Just wondering if anyone knows, (I am talking about a straight purchase from a shop...not cash advance or ATM) if I use my Aussie credit card for a purchase in Thailand...does it do like a conversion where you will lose out on the exchange rate or does the purchase total come out in $AUS pretty much the same as the generally advertised daily rate?

For eg of you get cash out from an ATM, usually the ex rate comes into play and for eg today ex rate 23.32 baht per $AUD.....you would be lucky if you got 19-20 baht per dollar from an ATM

I have been online and checked and asked the online robot etc but info not clear

44 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

Just wondering if anyone knows, (I am talking about a straight purchase from a shop...not cash advance or ATM) if I use my Aussie credit card for a purchase in Thailand...does it do like a conversion where you will lose out on the exchange rate or does the purchase total come out in $AUS pretty much the same as the generally advertised daily rate?

For eg of you get cash out from an ATM, usually the ex rate comes into play and for eg today ex rate 23.32 baht per $AUD.....you would be lucky if you got 19-20 baht per dollar from an ATM

I have been online and checked and asked the online robot etc but info not clear

Both purchases from a shop or withdrawals from an ATM give you the current rate offered by Visa or Mastercard, whichever is on your card.

If you're not getting that rate from an ATM it's because you have accepted the ATM rate when you should have declined it, and been subjected to Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) which is always good for the vendor/provider but not for you as a user.

Is your account free of general overseas/foreign currency transaction charges. Many accounts charge ~ 2% but there are accounts which have no charges.

Finally, make sure the vendor doesn't lump on a charge for payment by card - some do.

Yeah have come to the same conclusion. Looks like when you make a purchase it converts currency to the current full conversin rate. In my case there is an extra 3.5% tranfer fee but thats the only difference between using my Aus card overseas or in Australia. I did call my bank in oz and asked the call center guy and he didnt have a clue... Rather than say I dont now Ill go and find out just tried to awkwardly BS his way through it... Appreciate your reply

Credit cards from Australia’s big 4 banks not a good idea for overseas use. I use my ING or Latitude credit cards (Latitude formerly 28 degrees, not as good as it used to be as there’s now a $9 monthly charge, though if you spend $1,000 in a month you get a $10 voucher.) Very fair exchange rate. Use my ING debit card at ATMs, always take your time to carefully read everything on the screen to ensure you’re not accepting the ‘helpful’ conversion to $A. Even some supermarkets are now offering this ripoff dynamic currency conversion.

Bankwest Platinum is handy. No ongoing fees. No international transaction fees.

Edited May 22May 22 by Fat is a type of crazy

Below is the list of the cards which don't have overseas transaction fees, a couple also don't have yearly fees. If your card is not in the list, the cards from the big 4 charge 3-3.5% fee. I have myself Bankwest Platinum, Bankwest More World and Bendigo Ready.

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/cards_with_no_overseas_transaction_fees

Its a moot point for me anyway, dont plan on going back to oz anytime soon and guessing I cant open bank accounts online. Not that big of a deal anyway, I dont use it much and when I do only to keep it active. 20k aud$ limit... Like to have it as an emegency fund, just in case

17 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

Its a moot point for me anyway, dont plan on going back to oz anytime soon and guessing I cant open bank accounts online. Not that big of a deal anyway, I dont use it much and when I do only to keep it active. 20k aud$ limit... Like to have it as an emegency fund, just in case

You can open accounts online as long as you have registered address in Australia, phone number and ID documents. I do this all the time via VPN.

On 5/22/2026 at 2:52 PM, Kenny202 said:

I have been online and checked and asked the online robot etc but info not clear

My advice, don't you will get nothing but massive fees and using a credit card for cash advances is pocket draining in terms of fees and the huge interest rate..

Get a Bendgio Bank Mastercard, its fee free for international transactions (anywhere that accepts cards), as long as you spend $A500 before you go you get free travel insurance (and your trip is no longer then 3 months)

Then get a Macquaire Bank Debt Card (or UP or Bankwest or UBank or ING) and use that for ATM withdrawals, once again, fee free at their end.

Get a Bankwest Mastercard as a backup for the Bendigo, get a Bankwest Debit Card as a backup for your Macquarie mastercard

Once that's all organised, burn your CBA Mastercard :)

Upshot of all that.. Did a simple transaction yesterday $32 US to a foreign supplier from my Comm mastercard. Checked my account this morning transaction deducted at full ex rate and no 3. 5% international tfer fee. Just as if I had bought something locally in Australia.... Unless buying online different to buying from a shop or mall transaction. Thanks all for the help :-)

Edited May 27May 27 by Kenny202

AI says this. There will typically be a delay. The 3.5% international transaction fee is applied when the foreign purchase is processed and officially posted to your account which usually takes 1 to 3 business days.

Here is how the charges and delays work in practice:

• Initial Purchase: While the transaction is still pending CommBank deducts the base purchase price - converted from USD to AUD using the Visa or Mastercard exchange rate - from your available funds.

• The Fee and Final Charge: Once the merchant clears the transaction the 3.5% international transaction fee - on most standard cards - is added. It will appear either as a separate line item or grouped into the final settled amount on your account.

• Available Cards: Note that you can avoid this entirely if your card is a CommBank Ultimate Awards, Smart Awards, CommBank Neo, or Interest free Low Fee card, as these cards carry a 0% international transaction fee.

Will keep an eye on it and report back, still pending atm

100% correct, transaction went through last night.. $45 debit and $1.58 trans fee which is exactly 3.5%, which is no big deal anyway. Good to know though by the time I use the card again I will have forgotten all this information 🤣

On 5/28/2026 at 1:13 AM, Kenny202 said:

. . . . exactly 3.5%, which is no big deal anyway.

It is when you're spending a lot.