Wise Best exchange rate
Wise debit card
45k0.43%-0.65% conversion fee
The best travel card for Vanuatu
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers.
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers. Roughly 78 vatu to the dollar. Vanuatu is not cheap - imported food and fuel are expensive, though local markets are excellent value.
Rarely - Vanuatu runs on cash, and card acceptance is the exception rather than the rule.
5 travel card options for Vanuatu, 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 Vanuatu
Can you pay by card in Vanuatu?
Resorts, larger restaurants and tour operators in Port Vila take cards, often with a 3-5% surcharge. Markets, villages and the outer islands are cash-only.
Cash and ATMs in Vanuatu
ANZ and BRED ATMs in Port Vila and Luganville accept Australian cards. There are effectively none on the outer islands.
Withdraw enough before leaving Port Vila. Running out of vatu on Tanna is a real and common problem.
Do you tip in Vanuatu?
Not customary in Vanuatu and in some contexts is considered inappropriate. Resorts may add a service charge. A gift or a fair price for a village guide is the local equivalent.
Worth knowing about paying in Vanuatu
Card surcharges of 3-5% are normal and disclosed. Australian dollars are accepted at some resorts but at a poor rate.
Before you pay for anything in Vanuatu
Pay in Vanuatu vatu or Australian dollars?
The terminal will offer you both. One of them is materially more expensive.
How much cash to take overseas
What Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu
VT82.7 VUV 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 Vanuatu essentials
Vanuatu visa and entry rules
Passport, visa, arrival cards and customs rules for Australian passport holders.
Flights to Vanuatu
Search fares from Australia, then sort the rest of the trip.
Vanuatu eSIM plans
Instant data, no physical SIM required.
Vanuatu travel insurance
Medical, cancellation and luggage cover for Australian travellers.
Vanuatu airport transfers
Trains, buses, private transfers and taxis compared.
Driving in Vanuatu
International Driving Permit rules and car hire for Australians.
Vanuatu travel essentials
Adapters, plugs, tap water, tipping and health basics.
Things to do in Vanuatu
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.
Vanuatu money & payments FAQs
Do Australians need a visa for Vanuatu?
No. Australian passport holders can enter Vanuatu visa-free for up to 30 days as a tourist, with no fee and nothing to apply for in advance. You fill in a paper arrival card on the plane.
Can I use cards in Vanuatu?
In Port Vila, mostly - resorts, tour operators and larger restaurants take them, often with a 3-5% surcharge. Outside the capital and on the outer islands it is a cash economy, and ATMs are scarce. Withdraw what you need before you leave Port Vila.
Planning Vanuatu?
We will send you the Vanuatu 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.