Using an Australian Debit Card in the Philippines (2026): CommBank, ANZ, Westpac and NAB Fees
The big four charge 3% to 3.5% on every peso and A$5 per ATM withdrawal, and BDO adds ₱250. Here is what each Australian card costs in the Philippines, and how visitors can pay QR Ph without the card at all.
Quick answer: As of 3 November 2026, ANZ and Westpac debit cards charge 3% on purchases in pesos and CommBank and NAB charge 3.5%, plus A$5 for each overseas ATM withdrawal, and BDO adds ₱250 per withdrawal on any card issued overseas. ING Orange Everyday and Macquarie charge no bank fees overseas, CommBank World Debit (A$10 a month) and NAB Platinum Visa Debit charge nothing on purchases, and Wise and Revolut are free up to a monthly limit.
Key takeaways
- Big four debit cards: 3% (ANZ, Westpac) or 3.5% (CommBank, NAB) on every peso you spend, and A$5 per ATM withdrawal on top.
- No Australian bank fee: ING Orange Everyday and Macquarie charge nothing on purchases or overseas ATMs. Westpac's Global ATM Alliance has no Philippine partner.
- The Philippine side: BDO charges ₱250 per withdrawal on a card issued overseas, so one ₱20,000 withdrawal on a big-four card costs about A$24 to A$26 in fees.
- Always choose pesos when a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in Australian dollars.
- Visitors can skip the card: Fizen QR Pay pays QR Ph codes from USDT, and the merchant receives pesos.
The trike driver in El Nido wants cash, the Makati restaurant takes your card, and the BDO machine at the mall flashes a ₱250 fee before it pays out. Your Australian bank charges on all three, in different ways.
We read the fee pages of eight Australian banks and cards, plus BDO's ATM page, on 3 November 2026. This is what each one costs in the Philippines.
What do CommBank, ANZ, Westpac and NAB charge in the Philippines?
| Card | Purchases in pesos | Overseas ATM, your bank's fee |
|---|---|---|
| CommBank Debit Mastercard | 3.5% | A$5 plus 3.5% |
| ANZ Plus debit card | 3% | A$5 |
| Westpac debit card | 3% | A$5 (no Philippine alliance partner) |
| NAB Visa Debit | 3.5% | A$5 plus 3.5% |
| CommBank World Debit Mastercard (A$10 a month) | 0% | A$0 |
| NAB Platinum Visa Debit | A$0 | A$5 plus 3.5% |
| ING Orange Everyday | A$0 | A$0 |
| Macquarie transaction account | Free | No Macquarie fee |
| Wise card | Conversion fee shown before you pay | Free to A$400 a month, then 2.69% of the amount over |
| Revolut Standard | No fee to A$2,000 a month on weekdays, 1% outside market hours | Free to A$350 or 5 withdrawals a month, then 2% (min A$1.50) |
Read on each bank's own page on 3 November 2026; CommBank's page was last updated 29 September 2026. The ATM operator's own fee comes on top of every row.
What is the best Australian card for the Philippines?
On published fees, ING Orange Everyday and Macquarie are the simplest: no international transaction fee and no overseas ATM fee from the bank, so you only pay BDO's ₱250 and the network exchange rate. CommBank World Debit does the same for A$10 a month, which pays off if you spend more than about A$290 in pesos that month at the 3.5% you would otherwise pay.
Wise and Revolut suit a short trip with modest cash needs: both are free on ATMs only up to a monthly limit, and Revolut adds 1% when you exchange outside weekday market hours. NAB Platinum is good for tapping in shops but still charges 3.5% plus A$5 on cash. Whatever you carry, bring a second card from a different network in case one is declined.
How much does a Philippine ATM add on top?
BDO's ATM page lists ₱250 per withdrawal on cards issued overseas, "subject to additional fees the card issuer will charge", with a maximum of ₱25,000 per transaction and ₱50,000 a day. The fee is flat, so take out larger amounts less often.
One ₱20,000 withdrawal (about A$446.83 at the RBA rate of 44.76 for 2 November 2026) costs roughly A$26.22 in fees on CommBank or NAB, A$23.99 on ANZ or Westpac, A$7.52 on Revolut Standard (your first of the month) and A$5.59 on ING or Macquarie, which is just BDO's ₱250. These are estimates before the card network's exchange rate.
Cash is harder to find on the islands, so plan withdrawals in town; see El Nido and Port Barton ATM limits.
Should you pay in pesos or Australian dollars?
