No match. See all guides.
Money in Taiwan, sorted.
A calm, current plan for the money side of your trip: where your card is fine and where the stalls still want cash, the little New Taiwan dollars worth carrying, the EasyCard that runs the trains and buses, and the 5% tax you can claim back on shopping.
One entry step is easy to miss. Since 1 October 2025 Taiwan has replaced the paper arrival card with the online Taiwan Arrival Card, which every visitor without a resident certificate files for free before the flight; as of June 2026 you can submit it up to seven days before you arrive. It is not a money charge, and US citizens still enter visa-free for up to 90 days, but Taiwan is strict about seeing a return or onward ticket.
The three things people ask
Will my card work? Do I need cash? Are ATMs easy?
The quick read for a first trip.
Your card
Good in the cities
Visa and Mastercard are taken at hotels, department stores, chain restaurants and convenience stores, and mobile pay (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Line Pay) is everywhere. Amex is patchy. The soft spot is that many night markets, small eateries and old-street shops take cash only, so a card alone will not get you through a day.
Check yours →Cash
King at night markets
This is the one to plan for. Carry a stack of New Taiwan dollars for the night markets (Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia), small eateries, the old streets like Jiufen and Shifen, some taxis and rural stops. Top up from a convenience-store ATM as you go, rather than an airport exchange counter.
How much to bring →ATMs
Use a convenience-store one
The reliable move is an ATM inside a 7-Eleven or FamilyMart, which have English menus and take foreign cards; plain bank ATMs sometimes reject them. Withdrawals cap around NT$20,000 per transaction, the fee runs about NT$100 to 150 plus your home bank's, and you should decline the 'pay in US dollars' offer every time.
See ATMs in Taiwan →(opens in a new tab)Cash or card
Card-friendly in the cities, but keep cash for the night markets.
A rough feel for everyday spending. Cards and mobile pay cover hotels, department stores, chains and convenience stores in the cities. Cash is what you use at the night markets, small eateries, the old streets and some taxis, and you will want a decent stack of it on any given day.
See what the trip really costs →Your money plan
Four steps and you're set.
Before you go
- Bring a no-foreign-fee Visa or Mastercard, plus a backup from a different bank. Amex is only patchily accepted, so do not rely on it.
- Plan to carry cash. Taiwan is card-friendly in the cities but cash-first at night markets, small eateries and the old streets, so a card alone will leave you stuck.
- File the free Taiwan Arrival Card online before you fly. Since 1 October 2025 it has replaced the paper card, and you can submit it up to seven days before arrival.
- Have a return or onward ticket ready to show. Taiwan is strict about it for visa-free entry, and the airline may ask at check-in.
At the airport
- Skip the exchange counters. Pull New Taiwan dollars from a convenience-store ATM, and decline 'convert to US dollars,' always choose New Taiwan dollars.
- Grab about NT$5,000 to 8,000 for your first day or two, for night-market food and cash-only stops.
- Buy an EasyCard (about NT$100 plus load) and top it up with cash. It runs the MRT, buses and local trains.
- Set up an eSIM before you land. Coverage is excellent island-wide, and you will want data for maps and transit apps.
Day to day
- Tap your card or phone in the cities, and choose New Taiwan dollars every time.
- Tap your EasyCard for the MRT, buses and local trains, and lean on it for the roughly 20% transit discount.
- Keep a stack of cash for the night markets, small eateries and the old streets.
- Top up your EasyCard with cash at a convenience store; card top-ups are not reliable for visitors.
A golden rule
- Always pay in New Taiwan dollars, never US dollars. Choosing your home currency (dynamic currency conversion) quietly adds a few percent on card terminals and ATMs.
- Do not tip. It is genuinely not expected here, and leaving cash can confuse staff; some restaurants add a 10% service charge instead.
Staying connected
Will my phone work here? And what will it cost?
