ATM Fees in Central African Republic
Central African CFA Franc (XAF) • Updated April 2026
Central African Republic uses the CFA Franc. Due to ongoing instability, cash is essential and card infrastructure is extremely limited. Travel advisories should be checked before visiting.
Tips for Central African Republic
- • Bring sufficient cash (Euros or US Dollars) to exchange
- • ATMs are scarce and unreliable
- • Card acceptance virtually non-existent
- • Check travel advisories before visiting
- • Mobile money services are limited
Airport tips
- • Bangui M'Poko Airport has very limited services
- • Bring all cash needed for your trip
- • Currency exchange options are minimal
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 Central African Republic, per person.
Backpacker
Hostels, street food, public transport
XAF/day
≈ $71.17-133 USD
Mid-range
Hotels, restaurants, mix of transport
XAF/day
≈ $187-311 USD
Luxury
Premium hotels, fine dining, private transport
XAF/day
≈ $374-658 USD
Cash vs card acceptance
Where you'll need cash and where cards work in Central African Republic.
Credit card acceptance
Almost NoneCash only economy. Bring sufficient foreign currency to exchange.
You'll need cash for
- • Everything
- • All transactions require cash
Cards usually accepted
- • Possibly some international hotels in Bangui
💰 Cheapest banks for foreign cards
These banks charge the lowest fees for withdrawals with foreign cards.
| Bank | ATM Fee | Est. Cost | Branches | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSIC | Variable | Variable | Variable | Variable | 5 | Limited availability |
| Ecobank | Variable | Variable | Variable | Variable | 3 | When operational |
📍 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSIC | Variable | Variable | Variable | Variable | 5 | Bangui only |
| Ecobank | Variable | Variable | Variable | Variable | 3 | Very limited |
🌐 ATM Alliance Benefits: If you bank with a member of these alliances, you may get reduced or waived ATM fees in Central African Republic:
View all ATM alliances →