Money in Taiwan: cash, cards, tipping and tax refunds

Pay by card where you can, and carry cash for taxis, night markets and small eateries. Change most of your money at a Bank of Taiwan branch in town, which charges no fee. Don’t tip.

Where are you paying?

• Hotels, department stores and chains: pay by card. Visa and Mastercard are the safest choice; American Express and Diners Club are also accepted, but at fewer places.1Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw
• Taipei Metro: tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover or Diners Club card, or Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay, at the gates.2Taipei Times (opens in a new tab)taipeitimes.com
• Convenience stores: an EasyCard works as a wallet. See Taiwan trains and transit cards.
• Taxis: carry cash. Some take cards or mobile payment; ask before the ride.3Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw
• Night markets and small eateries: carry cash.

Getting cash

• Change a little at the airport, and the rest at a Bank of Taiwan branch in town. It charges no exchange fee, except at its airport branches.4Bank of Taiwan fee schedule (opens in a new tab)bot.com.tw
• Banks open 09:00 to 15:30 on weekdays. Government-designated hotels also change money.5Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw
• Keep your exchange receipts. You need them to change leftover Taiwan dollars back.
• Using ATMs? Check your bank’s foreign withdrawal fees before you fly.

If it doesn’t go to plan

• Card declined, or banks shut? Pay cash, and change more at a government-designated hotel. Banks open 09:00 to 15:30 on weekdays.
• No tax refund on the spot? Keep the form and claim at the airport, as below.

Tipping

• Don’t tip in restaurants, taxis or hotels.6US Commercial Service (opens in a new tab)trade.gov
• Sit-down restaurants and hotels add a 10% service charge.7Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw

If you spend NT$2,000 or more in one shop

Claim the VAT back. It applies to goods you take out of Taiwan within 90 days.8Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw

• Qualifying spend: NT$2,000, including tax, in one day at one store showing the Taiwan Tax Refund sign. Keep the forms with your passport.
• Under NT$48,000? Ask for the refund on the spot; many stores do it. This stops once you’ve claimed NT$120,000 in one visit or NT$240,000 in a year.9Taiwan Tax Refund (opens in a new tab)taxrefund.net.tw
• The fee is 20% of the refund.10Ministry of Finance (opens in a new tab)mof.gov.tw
• Allow three hours at the airport, and claim before you check your bags:
  1. Scan your passport and claim form at an e-VAT refund machine or the service counter. It tells you whether customs needs to inspect the goods.
  2. If it does, take the goods, receipts and form to the customs counter.
  3. Collect your refund at the bank counter. Take cash: card refunds carry an extra fee.