Excellent island-wide. Taiwan has fast 4G and wide 5G across the cities and along the High Speed Rail, holding up in the mountains and on the coast. The carriers are Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone, and a prepaid SIM is cheap, but for most visitors an eSIM from Airalo, Nomad or a similar provider is the easy route. Your US plan may include some roaming, so check the rate before you rely on it. You do not need mobile data to pay by card, but you will want it for maps and transit apps. The cost is where people get caught out, and on most US plans it lands in one of two buckets.
Your plan may already include it
Often, do nothing
Some US plans include slow data abroad at no extra cost. If that is you, the honest move is to leave it alone.
we earn nothing
Or it charges quietly, after the fact
The bill lands later
On pay-per-use plans the cost runs in the background while you travel, and the charge can show up weeks after you are home. Forgetting to switch off data roaming is the classic one. For a week or more, an eSIM is usually cheaper and keeps you in control.
Check what your own carrier charges before the trip, not after.
If an eSIM is the cheaper call, Nomad covers Taiwan.
Get your Nomad eSIM for Taiwan→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionMedical cover
The one cost with no price tag.
Every other number on this page has a price you can look up. This one does not, and it can be the largest of them all. Most US health plans cover little or nothing once you leave the country, and Medicare covers essentially none of it abroad. A serious illness or injury is paid up front, and a medical evacuation runs from tens of thousands of dollars to past $100,000 if you are remote or an ocean from home.
First, you may not need to buy anything.
A cheap, refundable trip close to home does not need this. And if you are healthy, headed somewhere with good care, and one of the premium cards on the shortlist above already includes emergency medical and evacuation, you may be covered already. Check your card's benefits guide before you buy. Saying that costs us the commission, and it is still the right call.
How much cover matters here
Care in the main cities is good, but costs add up and reaching top care from a remote spot takes time, so it is worth a real look for a trip here.
If you do want cover, this is what it is for: the evacuation and the up-front hospital bill, the part no card limit is meant to absorb.
Enough for most trips
Faye, or a comparable whole-trip policy
Bundles trip protection with emergency medical, which is enough cover for most travelers on a typical trip.
The deeper end
A dedicated travel-medical plan built for serious care and evacuation abroad
Stronger on medical care and evacuation, for a remote or higher-risk trip where that is the real exposure.
If it happens
Call it first, then call your insurer's 24/7 assistance line, which is what confirms payment and arranges an evacuation. 119 reaches an ambulance or the fire service, and 110 is the police. The 911 number does not work here. From a mobile with no local SIM you can dial 112 as a backup, mostly used when someone is lost in the mountains. For travel help in English, the free 24-hour tourist hotline is 0800-011-765.
TrueTripCosts explains the gap and points to options. It does not set your coverage amounts or act as your insurance advisor, and every policy carries its own exclusions, so read them before you buy. Emergency number checked Jul 2026. Confirm the current number before you travel, as local lines can change.
Currency basics
The New Taiwan dollar, in plain terms.
Quick conversion
Taiwan uses the New Taiwan dollar, written NT$. At about 32 to the US dollar in 2026, NT$100 is roughly 3 dollars and NT$500 about 15.50. Notes run 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000. Prices already include the 5% VAT, so the figure on the tag is what you pay.
Cities card, markets cash
Visa and Mastercard work at hotels, department stores, chains and convenience stores, and mobile pay is everywhere, with Amex patchy. But the night markets, small eateries and old-street shops are largely cash, so carry a stack of New Taiwan dollars and do not plan to go cashless.
EasyCard runs transit
An EasyCard is the stored-value card for the MRT, buses and local trains, at about a 20% discount, and it also pays at convenience stores. Buy it for NT$100 plus load, and top up with cash. It does not work on the High Speed Rail or long-distance buses, and Apple Pay does not support it.
No tipping
Taiwan has no tipping culture. Staff are paid a proper wage, and leaving cash can confuse people. Some restaurants add a 10% service charge, which is already on the bill. A warm thank-you is all that is expected.
