Belgium
Currency in Belgium: what to use and how to exchange
Belgium uses the euro (EUR, €), so there is no currency to buy before you arrive if you already hold euros. Pay almost everything by card, keep €20–50 in cash for small cafés, markets and lockers, and withdraw from a bank ATM rather than a bureau de change. Cards fail only at a few small vendors, so carry a backup card and a little cash.
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GuideBelgium
Key facts
- Currency
- Euro (EUR, €); 1 € = 100 cents
- Coins
- 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents; €1, €2
- Notes
- €5, €10, €20, €50; €100 and €200 exist but shops may refuse them
- Cards
- Visa and Mastercard accepted almost everywhere; contactless is the norm
- Cash still useful for
- Small cafés, markets, tips, lockers, some friteries
- Best way to get euros
- Bank ATM (Geldautomaat / distributeur) with a debit card
- Typical ATM feecheck
- Local operator fee often €2–5 plus your own bank's fee (2026 estimate)
- Bureau de changecheck
- Exists in Brussels and Antwerp; rates and fees usually worse than an ATM
- Card payment rulecheck
- Merchants may set a minimum for card payments; many do not
Details
Belgium has used the euro since 2002, and it is the only currency you need. Prices are shown in euros with a comma as the decimal mark (€4,50), which can read as thousands to visitors from the US, UK or Australia. If a menu says 12,50, that is twelve euros fifty.
Cards do nearly all the work. Contactless Visa and Mastercard are accepted in supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, museums, ticket machines and most bars. Debit cards from US, UK, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand banks generally work; tell your bank you are travelling if it still requires that. American Express is taken less often, and some places add a small surcharge for it.
Cash still has a role. Small independent cafés, market stalls, some friteries, lockers at stations and the occasional bakery may prefer or only take cash. Keep €20–50 on you and top it up when it runs low. Shops are not obliged to accept €100 or €200 notes, so do not rely on them.
For getting euros, use an ATM at a bank branch rather than a standalone machine in a tourist street. Bank ATMs in Belgium usually charge a local operator fee of roughly €2–5 on top of whatever your own bank charges, and the machine will offer to convert the withdrawal into your home currency — always decline that and let your bank do the conversion. Bureau de change counters in Brussels and Antwerp are convenient but rarely beat an ATM once fees and spreads are counted. If you arrive with cash in another currency, exchange only what you need for the first day and use an ATM after that.
Belgian bank cards and most European cards are chip-and-PIN. US signature cards usually work, but a machine may ask for a PIN; if you do not have one, use a staffed counter. Mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay work wherever contactless does.
| Situation | Best option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arriving with euros | Nothing to do | Euro is the local currency |
| Arriving with dollars or pounds | ATM at a bank branch | Decline the machine's own conversion |
| Small café or market stall | Cash | Keep €20–50 on you |
| Hotel, restaurant, museum | Contactless card | Visa and Mastercard safest |
| Large purchase | Credit card | Check your card's foreign transaction fee |
| Leftover euros at departure | Spend or keep | Useful for a future euro trip |
Tips
Always choose to be charged in euros, not in your home currency. The 'pay in USD' option on a card machine or ATM adds a markup that is usually worse than your bank's rate.
Check what your own bank charges per foreign withdrawal and per card payment before you go; a card with no foreign transaction fee saves more than hunting for the best exchange counter.
Keep a second card somewhere separate from your wallet, and a photo of your card numbers in case one is lost.
Tipping is not required in Belgium because service is included; rounding up or leaving small change is enough. See the money and tipping page for the detail.
Prices include VAT, and the displayed price is what you pay. There is no separate sales tax to add at the till.
If you are staying a while, a Belgian bank account is possible but rarely worth it for a short trip.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Belgium?
The euro (EUR, €), divided into 100 cents. Belgium has used it since 2002, so there is no separate Belgian currency to exchange. Prices are written with a comma as the decimal mark, so €12,50 means twelve euros fifty.
Where is the best place to exchange money in Belgium?
A bank ATM is usually the cheapest way to get euros: withdraw in EUR and decline the machine's own currency conversion. Bureau de change counters in Brussels and Antwerp are convenient but their rates and fees rarely beat an ATM. Exchange only a small amount of foreign cash on arrival.
Is it better to bring cash or use a card in Belgium?
Use a card for almost everything — contactless Visa and Mastercard work in shops, hotels, restaurants and ticket machines. Carry €20–50 in cash for small cafés, markets, lockers and tips, plus a backup card kept separately in case one is lost or blocked.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialEuropean Central Bank – Euro
- officialEuropean Commission – Euro
- officialVisit Belgium – official tourism
- secondaryWikivoyage – Belgium