Where do you get the best exchange rate at currency exchange offices in Europe?

The short version

The best rates are at busy, independent exchange offices in city centres, away from the main tourist streets. On 20 October 2026, the best Warsaw offices paid within 0.2% of the European Central Bank (ECB) reference rate, and a Prague city office within 0.9%. Prague airport paid 5% less even when booked online. Before you hand over cash, check the rate against the day's reference rate and look at the gap between "we buy" and "we sell". For small amounts, a local bank ATM or a card payment in local currency is often just as good. At ATMs and card terminals, always choose the local currency.

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Who is this guide for?

Travellers visiting a European country that does not use the euro, such as Czechia, Poland or Hungary, who want some local cash. The figures are rates published on 20 October 2026. Rates move during the day, so read them as the size of the gap, not today's price.

Where are the best rates: city, airport or station?

In the city. We compared what offices in Prague, Warsaw and Budapest paid for euros on 20 October 2026 with that day's ECB reference rate. The chart shows how much of each €100 you lose.

• Warsaw, Kantor Zawisza€0.20
• Prague, Exchange (Smíchov)€0.90
• Warsaw, Tavex Klif€1.10
• Budapest, Correct Change (incl. fee)€1.90
• Warsaw, Lemoon Exchange€2.20
• Prague airport, booked online€5.00

Kantor Zawisza, Kantor House and Kantor Argentarii in Warsaw all paid 4.3700 złoty per euro, against a reference rate of 4.3768. Lemoon Exchange paid 4.2793. In Prague, the Exchange office in Smíchov paid 24.10 koruna. Prague airport listed 23.11 koruna for euros booked online, exactly the 5% below the central bank rate that it names as its online cap. Its walk-up rate was not published.

The best offices are rarely the ones with the biggest "0% commission" signs. Look for busy, independent offices used by locals, a few streets from the main squares or in shopping centres.

How do I tell if a rate is fair?

1. Look up the reference rate on your phone: the ECB rate, the local central bank's, or any app showing the "mid-market" rate.
2. Read the right column. "We buy" is what the office pays for your euros. That is the only rate that matters when you hand euros over.
3. Check the gap. The best Warsaw offices bought euros at 4.3700 and sold at 4.3850, a 0.3% gap. Lemoon's gap was 4%. A wide gap means a large margin.
4. Ask for the total in hand, after fees. Correct Change in Budapest, for example, adds a 0.9% handling fee (capped at HUF 34,900) to its rate.
5. Count the money and keep the receipt.

A rough rule: within 1% of the reference rate is good, 2% is acceptable, 5% or more is poor.

Which European countries still need an exchange?

Not Bulgaria: it joined the euro on 1 January 2026 at 1.95583 leva per euro, and the Bulgarian National Bank exchanges leftover leva free with no time limit. These countries still use their own currency.

What are your rights at a Czech exchange office?

After years of complaints about Prague's exchange offices, Czech law was tightened. The Czech National Bank's rules, as of October 2026:

• No commission, except on coins and cheques.
• Three hours to cancel an exchange of up to €1,000, free and without giving a reason, at the same office. If it closes first, the clock resumes when it reopens.
• Only the least favorable rate may be posted. A "VIP rate" counts only if staff tell you the exact figure.
• A receipt for every exchange. You need it to cancel.
• Complaints go first to the office, then to the Czech National Bank or the Financial Arbitrator.

Street touts are a separate risk; see our guide to avoiding tourist scams in Europe.

Is an ATM or card better than an exchange office?

Often, yes, if you avoid two traps. The first is dynamic currency conversion (DCC): the ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency at its own rate. EU Regulation 2021/1230 makes the provider show its markup over the ECB rate before you confirm, but does not cap it. Always choose the local currency; our guide to currency conversion at the card terminal explains what to press.

The second is independent ATMs in tourist areas. In June 2026, a Czech member of the European Parliament asked the European Commission to examine how Euronet ATMs in Czechia present conversion and fees. Euronet says it complies with the law. Where you can, use an ATM at a local bank.

As of October 2026, Revolut's Standard plan lists no exchange fee on weekdays up to €1,000 a month, 0.5% above that, and 1% at weekends. Wise lists free ATM withdrawals up to €250 a month for cards issued in Europe, then 2.69%, plus any fee the ATM owner adds.

Exchange office, ATM, card or home bank: which is cheapest?

Who should pick what: paying mostly by card? Use a travel card or a no-fee card and pay in local currency. Need a lot of cash? Use a well-reviewed city office after checking its rate. Need cash on arrival? Take a little from a bank ATM at the airport and change the rest in town, or book the airport train or bus before you fly. See also the fastest ways into town from Europe's airports and how much to tip in cash.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to exchange money at the airport or in the city?

In the city. On 20 October 2026, Prague airport's exchange counters offered 23.11 koruna per euro even when booked online, 5% below the ECB reference rate. A city office in Prague paid 24.10, less than 1% below it.

Can I cancel a currency exchange in Prague?

Yes. Under Czech law you can cancel an exchange of up to €1,000 free of charge within three hours, at the same office, while it is open. Keep the receipt, which the office must give you. Exchange offices in Czechia may not charge a commission, except on coins and cheques.

Should I pay in euros or local currency at an ATM or card terminal?

Choose the local currency. If the machine converts to your home currency for you, that is dynamic currency conversion, and the operator sets the rate. EU rules require it to show its markup over the ECB rate before you confirm.

Do I still need to change money in Bulgaria?

No. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026 at 1.95583 leva per euro, and only euros have been used in cash since 1 February 2026. Leftover leva can be exchanged free at the Bulgarian National Bank with no time limit.

Where the figures come from

Checked on 20 October 2026. Exchange office rates are as each office published them online that day; offices state that the rate at the counter is binding.

1. European Central Bank: euro foreign exchange reference rates, 20 October 2026
2. Czech National Bank: exchange rate fixing, 20 October 2026
3. Narodowy Bank Polski: average exchange rates, table 204/A/NBP/2026
4. Czech National Bank: ten golden rules for bureau-de-change clients
5. Prague Airport: Interchange currency exchange, online booking rate
6. Exchange (Prague, Štefánikova): cash rates
7. Nakordoni: Warsaw exchange office rates (aggregator, secondary)
8. Correct Change (Budapest): rates and handling fee
9. Regulation (EU) 2021/1230 on cross-border payments in the Union (replaced 2019/518)
10. Economic.bg: Bulgaria joins the eurozone on 1 January 2026 (secondary)
11. Investbank: Bulgaria and the euro, exchange of leva (secondary)
12. Seznam Zprávy: Euronet changes its Czech ATMs after a complaint to Brussels, 4 July 2026 (in Czech)
13. Revolut: currency exchange fees and limits
14. Wise: ATM withdrawal structure and fees