Travel money
Travel money in Australia: cash or card?
Tap for everything, tip for nothing, and read the little sign by the till: card surcharges are still legal until the Reserve Bank's ban lands on 1 October 2026, and until then they are added to almost every card payment.
Australian dollar (AUD, A$) · figures checked against the sources at the foot of this page
Almost nothing. A few markets, some rural pubs, honesty boxes at farm gates.
Everything, contactless included, down to a coffee. Many businesses take nothing else.
A$50 as a contingency you will probably bring home again.
Card surcharges — typically 1–2%, sometimes more — until the ban takes effect on 1 October 2026.
The money itself
- 5 A$Pink
- 10 A$Blue
- 20 A$Orange-red
- 50 A$Yellow
- 100 A$Green
5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, then $1 and $2 — and the $2 is smaller than the $1, which catches everyone. Since the 1 and 2 cent coins were withdrawn, cash totals are rounded to the nearest 5 cents while card payments are charged exactly.
The notes are polymer, brightly coloured and different sizes, which makes them the easiest cash in this set to tell apart in a hurry — and you will hardly use them. Australia went contactless early and thoroughly, and a great many businesses have stopped accepting notes altogether.
Every way to pay, and whether it works for a visitor
Whether a payment method exists in Australia and whether you can use it are different questions. This table answers the second one: no local bank account, no local SIM, no residency.
Visa / Mastercard
WorksAccepted everywhere, contactless included, for any amount. A surcharge is commonly added — see below — but acceptance itself is not in doubt anywhere.
1–2% surcharge, until the ban on 1 October 2026
Apple Pay / Google Pay
WorksWorks anywhere contactless does, which is effectively everywhere, including transit gates in the major cities. Nothing to register locally.
Cash (Australian dollars)
Works, with a catchLegal and accepted in most places, but genuinely unusual — plenty of cafés, venues and even some pubs are card-only. Totals are rounded to the nearest five cents when you pay with notes.
American Express
Works, with a catchAccepted at chains, hotels and larger restaurants and refused by plenty of independents — and where it is taken, the surcharge is usually higher. Note that the 2026 surcharge ban does not cover Amex.
PayID and Osko
Residents onlyHow Australians transfer money to each other instantly, tied to an Australian bank account. Nothing a visitor needs uses it.
Cash
Australia is among the most cashless countries in this set. Cards and phones cover everything from a $4 coffee to a week's car hire, contactless is the default, and a growing number of businesses simply do not accept notes.
What remains cash-shaped is small and shrinking: a few weekend markets, some rural pubs and clubs, farm-gate honesty boxes, the occasional country op shop. Fifty dollars covers it, and many visitors take the same fifty home again.
If you do pay in cash, note the rounding: with the one and two cent coins long gone, a cash total is rounded to the nearest five cents, while the same purchase on a card is charged to the cent.
Cards
Acceptance is total and terminals are quick. The distinctive thing about paying here is not whether the card works but what is added to it: businesses have been allowed to pass on the cost of card acceptance, and most do — typically 1–2%, sometimes more on credit or Amex, and usually announced on a small sign by the terminal rather than on the menu.
That changes on 1 October 2026, when the Reserve Bank's ban on surcharging takes effect for eftpos, Visa and Mastercard payments. It does not extend to American Express, Diners Club, PayPal or buy-now-pay-later, so a surcharge on those remains legal after the date.
Until then, the practical advice is to look for the sign, use a debit card where the surcharge is lower, and decline dynamic currency conversion — being billed in your home currency costs several percent on top of any surcharge.
ATMs
The big four banks — Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ and NAB — do not charge for withdrawals at their own machines, including for foreign cards, which makes cash cheap to obtain if you use one. The independent machines in pubs, clubs and convenience stores charge a couple of dollars and are the ones to avoid.
Machines have thinned out considerably as cash use has fallen, so they cluster around bank branches and shopping centres rather than being on every corner. In small towns, the pub's machine may be the only one, and it will charge.
Given how little cash you need, one withdrawal at a bank machine on arrival usually covers a whole trip.
Changing money
There is very little reason to change money for Australia. Cards work everywhere, bank machines are free at the major banks, and airport counters are as poor value here as anywhere.
