$20.00
$980.00
833
$20.00
$980.00
833
The Travel Money Calculator helps you figure out exactly how much foreign currency you will actually receive after a currency exchange bureau or bank deducts its commission or service fee. Many travelers focus only on the exchange rate but overlook the commission — a 2–5% fee on a $1,000 exchange removes $20–$50 before any conversion even takes place.
This calculator applies the fee to your home-currency budget first, then converts the remaining amount using your exchange rate. For a trip to Europe with a $1,000 budget, a 2% commission fee costs $20, leaving $980 to convert at 0.85 EUR/USD — yielding €833 rather than the €850 you might have expected from the raw rate. That $17 difference in foreign spending money can cover a meal or a museum entrance fee abroad.
Use this tool to compare currency exchange providers side by side. Enter the same budget with each provider's rate and commission to see which gives you the most foreign currency. Online transfer services frequently offer 0% commission with near-market rates, while airport kiosks often charge both a high fee and a poor rate — a double hit on your travel budget.
The commission fee is first deducted from the home-currency budget:
$$fee = A_{home} \times \frac{c}{100}$$
$$A_{net} = A_{home} - fee$$
The net amount is then converted to foreign currency:
$$A_{foreign} = A_{net} \times r$$
where \(r\) is the exchange rate (foreign units per 1 home unit). This models the standard practice where commission is charged on the source amount before conversion. Some providers charge commission on the converted amount instead — in that case, compute \(A_{foreign} = A_{home} \times r\), then subtract \(A_{foreign} \times c/100\).
A higher net foreign amount is always better. If two providers offer the same exchange rate, the one with the lower commission wins. If one offers a better rate but higher commission, calculate both to find which is cheaper in absolute terms. For budgets above $500, even 1% commission differences translate to meaningful amounts of foreign spending money. Zero-commission providers that are close to mid-market rates (within 0.5%) are generally the most cost-effective option for travelers.
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A 3% commission on $1,000 costs $30, leaving $970 to convert at 0.85 = €824.50.
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A 0.5% fee and better rate gives €915.40 — about €91 more than the airport kiosk.
Airport exchange desks typically offer the worst rates and highest fees. If possible, exchange money at your destination bank, use a credit card with no foreign transaction fee, or withdraw local cash from ATMs abroad for much better rates.
Not necessarily. Some 0% commission providers compensate by offering a worse exchange rate. Always calculate the total foreign amount you will receive — that is the only true measure of value, not the commission rate alone.
This calculator handles upfront cash exchanges where you convert a lump sum before or during travel. The Foreign Transaction Fee Calculator handles per-transaction fees charged by credit/debit cards on each individual purchase abroad.
Enter the rate the exchange provider will give you (their sell rate for the foreign currency), not the mid-market rate. This is typically listed on their website or at the bureau counter.
Yes. The formula is identical for international money transfers. Enter the amount you are sending, the exchange rate your provider offers, and any transfer fee percentage to find out how much the recipient receives in foreign currency.
Major U.S. banks typically charge 1–3% above the mid-market rate or a flat fee of $5–$15 per transaction, sometimes both. Specialist money transfer services like Wise or Revolut typically charge 0.3–1.5% total cost when rate markup and fees are combined.
Roboculator Team
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