ATM Fees in Canada
Canadian Dollar (CAD) • Updated April 2026
Canada is highly card-friendly with contactless payments widely accepted. Interac debit is the national network. Tipping 18-20% is now standard at sit-down restaurants.
Tips for Canada
- • Contactless payments (tap) accepted almost everywhere
- • Tipping 18-20% is standard at restaurants (15% is now bare minimum)
- • Interac e-Transfer popular for person-to-person payments
- • Some US bank cards work at Canadian ATMs via exchange networks
- • Tax (GST/HST 5-15%) added at checkout, not included in prices
Airport tips
- • All major airports have multiple ATMs and currency exchange
- • Airport exchange rates are typically poor - use ATMs or cards instead
- • NEXUS card speeds up Canada-US border crossing for frequent travelers
Don't forget your home bank fees
The fees shown above are charged by local ATMs. Your home bank may also charge additional fees for international withdrawals (typically 1-3% + a flat fee). Check with your bank before traveling.
Estimated daily expenses
How much cash you might need per day in Canada, per person.
Backpacker
Hostels, street food, public transport
CAD/day
≈ $72.25-123 USD
Mid-range
Hotels, restaurants, mix of transport
CAD/day
≈ $195-325 USD
Luxury
Premium hotels, fine dining, private transport
CAD/day
≈ $484-816 USD
Cash vs card acceptance
Where you'll need cash and where cards work in Canada.
Credit card acceptance
ExcellentCards accepted virtually everywhere. Contactless payments are the norm. Some small vendors may prefer cash.
You'll need cash for
- • Some farmers markets
- • Street performers/tips
- • Small rural businesses
- • Vending machines (some)
Cards usually accepted
- • Virtually all retail
- • Restaurants and cafes
- • Public transit
- • Taxis and ride-shares
- • Hotels
💰 Cheapest banks for foreign cards
These banks charge the lowest fees for withdrawals with foreign cards.
| Bank | ATM Fee | Est. Cost | Branches | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotiabank★ | $3-5 CAD | 0% | Visa/MC rate | ~2.00 USD | 900 | ★Free for alliance members |
| TD Bank | $3-5 CAD | 0% | Visa/MC rate | ~2.00 USD | 1,100 | Large network |
| RBC Royal Bank | $3-5 CAD | 0% | Visa/MC rate | ~2.00 USD | 1,200 | Largest Canadian bank |
| CIBC | $3-5 CAD | 0% | Visa/MC rate | ~2.00 USD | 1,000 | Wide coverage |
📍 Most widely available ATMs
Sorted by number of ATM locations. More branches means easier access, but fees may be higher.
| Bank | ATM Fee | Est. Cost | Branches | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RBC Royal Bank | $3-5 CAD | 0% | Visa/MC rate | ~2.00 USD | 1,200 | Largest network |
| TD Bank | $3-5 CAD | 0% | Visa/MC rate | ~2.00 USD | 1,100 | Strong in Eastern Canada |
| CIBC | $3-5 CAD | 0% | Visa/MC rate | ~2.00 USD | 1,000 | Good coverage |
| Scotiabank★ | $3-5 CAD | 0% | Visa/MC rate | ~2.00 USD | 900 | ★Free for alliance members |
🌐 ATM Alliance Benefits: If you bank with a member of these alliances, you may get reduced or waived ATM fees in Canada:
View all ATM alliances →