Frequent travellers: Where to get the best exchange rate for foreign currency?

[impostor]

In GVR, check out Kingmark Currency Exchange. Not as good as bank staff rate but pretty good, at least for USD.

I'd be very surprised if they're better than Vancouver Bullion & Currency Exchange, which is almost always 2-3% better than banks and no commission!

(Disclaimer: I have no connection other than being a long time satisfied customer. )

[mlc2000]

So on $400, u save like...$12.
Thats enough to get u a coffee, danish and newpaper at the airport.
Ok, a small coffee.

I'd be very surprised if they're better than Vancouver Bullion & Currency Exchange, which is almost always 2-3% better than banks and no commission!

(Disclaimer: I have no connection other than being a long time satisfied customer. )

[impostor]

At YVR the prices are virtually identical to off-airport locations. That $12 would get you a decent meal at Milestone's, that is if you choose to blow your savings before even leaving the country!

[bigknickers]

I agree with the previous posters that its best to use your ATM card abroad on holiday, mainly so you just change just what you need. I have an xe.com account for large currency exchanges but it does take a while to set up and you have to have accounts in the currencies that you are transacting. So if you sold 1k worth of CAN$ into Mexican Pessos I would think that you'd have to have a Mexican Pesso account for your converted funds to be wired to.

Would be very interested to hear if anyone can confirm the previous posting that the VBCE is better than Customs House. I currently have bids totaling $100k entered into my xe account.

BigK

[cko64]

Use ATM for local currency withdrawal. HSBC charges $2 per Transaction using their ATM and there are lots of HSBC's ATM all over Mexico. Royal Bank and Bank of Montreal charges $3 per tansaction plus ATM Surcharge (Fee charged for a non-account holder to use bank-owned ATM. Example: You have an account at Bank A but use Bank B's ATM. Bank B will charge you a surcharge.)