Wise Best exchange rate
Wise debit card
45k0.43%-0.65% conversion fee
The best travel card for China
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers.
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers. Around ¥4.80 to the dollar. Cash is now unusual - almost everything runs through mobile payment apps.
Not usually - foreign cards are barely accepted in China. Everyday payments run through a mobile wallet you should set up before you fly.
5 travel card options for China, compared
Revolut No weekday FX fee
Revolut Standard
30k0% FX fee
Compare only
ING Orange Everyday ATM fees rebated
ING Orange Everyday
22k0% FX fee
ubank Spend
ubank Spend account
9k0% FX fee
Macquarie Transaction Account
Macquarie Transaction Account
6k0% FX fee
Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.
Compared side by side
| Card | FX fee | ATM | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Partner | 0.43%-0.65% conversion fee | 2 free withdrawals/month up to $350, then 1.75% | $0 |
| Revolut | 0% on weekdays, up to 1% on weekends | $350/month fee-free, then 2% | $0 |
| ING Orange Everyday | 0% with monthly criteria met | International ATM fees rebated with criteria met | $0 |
| ubank Spend | 0% international transaction fee | No ubank fee; operator fees still apply | $0 |
| Macquarie Transaction Account | 0% foreign transaction fee | No Macquarie fee; operator fees still apply | $0 |
Paying for things in China
Can you pay by card in China?
Foreign credit cards work at international hotels and little else. Everyday life runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay, both of which now link an Australian Visa or Mastercard - set one up before you fly, not after you land.
Cash and ATMs in China
Available at major banks. Bank of China and ICBC ATMs are the most reliable for foreign cards.
Carry a few hundred yuan in small notes. Change for a large bill can be hard to come by, so break them where you can.
Do you tip in China?
Not customary and sometimes refused. High-end hotels and tour guides catering to foreigners are the exception.
Worth knowing about paying in China
Since 1 February 2026 merchants face penalties for refusing cash, so notes are a reliable fallback if a QR payment fails. Carry a few hundred yuan in small bills for that.
Before you pay for anything in China
Pay in Chinese yuan (renminbi) or Australian dollars?
The terminal will offer you both. One of them is materially more expensive.
How much cash to take overseas
What China needs in cash, next to 35 other destinations.
How to avoid ATM fees overseas
Three fees stack on a withdrawal. Two of them are avoidable outright.
What one Australian dollar buys in China
¥4.65 CNY per AUD
Last recorded rate
These are mid-market rates - the rate banks trade at, published by the European Central Bank. It is not what you will be offered. Expect a card or exchange service to take 0.5% to 5% off it, which is exactly what our travel money comparison is for. Past movement doesn't predict future rates, and none of this is financial advice.
View the numbers as a table
More China essentials
China visa and entry rules
Passport, visa, arrival cards and customs rules for Australian passport holders.
Flights to China
Search fares from Australia, then sort the rest of the trip.
China eSIM plans
Instant data, no physical SIM required.
China travel insurance
Medical, cancellation and luggage cover for Australian travellers.
China airport transfers
Trains, buses, private transfers and taxis compared.
Driving in China
International Driving Permit rules and car hire for Australians.
China travel essentials
Adapters, plugs, tap water, tipping and health basics.
Things to do in China
Attractions, tours and passes worth booking ahead.
Further reading: Travel money for Australians: cards, cash and the fees nobody mentions
How these comparisons are made
Cards are compared on the three fees that actually cost travellers money - the FX margin, ATM fees and account fees - using each issuer's published rates. Jamie has personally spent on travel cards recommended here while overseas. Cash-versus-card guidance is researched per destination rather than copied between pages, because a card strategy that works in Stockholm fails in Osaka. Read the full editorial policy.
China money & payments FAQs
How do I pay for things in China as an Australian?
Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay and link your Australian Visa or Mastercard before you leave. Both now accept foreign cards, and almost all everyday transactions run through them. Cash is increasingly refused and foreign credit cards are only accepted at international hotels.
Planning China?
We will send you the China guide as it grows - what to book before you go, which eSIM and travel card are worth it there, and what things actually cost in Australian dollars.