Real exchange rate
What your money is really worth here.
This is the mid-market rate, the one the banks trade at and the yardstick every other rate is measured against. Your card lands a little below it, and if a screen ever offers to bill you in dollars, that is worse again. So this is the number to expect, and how you spot a bad one.
1 US dollar is about
Taxes and refunds
A 5% VAT you can claim back on shopping.
Taiwan keeps tax simple for a visitor. There is no nightly tourist or bed tax, and the 5% business tax (VAT) is already included in the price you see. The win worth acting on: as a foreign visitor staying under 183 days, you can reclaim the VAT on goods you buy to take home. Spend NT$2,000 or more (tax included) at a single store showing the Taiwan Tax Refund label on the same day, show your passport, and then either take an on-site small refund right at authorised stores or claim at the airport before departure. You must apply before you leave the country and within 90 days of purchase, and the goods must go with you. After the operator's handling fee (about 14% of the tax), you get back a little under the full 5%. Refunds are for goods only, not hotels or meals, and there is a free 'TAIWAN TAX REFUND' app that maps the stores.
Fees and taxes to double-check
The numbers most likely to change.
These are the fees and taxes that move on political timelines, so we track each one on its own. Every line shows the amount, whether it is in effect yet, the date we last checked it, and a primary source where a clean one exists.
Tourist VAT refund (TRS)
5% VAT refundable on goods of NT$2,000 or more per store per day, claimed before departure within 90 days
Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC)
Free online arrival card required for entry, filed up to seven days before arrival, having replaced the paper card
Before you book: passports, the six-month rule and whether you need a visa. Not a US citizen, or connecting through Europe? The rules can differ, and even a layover can need its own visa. See our passports and visas guide →
Watch out for
The small traps that catch first-timers.
Tipping
Don't tip, really.
Taiwan has no tipping culture, and there is no awkwardness in not tipping, it is simply the norm. Staff are paid a proper wage rather than relying on gratuities, so at restaurants, cafes, taxis and for delivery you do not tip: pay the price on the bill or the meter and add a warm thank-you. Leaving cash on the table can even confuse staff. The one thing to check is a 10% service charge that some restaurants and hotels add automatically, in which case nothing more is needed. The rare exceptions where a small gesture is welcome are a hotel porter or concierge who goes out of their way, or a private multi-day guide or driver, where a modest amount is gracious. Otherwise, keep your wallet closed and enjoy how simple it is.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do I need cash in Taiwan?
Yes, more than in most of card-first Asia. The cities take cards and mobile pay, but the night markets, small eateries and the old streets run on cash. Carry a stack of New Taiwan dollars and refill from a convenience-store ATM as needed.
Why did my card get declined in Taiwan?
Often the machine, not your card. Many plain bank ATMs reject foreign cards, so use one inside a 7-Eleven or FamilyMart with an English menu. At night markets and small shops, the reason is usually that they only take cash, so keep some New Taiwan dollars on hand.
What is an EasyCard and do I need one?
EasyCard is a small stored-value card that runs the MRT, buses and local trains at about a 20% discount, and it also pays at convenience stores. Buy one for about NT$100 plus load and top it up with cash. It does not cover the High Speed Rail or long-distance buses, so buy separate tickets for those.
Can I top up EasyCard with a foreign credit card?
For most visitors, not reliably. A standard EasyCard is treated as electronic cash, so reload it with New Taiwan dollars at a convenience store or station machine. Apple Pay does not support EasyCard, so plan on cash top-ups.
Should I pay in New Taiwan dollars or US dollars?
Always New Taiwan dollars. If a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in US dollars, decline; that dynamic currency conversion adds a few percent. Choosing the local currency lets your card's network handle the exchange at a fair rate.
Can I get a tax refund on shopping in Taiwan?
