Which ATMs To Use Abroad - 29 May 2018 Edition.
This post is updated bimonthly by 
Hive account@snaptravel. Please make sure you are looking at the latest edition.
Introduction.
Did you know UK holidaymakers pay over £125m in foreign transaction fees each year? Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid paying bank charges when you’re on holiday, but with a little research and planning, it is possible to minimise these charges or sometimes avoid them altogether. With that in mind, the following list provides information about which foreign Cash Machines (ATMs) are free to use, or charge the lowest fees.
About The List.
I have written the difficulty level of avoiding ATM fees next to the country in brackets, ranging from easy to impossible. For countries where it is easy to find ATMs that do not charge, I have left the list blank. (However, be sure to read the screen carefully before making a withdraw as there are always exceptions.) In all other cases, I have listed only the ATMs that are free to use. If no ATMs are free, I've listed the cheapest known option. If you find anything on this list is incorrect, please let me know in the comments section, and I will update the next edition.
Also Note.
Sometimes an ATM will ask if you want to be charged in the local currency or your home currency. In these cases, it's nearly always better to choose the local currency. If the ATM charges you in your home currency, you will likely get a lousy exchange rate and may be charged additional conversion fees. Sometimes this is also the case when using your card to make purchases in shops and restaurants. It's worth stating, as you hand your card to the vendor, that you want to be charged in the local currency, as they often don't ask and just let the machine charge the card in its home currency.
A-Z Of Countries And The Best ATMs.
| Countries (Difficulty Of Avoiding Charges) | Free/Cheapest ATMs | Max Withdraw | Additional Info |
| Bolivia (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Bolivia do not charge fees. |
| Bulgaria (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Bulgaria do not charge fees. |
| Brazil (Difficult) | | | |
| Banco Do Brasil - Free | 500 BRL | |
| Cambodia (Very Difficult) | | | |
| Maybank - Free* | 1000 USD** | *Free only for Visa cards. **Limit seems to be set by card issuing bank. I only withdrew 200 USD so I cannot confirm the 1000 USD claim. |
| Canada (Difficult) | | | |
| Scotiabank - Free | 1000 CAD | |
| Chile (Difficult) | | | |
| Banco Internacional - Free | 200,000 CLP | |
| China (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in China do not charge fees. |
| Colombia (Moderate) | | | |
| Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) - Free | 600,000 COP | |
| Davivienda - Free | 600,000 COP | |
| Hong Kong (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Hong Kong do not charge fees. |
| India (Moderate) | | | |
| Bank Of Baroda (BOB) - Free | 25,000 INR | |
| State Bank Of India (SBI) - Free | 40,000 INR | |
| Japan (Difficult) | | | |
| Seven Bank (7-Eleven) - Free | 100,000 JPY* | *Magnetic strip card transactions and American Express cards are limited to 30,000 JPY |
| Malaysia (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Malaysia do not charge fees. |
| Morocco (Easy) | | | Although most ATMs in Morocco do not charge fees, the following maybe exceptions that do charge foreign cards: Société Générale. |
| New Zealand (Difficult) | | | |
| Westpac - Free | 800 NZD | |
| Peru (Moderate) | | | |
| Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP) - Free* | 700 PEN | *Limited to one withdraw every 30 days. |
| Banco de la Nación (Multired ATMs) - Free | 400 PEN | |
| Caja Arequipa - Free* | 700 PEN | *Only free for Visa Cards, MasterCards are charged 18 PEN. |
| South Korea (Moderate) | | | |
| KB Kookmin Bank - Free | 700,000 KRW | |
| Shinhan Bank - Free | 700,000 KRW | |
| Sweden (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Sweden do not charge fees. |
| Switzerland (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in Switzerland do not charge fees. |
| Taiwan (Moderate) | | | |
| Cathay United Bank - Free | 20,000 TWD | |
| Bank SinoPac - Free | 20,000 TWD | |
| Thailand (Impossible) | | | |
| Aeon Bank - Charges 150 THB* | 20,000 THB | *Lowest known fee. |
| Krungsri Bank - Charges 200 THB* | 30,000 THB | *This bank has a higher fee but allows a larger withdraw which works out slightly cheaper. |
| United Kingdom (Easy) | | | The majority of ATMs in the U.K. do not charge fees. |
| Vietnam (Difficult) | | | |
| Military Bank - Free | 5,000,000 VND | |
| Find something wrong? Would you like to add or change something on the list? | Share the relevant details in the comment section and the information will be added to next weeks list. All contributors will be credited in next weeks post. |
Card Information
| UK Cards | Information |
| Monzo Prepaid Debit Card (MasterCard) | ATM withdraws are free up to £200 per month - +3% thereafter | Purchases in foreign currencies are free. (MasterCard currency exchange rates) |
| Nationwide Debit Card (Visa) | Charge for withdraws from foreign ATMs - £1 +2% | Charge for purchases in foreign currencies - +2%. (Visa currency exchange rates). |
| Revolut Prepaid Debit Card (MasterCard) | ATM withdraws are free up to £200 per month - +2% thereafter | Purchases in foreign currencies are free. (Revolut currency exchange rates*) *Though the Revolut exchange rate is usually excellent, I've noticed with some currencies it can vary widely depending on the time of day. It's worth checking the rate in the app before making large withdraws or purchases. |
| US Cards | Information |
| Schwab Brokerage Account + Checking Account (Visa) | Refunds all ATM fees incurred monthly. (You must open a brokerage account, minimum investment $1000.) US residents only. |
The following people have contributed to the list. If you found the information here useful, please visit their blogs and support them with your upvotes.
Statistics used in the intro were cited from a WeSwap study. | |
New contributors are credited here for two editions and permanently below. | Share what you know and help the list grow. |
All previous contributors. 
Hive account@buttpacker, 
Hive account@lalyta1982, 
Hive account@jpphotography, 
Hive account@for91days
The information provided in this post does not represent the official policy of any bank or financial organisation. All information is anecdotal and based on my most recent personal experience, or taken in good faith from fellow users of this platform. I take no responsibility for any unexpected fees you may incur while acting on this information.