Travel Currency Budget Calculator
Calculate foreign currency to bring from daily budget, exchange rate, and trip length.
Returns total needed and exchange fee savings by avoiding airport kiosks.
A travel currency budget planner helps you convert your daily spending budget into local currency, track purchasing power across multiple currencies, and ensure you’re exchanging money at the right rate without overpaying on fees.
Formulas: Local Currency Amount = Home Currency Amount × Exchange Rate Home Currency Amount = Local Currency Amount ÷ Exchange Rate Total Daily Budget in Local Currency = Daily Spend Limit × Exchange Rate Effective Exchange Rate (after fees) = Nominal Rate × (1 − Fee %) ATM Withdrawal Comparison: Net Amount = Withdrawal − ATM Fee − Foreign Transaction %
Where exchange rates come from: The interbank rate (also called the “mid-market rate”) is the real exchange rate used between banks. All consumer-facing options charge a markup above this rate.
Fee comparison by exchange method:
| Method | Markup Above Mid-Market | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wise / Revolut | 0.3–1% | Best option for most travelers |
| Charles Schwab ATM card | ~0.1% | No foreign ATM fees; refunds ATM fees |
| Airport currency exchange | 5–15% | Worst option — avoid |
| Hotel exchange desk | 8–12% | Avoid |
| Major bank ATM abroad | 1–3% + $3–$5 fee | Acceptable |
| Credit card (no foreign fee) | 0–1% | Great for purchases |
| Credit card (3% foreign fee) | 3–4% | Expensive |
Worked example: 10-day trip to Japan. Daily budget: $150 USD. Exchange rate: 1 USD = 148 JPY.
Daily budget in yen = $150 × 148 = ¥22,200/day Total trip budget = ¥22,200 × 10 = ¥222,000
If you use airport exchange at 5% markup: effective rate = 148 × 0.95 = 140.6 JPY per USD You’d receive: $1,500 × 140.6 = ¥210,900 instead of ¥222,000 — losing ¥11,100 ($75) to fees.
Using Wise: effective rate ≈ 147 JPY/USD → ¥220,500 → lose only $10.
Pro tips:
- Always pay in the local currency when offered “dynamic currency conversion” — the merchant’s rate is almost always worse.
- Notify your bank and card company before travel to prevent fraud blocks.
- Keep a small amount of local cash for small vendors, taxis, and markets that don’t accept cards.