ATMs in Vietnam are frequent. We went to 7 of the most common banks to find out which one gave us the best deal…
There are many ATMs in Vietnam which can make it difficult to know which one to choose when withdrawing cash. The amount you are charged will depend on what bank or card you are using.
It is always best to choose the local currency when using ATMs in Vietnam. This means that your home bank/card provider will calculate the exchange rate instead of a Vietnamese bank and most likely offer you a better deal.
What card we used
We were using a Caxton Prepaid Currency Card, which allows you to withdraw cash from anywhere in the world with no fee. With Caxton, the daily Mastercard exchange rate determines how many pounds you are spending when withdrawing foreign currency.
General advice for ATMs in Vietnam
As ATMs in Vietnam charge each time you use them, it is wise to take out big sums of cash each time you use one.
We went to seven of the main ATMs in Vietnam to determine how much each of them charge for large withdrawals.
1. Agribank
Whether you withdraw ₫2,000,000 (£67.74) or ₫3,000,000 (£101.62) Vietnamese dong, Agribank will charge ₫22,000 (74p) to your account for using it.
This bank gives you your card back before cash.
2. Techcom bank
Techcom have a maximum withdrawal amount of ₫2,000,000 and will charge ₫66,000 (£2.23) to take it out.
3. ACB Bank
To withdraw ₫3,000,000 (ACB’s maximum limit), you will be charged ₫55,000 (£1.86).
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4. BIDV
Supposedly, BIDV charges a 3% transaction fee for whatever you want to withdraw, however, when we withdrew ₫3,000,000 we were charged ₫99,000 (£3.35).
5. Vientin Bank
For a ₫2,000,000 withdrawal, you will be charged ₫55,0030 (£1.86) by this bank.
Vientin bank gives the cash out before returning your card which could be dangerous. Do not forget your card in the ATM! This happened to multiple people we have met during our travels.
6. Sacombank
A 1.5% fee is charged by Sacombank on top of what you take out, with a minimum withdrawal amount of ₫30,000.
7. Vietcombank
This bank charges 5% on top of your withdrawal amount.
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Which ATMs in Vietnam are the best?
Initially, we liked using Sacombank as it seemed easy to navigate with good English and fair fees. However, after discovering Agribank, it took a clear lead – the fees were scandalously low and our card always seemed to be returned to us before the cash (which reduces the probability of losing your card).
*Disclaimer* all information was correct at time of our visit in January-February 2019. Average exchange rates have been taken at the time of writing this article (May 2019).
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