{"id":91592,"date":"2017-11-06T18:04:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-06T17:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/?p=91592"},"modified":"2017-11-06T18:04:00","modified_gmt":"2017-11-06T17:04:00","slug":"exchange-money-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/exchange-money-barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Exchange Money in Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Barcelona<\/strong> is a great city to spend your hard-earned money in as it&#8217;s a relatively <strong>cheap<\/strong>\u00a0destination compared to other European cities. Whether you&#8217;re visiting the Catalan capital for a day or a week, a bit of preparation and research before you leave home can help you make the most of your <strong>money<\/strong> in Barcelona. To help you out while you&#8217;re here, we&#8217;ve come up with a few good tips on <strong>how to exchange money in Barcelona<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Related article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/send-money\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Transfer Money Internationally in Barcelona<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/exchange-money-barcelona\/#Pre-flight_preparation\" title=\"Pre-flight preparation\">Pre-flight preparation<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/exchange-money-barcelona\/#ATMs\" title=\"ATMs\">ATMs<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/exchange-money-barcelona\/#Prepaid_debit_cards\" title=\"Prepaid debit cards\">Prepaid debit cards<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/exchange-money-barcelona\/#Currency_exchange_shops\" title=\"Currency exchange shops\">Currency exchange shops<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-flight_preparation\"><\/span>Pre-flight preparation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_91624\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91624\" class=\"wp-image-91624 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/bank-note-209104_1920-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-91624\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before you even step on the flight, you need to take care of a few things with your bank first. These are simple things that a lot of people often forget, and they can end up being quite costly in the long run.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">First of all, ask your bank for some\u00a0<strong>euros <\/strong>in <strong>cash<\/strong> for when you first arrive. This will just be used for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/taxi-in-barcelona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">taxis<\/a>, a meal, and other necessities. Basically, you need a little cash to get to your accommodation comfortably. Secondly, don&#8217;t forget to\u00a0notify your bank that you are going to be in Barcelona. The last thing you want to\u00a0happen halfway through your weekend is to have your card canceled by your bank. Finally, research your bank\u2019s relationship with <strong>Barcelona.<\/strong> Is your bank represented or does it have partner banks where you can <strong>withdraw money<\/strong> at a lower cost? You will never know if you don\u2019t ask.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ATMs\"><\/span>ATMs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_91625\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91625\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-91625\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/money-2665826_1280-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-91625\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are three main ways to\u00a0<strong>exchange money<\/strong> safely in Barcelona. These include\u00a0<strong>ATMs<\/strong>, <strong>p<\/strong><strong>repaid cards<\/strong>, and <strong>currency exchange<\/strong> shops. If you are withdrawing cash from an <strong>ATM<\/strong>, you will be charged a small fixed commission fee\u00a0depending on the bank. The main advantage here is that you get the real<strong> exchange rate<\/strong> when you withdraw your money. Even with the small added commission fee, it still works out cheaper than\u00a0many currency exchange shops. Finally, whenever you are withdrawing cash or paying with a card, remember to always choose to be<strong> charged in euros<\/strong>. ATMs will often prompt you to pay in your currency, but this is just another way of charging you more.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prepaid_debit_cards\"><\/span>Prepaid debit cards<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Prepaid debit cards<\/strong> are also a great way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/budget\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">budget<\/a> for travels abroad. You can easily order one from your bank, a credit card company, or use a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cashpassport.com\/1\/global-landing-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">MasterCard Passport<\/a>. These cards will usually apply the <strong>exchange rate<\/strong> to your purchase without all the added fees of a credit card. A good option is to use this card while traveling while keeping your credit cards safe in case of emergency. You can easily check your balance, set the expiry date, and put more money the card. If you don\u2019t feel comfortable carrying a lot of money with you, these cards are the answer. They can be used at millions of ATMs <strong>worldwide<\/strong> and can be easily used to pay at shops abroad.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Currency_exchange_shops\"><\/span>Currency exchange shops<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_91626\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91626\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-91626\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/coins-1523383_1920-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-91626\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you have some cash you need to exchange after you arrive, then you can also go to a <strong>currency exchange<\/strong>\u00a0shop to get a good rate. Look for the shops that say &#8220;Change&#8221; or &#8220;<em>Cambio<\/em>&#8221; in Spanish in large letters on the outside. You can also exchange money at banks, but queues are long and opening hours are short, so it&#8217;s generally not worth it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Currency exchanges<\/strong> are based all around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/1-day-barcelona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Barcelona<\/a>, mostly in the tourist hotspots like La Rambla, the Sagrada Familia, and the city&#8217;s biggest plazas. For the best rates, avoid places like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/catalonia-airports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">airports<\/a> and hotels when exchanging your money. Also, beware of shops that offer no commission As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In this case, the commission is included in the price.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Always check the <strong>live exchange rates<\/strong> as they are constantly changing and you can compare the price you are given to the live market price. Finally, you should always ask for the final <strong>exchange<\/strong> rate.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Keep these main tips in mind when you need to <strong>exchange money in Barcelona<\/strong>, and you can rest assured that you&#8217;ll be stretching your money as far as you can during your stay.<\/p>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 2\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Looking for an apartment in the city? <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ShBarcelona<\/a><\/strong> can help you find the perfect one.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: none;\"\n    class=\"kk-star-ratings kksr-valign-bottom kksr-align-left \"\n    data-id=\"91592\"\n    data-slug=\"\">\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars\">\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars-inactive\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"1\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"2\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"3\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"4\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"5\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars-active\" style=\"width: 150px;\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <div class=\"kksr-legend\">\n            <strong class=\"kksr-score\">5<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">\/<\/span>\n        <strong>5<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">(<\/span>\n        <strong class=\"kksr-count\">4<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">\n            votes        <\/span>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">)<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Barcelona is a great city to spend your hard-earned money in as it&#8217;s a relatively cheap\u00a0destination compared to other European cities. Whether you&#8217;re visiting the Catalan capital for a day or a week, a bit of preparation and research before you leave home can help you make the most of your money in Barcelona. To [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":91627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4599],"tags":[8137,8135,8129,8136,8134,2040,2839],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91592"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/131"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91592"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91592\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110685,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91592\/revisions\/110685"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}