Yes. As a visitor staying under 183 days, spend NT$2,000 or more (tax included) at one Taiwan Tax Refund store on the same day, show your passport, and take an on-site small refund or claim at the airport before departure, within 90 days of purchase. After the handling fee you get back a little under the 5% VAT, and it is for goods only, not hotels or meals.
Do I need a visa or an arrival card for Taiwan?
US citizens enter visa-free for up to 90 days with a passport valid more than 90 days. Since 1 October 2025 everyone without a resident certificate files the free online Taiwan Arrival Card before the flight, up to seven days ahead. Have a return or onward ticket ready, since Taiwan enforces that for visa-free entry.
Do you tip in Taiwan?
No. Tipping is not customary at restaurants, cafes, taxis or for delivery, and offering one can cause confusion. Just pay the amount on the bill or meter. Some restaurants and hotels add a 10% service charge automatically, which is already included, and a polite thank-you is all that is expected.
How much cash should I bring for a week in Taiwan?
More than in Japan or Korea. Plan on cash for most night-market meals, small eateries and old-street stops. Pulling NT$5,000 to 8,000 at a time from a convenience-store ATM and refilling as needed works well, kept in a mix of notes for small stalls.
What it really costs
What you'll really spend in Taiwan.
Your flights if you want them counted, your room, your on-the-ground spending, the two fees most US cards add without telling you, and Taiwan's tourist tax. One number, nothing waiting on the statement. No bank to pick, no sign-up, nothing saved.
Optional. Enter your round trip fare per traveler to fold flights into the total.
In Taiwan, plan for about $0.
Realistically somewhere between $0 and $0.
Whether at an ATM or a card terminal in a shop or restaurant, always choose to be charged in the local currency, not dollars. Paying in dollars (called dynamic currency conversion) lets the machine set its own, worse, exchange rate on top of any fee.
Rough guide, not a quote. The percentage here is a blended stand-in for a typical US card's foreign fee, not your exact rate. The real number moves with the card you carry: one no-foreign-fee card can cover both sides, while a plain rewards credit card only removes the fee on what you buy, and cash still costs a little unless that card also waives ATM and foreign-cash fees. A debit card, or accepting the "pay in dollars" (dynamic currency conversion) offer at a till or ATM, can push it higher. Rates checked Jun 2026 and rounded.
How this estimate is built
These are the assumptions behind the number. Change the room price, nights, travelers, or travel style above, and every line here moves with them.
- Hotel
- Daily spending
- Flights
- Cash vs card
- ATM withdrawals
- Foreign fee
- The range
- Tourist tax
Not sure which card to bring? See my pick for Taiwan.
Already carry a card with no foreign transaction fee? Then you are set for Taiwan, and can skip this. There is nothing to buy.
If you are getting a card for Taiwan, this is the pairing I would pick: a no-foreign-fee credit card for spending, and a fee-free ATM debit card for cash. We earn nothing on these today. Always confirm the current fee with the issuer before you apply. Checked Jun 2026.
Capital One charges no foreign transaction fee on any of its cards.
No foreign transaction fee
Fee-free ATM cash worldwide
Want one account that holds and spends in the local currency? A different job from the three above, and the one I reach for abroad. It is free to open; you can create a virtual card in the app and add it to your phone wallet in minutes, without waiting for the physical card; and you can convert US dollars into the local currency inside the account before you travel, then spend from that balance. Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a small conversion fee (around 0.4% and up), with no flat foreign fee.
The three picks above pay us nothing, and their tags say so. Wise is the only option here that can earn us a commission, and its tag says that too. Paid or not, the pick is still the pick.
Travelers, not touristsA little Mandarin goes a long way
A little Mandarin goes a long way
Nobody expects you to read Chinese, but a warm ni hao, a xie xie, and a story or two mark you as a guest rather than a tourist, and they are warmly received. Taiwanese people are famously friendly and welcoming, and they notice the effort.
