Canada Travel Money Guide
Canada is fully digital. Cards and contactless work everywhere from Tim Hortons to remote ferry terminals.
Capital: Ottawa · Currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Paying by card
Visa, Mastercard, and Amex all widely accepted. Tap limit is typically C$250.
Cash and ATMs
If you need cash, use a major bank ATM (RBC, TD, Scotiabank). Avoid white-label ATMs in convenience stores.
Tipping
15-20% at restaurants. C$1-2 per drink at bars. Tipping is taken seriously here.
Scams to avoid
Generally very safe. The most common 'scam' is high taxi fares — use Uber/Lyft instead.
What CAD amounts are worth
| CAD | USD | EUR | GBP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 CAD | 7.05 | 6.21 | 5.32 |
| 50 CAD | 35.26 | 31.05 | 26.62 |
| 100 CAD | 70.52 | 62.11 | 53.24 |
| 500 CAD | 352.61 | 310.53 | 266.18 |
Rates are European Central Bank reference rates for 29 Sept 2026 (published each working day around 16:00 CET; the UAE dirham uses its official US-dollar peg of 3.6725). The live converter loads the latest rate when the page opens.
Over the 30 days of ECB data to 29 Sept 2026, one US dollar bought 2.35% more CAD and one euro 0.18% fewer.
Before you go
- When a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pay in CAD; the conversion it offers usually includes a wide margin.
- Tell your bank you are travelling and carry two cards on different networks in case one is declined.
- Check your card's foreign transaction fee and put it in the budget converter's fee field.
Budget the trip with the travel budget converter, see all CAD rates, or browse more country guides.