If you want notes in hand on arrival, take them from a bank machine in the terminal rather than a bureau — the difference on a small amount is a few dollars, but it is free rather than not.
Australian dollars are widely traded and easy to change back, so an unspent float is not a problem to solve at the airport.
Costs that are not the price
Tipping is not expected
Hospitality staff are paid a proper minimum wage, with penalty rates on weekends and public holidays, so tipping is genuinely optional. Rounding up or leaving 10% for a very good meal is generous rather than expected, and nothing is expected in cafés, bars or taxis.
The card surcharge, until October 2026
Businesses may pass on card costs and most do — a percentage added at the till, disclosed on a small sign. The Reserve Bank's ban takes effect on 1 October 2026 for eftpos, Visa and Mastercard, but not for Amex, Diners, PayPal or buy-now-pay-later.
Weekend and holiday surcharges
Cafés and restaurants commonly add 10–15% on Sundays and public holidays to cover penalty rates. It is printed on the menu, it is legal, and it is separate from any card surcharge.
GST is inside the price, and refundable on the way out
The 10% GST is included in every displayed price. Visitors can claim it back on goods over A$300 bought from one business within 60 days of leaving, through the Tourist Refund Scheme at the airport — bring the goods, the tax invoice and your passport, and allow queueing time.
Paying for transport
The gate takes your own card
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide all accept contactless bank cards and phones directly at the gate or reader, with daily and weekly capping applied automatically. There is no need to buy an Opal or Myki card for a short visit — just tap the same card or device every time.
Long distances mean flights
Domestic flights are booked by card and are usually the only sensible way between cities. Trains are scenic rather than practical, and coaches are cheap and slow.
Driving, tolls and fuel
Toll roads in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane bill electronically — a rental company will charge the tolls plus an administration fee, or you can buy a temporary pass yourself. Fuel is self-service and paid inside or at the pump by card.
What you may carry in and out
Declaring cash
A$10,000 or the equivalent in any currency must be declared when entering or leaving Australia. There is no limit on the amount itself, only on failing to declare it.
Biosecurity costs more than money does
Not a payment rule, but the one that actually catches travellers: undeclared food, seeds and wooden items attract on-the-spot fines that dwarf any card surcharge. Declare everything and the inspection is free.
Common questions about money in Australia
Why was a surcharge added to my card payment in Australia?
Because businesses have been allowed to pass on the cost of accepting cards, and most do — typically 1–2%, disclosed on a sign by the terminal. The Reserve Bank's ban takes effect on 1 October 2026 for eftpos, Visa and Mastercard payments, though not for American Express, Diners, PayPal or buy-now-pay-later.
Do I need cash in Australia?
Barely. Cards and phones are accepted everywhere and many businesses are card-only. A$50 covers the few weekend markets, rural pubs and honesty boxes that still want notes, and you may well take it home unspent.
Should I tip in Australia?
No. Hospitality staff are paid a proper minimum wage with penalty rates, so tipping is optional. Rounding up or 10% for an excellent meal is generous; nothing is expected in cafés, bars or taxis.
Can I tap my own bank card on Sydney or Melbourne transport?
Yes. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide all take contactless bank cards and phone wallets straight at the gate, with fare capping applied automatically. A short visit needs no Opal or Myki card — just use the same card or device each time.
Are there ATM fees in Australia?
Not at the big four banks' own machines — Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ and NAB do not charge for withdrawals, foreign cards included. Independent machines in pubs, clubs and convenience stores charge a couple of dollars. Machines have become scarcer, so use a bank's.
Why is my restaurant bill higher on a Sunday?
A weekend or public holiday surcharge, commonly 10–15%, covering the penalty rates staff are paid on those days. It is printed on the menu and it is separate from any card surcharge.
Can I claim GST back when leaving Australia?
Yes, through the Tourist Refund Scheme, on goods of A$300 or more from a single business bought within 60 days of departure. Bring the goods, the tax invoice and your passport to the TRS counter at the airport and allow time for the queue.
Where these figures come from
Checked against the following on . Fees and thresholds move; where a figure varies by bank or by machine, this page gives the range rather than inventing a single number.