Should I bring US cash to Spain?

Expect to need cash for things like coffee and tapas, and anytime you need to make a purchase for anything between €10 and €20. When you're visiting the larger cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Seville, you should be able to live on your credit and debit cards.



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The takeaway on getting money in Spain Pay everything with your travel debit card and forget about hidden fees. Use your debit card to get most of your money after you arrive in Spain. You can get your first wad of cash from an ATM at your arrival airport.

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Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for Euros upon arrival. In our culture we can put everything on credit and debit cards, however, in Europe you will find it useful to always keep a little cash on hand.

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Exchanging currency in cash is very costly If you're just taking a simple trip abroad, you can avoid unnecessary stress if you use ATMs to withdraw money when you need it in Spain. If you're carrying a lot of cash, security can also be an issue as you could make yourself a target for thieves.

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Resist the urge to buy foreign currency before your trip. Some tourists feel like they just have to have euros or British pounds in their pockets when they step off the airplane, but they pay the price in bad stateside exchange rates. Wait until you arrive to withdraw money.

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Resist the urge to buy foreign currency before your trip. Some tourists feel like they just have to have euros or British pounds in their pockets when they step off the airplane, but they pay the price in bad stateside exchange rates. Wait until you arrive to withdraw money.

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One of the things that makes Spain so travel-friendly is the use of euros as the national currency. Credit cards, debit cards and cash are all accepted. Credit cards that waive international fees are your best bet for dodging some extra expenses to your wallet.

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Currency: Can I pay in U.S. dollars, or should I use Euros? The currency of Spain is the Euro (€). U.S. dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for Euros upon arrival.

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You should plan to spend around €150 ($161) per day on your vacation in Spain, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, €40 ($42) on meals for one day and €27 ($29) on local transportation.

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foreigners who intend to enter the national territory must continue to prove that they have a minimum amount of €100 per person per day, those they intend to stay in Spain with a minimum of €900 or its legal equivalent in foreign currency, provided that they are required by the officials in charge of carrying out the ...

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Tipping in Spain works differently: The customer actually has the option to not leave any tip at all. However, restaurants expect a 10% tip on each bill—although it's not a formal rule, and that percentage is much lower than tipping practices in other countries.

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You may want to investigate banks that do not charge ATM fees and/or banks that are found throughout Europe. The cheapest and easiest way-and the best exchange rates-to get your hands on some euros is to simply use your US based bank's ATM/debit card at the many ATMs located throughout Madrid.

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It all depends on where you're going and what you plan to do during your trip. As you can see from our travel costs table above, some European cities are cheaper or more expensive than others. As a general rule, though, it's a good idea to budget at least $100 a day for your vacation.

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Start out with about 200 euros small bills only. Actually, if you're considering bringing the cash with you from home, getting euros from your bank before you leave for Spain, you'll pay a higher exchange rate than if you wait until you've reached Spain.

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It can be done, but you'd have to budget money carefully and watch how much you spend on food, sights, etc (and that takes away some fun & spontaneity. I prefer to go the 3 star route and free up extra spending money (I'd still avoid fancy dinners every night).

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Buy currency before you travel. Doing so gives you time to shop around for the best rate. Plus, when you arrive, you won't have to immediately find a bank or currency exchange. Do some research ahead of time to see if US dollars are widely accepted at places you plan to go to.

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Carry little, take reasonable precautions, and then don't worry about it. <For a man, I would suggest a pouch worn under your clothing, where you keep credit cards and larger banknotes, and a wallet in your front pocket, where you keep coins and smaller notes. Don't get money from the hidden pouch in a public place.

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