Oceania

Money, cards and tipping in Australia

Capital: CanberraEnglishUpdated October 2026

AUDDollar

Money in Australia

Practically cashless Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere and some cafés are card-only. Card payment surcharges were banned from 1 October 2026; prices include 10% GST. US$1 ≈ A$1.44 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Not expected; wages are high. Rounding up or about 10% for great restaurant service is appreciated. Weekend and public-holiday surcharges (10–15%) remain legal.
ATMs: ATMs are everywhere in towns; independent machines in pubs and shops charge about A$3–4. Decline the ATM's currency conversion.
Paying by phone: Apple Pay and Google Pay work almost everywhere, including contactless transit fares in Sydney and Brisbane.
Price level: about 90% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Sydney	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere, including trains and ferries; some cafés are card-only. Carry a little cash only for markets.
Melbourne	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay everywhere, including trams; some cafés and bars are card-only. Carry a little cash for markets only.
Brisbane	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere; some venues are card-only. Cash is rarely needed.
Gold Coast	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay everywhere; cash rarely needed.
Perth	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay almost everywhere; cash rarely needed.
Cairns	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere. Carry some cash for remote roadside stalls and small Daintree shops.
Byron Bay	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay almost everywhere; some markets and small stalls prefer cash.
Adelaide	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay almost everywhere; carry some cash for small market stalls.
Hobart	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay almost everywhere; cash handy for Salamanca Market stalls.
Bondi Beach	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay is nearly universal, including cafés and beach kiosks. Cash is rarely needed.
Whitsundays	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work almost everywhere; carry some cash for small kiosks and island vendors.
Uluru	Cards almost everywhere	Cards are accepted across the resort; keep some cash for small purchases and Aboriginal art at markets.
Noosa	Practically cashless	Contactless works almost everywhere, including markets. A little cash helps at the Sunday Noosa Farmers Market and some stalls.
Darwin	Practically cashless	Contactless everywhere. Bring a little cash for Mindil Beach Sunset Market stalls and small tour operators.
Blue Mountains	Practically cashless	Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Carry small cash for some markets and village stalls.
Sunshine Coast	Practically cashless	Contactless works almost everywhere. Carry a little cash for hinterland markets such as Eumundi.
Great Ocean Road	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere, including small cafés and farm stalls. Mobile signal can fail, so carry a card and a little backup cash.
K'gari	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere on the mainland. On K'gari carry some cash for small shops and camp fees; signal for card machines can fail.
Port Douglas	Practically cashless	Contactless accepted almost everywhere. Carry small cash for Sunday market stalls and Daintree roadside fruit stands.
Fremantle	Practically cashless	Contactless works almost everywhere. Carry a small amount for some Fremantle Markets stalls.
Canberra	Practically cashless	Contactless works almost everywhere; museums and national attractions accept cards.
Margaret River	Practically cashless	Cards and contactless accepted almost everywhere, including wineries. Carry small cash for markets.
Broome	Practically cashless	Cards and contactless accepted nearly everywhere. Carry some cash for markets and remote Kimberley stops.
Newcastle	Practically cashless	Contactless works almost everywhere. A little cash helps at the Newcastle Farmers Market.
Alice Springs	Practically cashless	Cards and contactless work in town. Carry cash for remote roadhouses, community stops and some art centres.
Launceston	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere, including markets and cafés. Carry a little cash only for rural honesty boxes and small stalls.
Manly	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere, including cafés and bars. Cash is rarely needed; tap a card or phone for the ferry.
Magnetic Island	Practically cashless	Tap-to-pay works at ferries, cafés and shops. Carry a little cash for small stalls; mobile signal can fail in remote bays.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Australia?

Not expected; wages are high. Rounding up or about 10% for great restaurant service is appreciated. Weekend and public-holiday surcharges (10–15%) remain legal.

Is Australia cashless?

Practically cashless. Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere and some cafés are card-only. Card payment surcharges were banned from 1 October 2026; prices include 10% GST.

What currency does Australia use?

The Dollar (AUD). US$1 ≈ A$1.44 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.