Pesos, every time. When a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in Australian dollars, that is dynamic currency conversion: the merchant's provider sets the rate, not your bank. Executive Traveller measured a 4.42% margin on one such offer in 2018, and most Australian banks still add their own international fee because the merchant is overseas. Press the PHP button, and decline "conversion" on the ATM screen.
Can visitors pay QR Ph without card fees?
Yes, if you already hold USDT. Fizen QR Pay lets visitors pay any QR Ph code, GCash, Maya or a bank QR, from USDT, and the merchant receives pesos: the carinderia, the sari-sari store, the island-hopping desk with no card machine. Filipinos cannot use it inside the Philippines.
- Create or import your self-custody Fizen wallet.
- Move USDT on Solana or BNB Chain into it (BNB Chain deposits need no gas; Solana needs a little SOL). USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited.
- Deposit from the wallet into QR Pay and pass KYC, per wallet and per device.
- Scan, check the peso amount, pay: up to US$800 a payment and US$1,000 a week, any fee shown before you confirm.
USDT moved into QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms, so only move in what you plan to spend. Steps: QR Pay getting started. Your money. Your freedom. No borders.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Australian debit card in the Philippines?
Yes. BDO's ATMs accept cards issued overseas, for a ₱250 fee. Expect your bank's international fee too, 3% or 3.5% at the big four, plus A$5 per withdrawal.
Does CommBank charge fees in the Philippines?
On the standard Debit Mastercard, yes: 3.5% on purchases and A$5 plus 3.5% per overseas ATM withdrawal, per CommBank's page of 29 September 2026. The World Debit Mastercard (A$10 a month) charges neither.
Does Westpac have fee-free ATMs in the Philippines?
No. Westpac's Global ATM Alliance page lists no Philippine partner, so the A$5 overseas withdrawal fee and the 3% foreign transaction fee apply.
How much do Philippine ATMs charge foreign cards?
BDO charges ₱250 per withdrawal on cards issued overseas, as of 3 November 2026, plus whatever your own bank charges. The per-transaction maximum at BDO is ₱25,000.
Is it better to pay in pesos or AUD in the Philippines?
Pesos. Paying in Australian dollars lets the merchant's provider set the exchange rate, and most Australian banks still add their international fee.
Can tourists pay GCash QR codes without a Philippine bank account?
Visitors can pay QR Ph codes, including GCash and Maya ones, with Fizen QR Pay, funded with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain. It is not available to Philippine residents in the Philippines.
Skip the ATM fee: pay QR Ph from USDT
Fizen QR Pay lets visitors to the Philippines pay QR Ph codes from USDT, and the shop receives pesos. Deposit USDT on Solana or BNB Chain from your self-custody Fizen wallet into QR Pay, pass KYC, then scan and pay, up to US$800 a payment and US$1,000 a week. Fizen is building the stablecoin neobank for people on the move: a wallet you own, local QR payments and travel data in one app.
Terms and conditions
- Information only. This article compares published bank and card fees. It is not an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, legal or tax advice. Check your own bank's current fee schedule before you travel.
- For readers in the United States. This is information only, not an offer or sale, and not advice. Fizen products and services are not offered to US Persons.
- QR Pay availability. QR Pay is for cross-border use by travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines only, and is not available to residents of those countries in their own country. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. Limits are US$800 per payment and US$1,000 per week. KYC, KYT, AML and sanctions checks apply. Use of QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms.
- Not affiliated. CommBank, ANZ, Westpac, NAB, ING, Macquarie, Wise, Revolut, BDO, GCash and Maya are trademarks of their owners. Fizen is not affiliated with them. Fees were read from each provider's public page on the date shown and can change.
Sources
- CommBank: debit cards, overseas fees (last updated 29 September 2026)
- ANZ Plus: pricing
- Westpac: accessing money overseas, ATMs
- Westpac: Global ATM Alliance partners
- NAB: international transaction fees
- ING: Orange Everyday fees
- Macquarie: transaction account fees
- Wise Australia: card fees
- Revolut Australia: Standard plan fees
- BDO Unibank: ATM withdrawal limits and fees
- Reserve Bank of Australia: exchange rates
- Executive Traveller: why you should never pay in Australian dollars overseas (2018)
- Fizen Help Center: QR Pay getting started
Bank, card and BDO fees were read on each provider's public page on 3 November 2026. AUD to PHP uses the RBA rate for 2 November 2026 (44.76). Fee examples are estimates before the card network's exchange rate. Fizen QR Pay facts as of 3 November 2026.
