise). Crypto-to-card solutions vary — generally worse than a no-FX-fee card. If you already have Wise or Revolut, this calculator underweights them by ~1%.

About

1 of 38 tools in France Trip Toolkit. Independent of banks and bureaux.

Privacy

No tracking.

Disclaimer

Estimate only. Real fees vary by your specific card and the bureau's hourly rate.