Wise Best exchange rate
Wise debit card
45k0.43%-0.65% conversion fee
The best travel card for Nepal
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers.
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers. Pegged to the Indian rupee. Nepal is inexpensive, though trekking permits and internal flights are priced in USD and are not.
Rarely - Nepal runs on cash, and card acceptance is the exception rather than the rule.
5 travel card options for Nepal, compared
Revolut No weekday FX fee
Revolut Standard
30k0% FX fee
Compare only
ING Orange Everyday
Orange Everyday
22k0% with monthly criteria
ubank Spend
Spend account
9k0% international fee
Macquarie Transaction Account
Transaction account
6k0% international 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 | Rebated if you meet the monthly criteria | International ATM fees rebated with criteria met | $0 |
| ubank Spend | 0% international transaction fee | $0 from ubank, ATM operator fees may apply | $0 |
| Macquarie Transaction Account | 0% foreign transaction fee | $0 from Macquarie | $0 |
Paying for things in Nepal
Can you pay by card in Nepal?
Hotels and tourist restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara take cards. Almost nothing else does.
Cash and ATMs in Nepal
ATMs in Kathmandu and Pokhara work with Australian cards but cap withdrawals at around NPR 35,000 and charge NPR 500 per transaction.
Carry substantial cash, particularly for trekking - there are no ATMs on the trails.
Do you tip in Nepal?
Expected. Around 10% in tourist restaurants, and for a trek, guides and porters are tipped substantially at the end - budget roughly 10-15% of the trek cost.
Worth knowing about paying in Nepal
Bring clean USD notes for the visa fee and for anything priced in dollars, such as permits and internal flights.
Before you pay for anything in Nepal
Pay in Nepalese rupee or Australian dollars?
The terminal will offer you both. One of them is materially more expensive.
How much cash to take overseas
What Nepal 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 Nepal
Rs106 NPR 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 Nepal essentials
Nepal visa and entry rules
Passport, visa, arrival cards and customs rules for Australian passport holders.
Flights to Nepal
Search fares from Australia, then sort the rest of the trip.
Nepal eSIM plans
Instant data, no physical SIM required.
Nepal travel insurance
Medical, cancellation and luggage cover for Australian travellers.
Nepal airport transfers
Trains, buses, private transfers and taxis compared.
Driving in Nepal
International Driving Permit rules and car hire for Australians.
Nepal travel essentials
Adapters, plugs, tap water, tipping and health basics.
Things to do in Nepal
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.
Nepal money & payments FAQs
Can I pay the Nepal visa fee by card?
In theory yes, in practice bring cash. The card machines and kiosks at Kathmandu airport are unreliable and there is no fallback if they fail while you are at the counter. Bring the exact fee in clean US dollars and a passport photo.
Can I speed up the Nepal visa queue?
Yes. Complete the online arrival form at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np up to 15 days before you travel and you skip most of the queue. You still pay the fee in cash at the counter on arrival.
Do I need permits to trek in Nepal?
Yes, and they are separate from your visa. You need a TIMS card plus a national park or conservation area permit for the region you are trekking. Both are arranged in Kathmandu or Pokhara before you set out.
Planning Nepal?
We will send you the Nepal 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.