Wise Best exchange rate
Wise debit card
45k0.43%-0.65% conversion fee
The best travel card for the Netherlands
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers.
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers. Around €0.61 to the dollar. The Netherlands is at the expensive end of the eurozone, particularly for accommodation in Amsterdam.
Mostly - cards work in cities and tourist areas in Netherlands, but you still need cash outside them.
5 travel card options for Netherlands, 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 Netherlands
Can you pay by card in Netherlands?
Very high, with a catch that costs Australians money: Dutch terminals are built around debit, and a great many shops, supermarkets and cafes decline credit cards outright. A debit card works, a credit card often does not, and the sign on the door says 'pinnen'.
Cash and ATMs in Netherlands
Geldmaat is the shared national ATM network and is reliable. Cash machines are less common than in most of Europe because so few people use cash.
Carry €40-€60 as a fallback. The real fallback is a debit card, not cash.
Do you tip in Netherlands?
Not expected. Service is included. Rounding up to the nearest euro or leaving 5% for very good service is plenty.
Worth knowing about paying in Netherlands
Add your card to Apple Pay or Google Pay before you fly. A phone wallet clears a lot of the terminals that refuse the physical credit card, and it is the single easiest fix for this. Choose euros over Australian dollars whenever a terminal offers.
Before you pay for anything in Netherlands
Pay in Euro or Australian dollars?
The terminal will offer you both. One of them is materially more expensive.
How much cash to take overseas
What Netherlands 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 Netherlands
€0.62 EUR 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 Netherlands essentials
Netherlands visa and entry rules
Passport, visa, arrival cards and customs rules for Australian passport holders.
Flights to Netherlands
Search fares from Australia, then sort the rest of the trip.
Netherlands eSIM plans
Instant data, no physical SIM required.
Netherlands travel insurance
Medical, cancellation and luggage cover for Australian travellers.
Netherlands airport transfers
Trains, buses, private transfers and taxis compared.
Driving in Netherlands
International Driving Permit rules and car hire for Australians.
Netherlands travel essentials
Adapters, plugs, tap water, tipping and health basics.
Things to do in Netherlands
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.
Netherlands money & payments FAQs
Why was my credit card declined in the Netherlands?
Because Dutch payment terminals are built around debit cards, and a great many shops, supermarkets and cafes decline credit cards outright to avoid the higher fees. It is not a fault with your card. Bring a debit card, add your card to Apple Pay or Google Pay before you travel, and keep about EUR 50 in cash as a fallback.
Planning Netherlands?
We will send you the Netherlands 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.