Australia
Money in Australia: currency, ATMs, cards and tipping
Australia uses the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Pay by contactless card or phone almost everywhere, including big-city public transport; some small cafés are card-only. Carry A$50–100 in cash for remote towns and markets. Tipping is not expected — round up for good service if you want to.
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GuideAustralia
Key facts
- Currency
- Australian dollar (AUD, A$), 100 cents
- Cards accepted
- Contactless card and phone almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities
- Card surcharge
- Some businesses add a surcharge; usually 1–2% (check)
- Cash needed
- Low: keep A$50–100 for remote areas and markets
- Tipping
- Not expected; round up in restaurants for good service
- Tax
- GST 10% is included in displayed prices
- Tourist Refund Scheme
- Claim GST on eligible goods bought within 60 days before departure (check)
- ATMs
- Widely available in cities and towns; fewer in the outback
By passport, month and cost
What you pay depends less on your passport than on where you go and when. Your home bank's foreign-transaction fee is the one number worth checking before you fly: many US, UK, Canadian and Australian cards add a fee on every purchase, while a travel card or a no-fee card costs nothing extra. Check your own card's rate.
Season moves the bill more than the exchange rate. Christmas–January and school holidays push up flights and accommodation; the shoulder months of March–May and September–November are cheaper for the same trip. Remote places — Uluru, the Kimberley, reef islands — cost 30–60% more for everything because it is trucked or flown in.
| Situation | What to do | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Card with a foreign-transaction fee | Use a no-fee travel card or withdraw larger ATM amounts less often | Varies by card — check yours |
| ATM withdrawal | Use bank-branded ATMs; operator fees are common | Operator fee varies (check) |
| Peak season (Dec–Jan) | Book flights and stays early | Higher than shoulder months (check) |
| Remote areas (Uluru, Kimberley) | Carry cash and expect higher prices | 30–60% above city prices |
| Departure day | Claim GST back at the airport under the Tourist Refund Scheme | 10% of eligible goods (check) |
Step by step
Before you fly, tell your bank you are travelling and check its foreign-transaction fee. If it charges a percentage on every purchase, a no-fee travel card or a multi-currency account usually pays for itself on a two-week trip. Load some Australian dollars before you land so you can tap straight onto a train or buy a coffee.
On arrival, most international airports have ATMs and currency exchange in the arrivals hall. Exchange rates at the airport are usually worse than in the city, so take only what you need for the first day. If you are bringing US dollars or euros in cash, city exchange offices and banks give better rates than the airport.
Day to day, tap your card or phone. Public transport in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and other big cities accepts contactless bank cards directly, which saves buying a separate transit card. Some small cafés, bakeries and market stalls are card-only and no longer take cash at all.
Keep a small cash float — A$50–100 — for country markets, some taxis, and remote roadhouses where the card machine may be offline. Withdraw from a bank-branded ATM rather than a standalone machine in a shop, which often adds a higher operator fee.
Before you leave, keep receipts for eligible goods if you plan to claim GST back under the Tourist Refund Scheme. The refund is processed at the airport, and the goods must generally be carried with you. Check the current purchase window and conditions on the Australian Taxation Office page.
Notes
Prices you see on menus and in shops already include 10% GST, so the number on the tag is what you pay. That is different from the US, where sales tax is added at the till.
Tipping is genuinely optional. In restaurants, rounding up for good service is a nice gesture, not a rule. Cafés, pubs and bars do not expect a tip, and there is no expectation to tip taxi drivers, hotel staff or tour guides, though it is welcome.
Card surcharges are legal and common at small businesses, usually to cover the bank fee. The rate varies by business and is normally shown at the till or on the menu. You can avoid it by paying cash where a surcharge applies.
Australia is close to a cashless economy, but not entirely. A few rural towns, markets and roadhouses still run on cash, and phone reception in the outback can fail, so a card machine may not work even where cards are accepted.
- Check your card's foreign-transaction fee before you book anything.
- Carry A$50–100 in cash as a backup, not as your main money.
- Use bank-branded ATMs; decline the machine's own conversion rate and pay in AUD.
- Round up for good restaurant service; skip the tip elsewhere.
- Keep receipts for the Tourist Refund Scheme if you buy big-ticket goods.
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Australia?
The Australian dollar (AUD, written A$), divided into 100 cents. Prices you see already include 10% GST, so the tag price is what you pay. Check current note and coin denominations with the Reserve Bank of Australia before you travel.
Should I use cash or a card in Australia?
Use a card. Contactless cards and phones work almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities, and some small cafés are card-only. Carry A$50–100 in cash for remote towns and markets.
How much should I tip in Australia?
Nothing is expected. Rounding up for good service in a restaurant is an optional gesture. Pubs, cafés, taxis and hotels do not expect a tip.
Are there card surcharges in Australia?
Some businesses add a surcharge to cover the bank fee, and it is normally shown at the till or on the menu. The rate varies by business — check before you tap. Paying cash avoids it where a surcharge applies.
Can I get a GST refund when I leave Australia?
Yes, under the Tourist Refund Scheme, which lets visitors claim GST on eligible goods at the airport. Purchase windows, minimum spend and conditions apply — check the Australian Taxation Office rules before you shop.
Do I need cash for the outback?
It helps. Card machines in remote roadhouses and small towns can be offline, and phone reception is patchy. Carry enough cash for a day or two of fuel and food as a backup.
Deep dive
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