Say a few words
Tip: Taiwan is warm and low-key, and a smile plus a few words of Mandarin goes far. At a night market it is perfectly fine to point and hold up fingers for how many; vendors are used to visitors and quick to help. One fun local quirk: keep your receipts, because the government's uniform-invoice receipts double as lottery tickets, with a prize draw every couple of months.
Know a story
The night market is the heart of it
Taiwan comes alive after dark at its night markets, from Taipei's Shilin and Raohe to Ningxia, where stalls sell everything from beef noodle soup and soup dumplings to bubble tea and stinky tofu. This is cash country and the best eating in Taiwan, so bring an appetite and a pocket of New Taiwan dollars, and follow the longest local queue.
Good to know: most night-market stalls are cash only
Tea houses and red lanterns at Jiufen
In the hills above the northeast coast, the old gold-mining town of Jiufen climbs a steep slope in a maze of stone steps, tea houses and red lanterns that glow at dusk. Wander the narrow lanes, stop for a pot of tea with a view over the sea, and try the local taro balls; the whole place feels like stepping into an old film.
Good to know: Jiufen is busiest and most magical at dusk
Marble cliffs at Taroko Gorge
On the east coast, Taroko Gorge cuts a dramatic marble canyon where a jade river winds beneath sheer cliffs, red pavilion bridges and misty peaks. It is one of Taiwan's natural wonders, and a reminder that the island is as much mountains and coast as it is cities and night markets.
Good to know: check trail and road status before you goTaiwan is modern, fast and deeply hospitable, proud of its food, its night markets and its mountains and coast. Small courtesies and a few words of Mandarin are noticed and quietly returned.
No links here, nothing to buy. This part is just to help you travel well.
Sources, and how this guide was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
Changed since last checkFirst publication. Confirmed the money facts that matter most this year: the New Taiwan dollar sits at about 32 to the US dollar, the tourist VAT refund is 5% on goods of NT$2,000 or more per store per day claimed before departure within 90 days, and there is no nightly tourist or bed tax. Also confirmed the entry rule that catches US visitors now: since 1 October 2025 the paper arrival card has been replaced by the free online Taiwan Arrival Card, which can be filed up to seven days before arrival, while US citizens still enter visa-free for up to 90 days.
- Ministry of Financethe tourist tax refund for foreign travelers, the 5% VAT, the NT$2,000 minimum per store per day and the 90-day claim rule
- Tourism Administration (Taiwan)the VAT refund for visitors, how the on-site and airport refunds work and where to claim
- American Institute in Taiwanvisa-free entry for US citizens up to 90 days and the online Taiwan Arrival Card that replaced the paper form
- American Institute in Taiwanthe local emergency numbers, 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance
Our own judgmentThe daily cash share, the tipping feel, and the likely behavior of foreign cards at bank ATMs are our own estimate from experience and from consistent traveler reports, not an official figure. Card acceptance varies terminal by terminal, so treat our read as a guide, not a guarantee.
More money guides in Asia
If you are also weighing up nearby destinations, each guide covers cards, cash, ATMs and the fees to expect.
Going deeper on Taiwan
The money questions people ask on the ground.
Short, focused answers to the specific things that catch first-timers out in Taiwan.
- Tipping in TaiwanTaiwan is not a tipping country. At everyday restaurants, night markets and in taxis, no tip is expected. The main exception is a 10% service charge at upscale places. Here is what you actually owe.
- Do I need cash in Taiwan, or can I use cards?Short answer: carry cash. Taiwan is more cash-reliant than most visitors expect for a high-tech place, so keep NT dollars and pick up an EasyCard for transit. Here is how to handle it.
- Bringing your dog or cat to Taiwan.Taiwan sits between the strict islands and the easy destinations. It requires a rabies antibody titer, which sets your timeline, but a US pet that meets the criteria can now have facility quarantine waived and go straight home with you. The catches are the titer timing, an import permit revised in 2026, and a breed ban to check. Here is the route.
This is how Taiwan stands today.
Money rules move. We can let you know for free if that changes.