Trying to avoid paying crazy ATM fees while traveling in Ethiopia. Anyone found ATMs that are free for foreign cards? Would love specific banks or locations if possible.
For budget travelers in Ethiopia, I'd say Commercial Bank of Ethiopia ATMs in Addis Ababa worked best with my Mastercard debit card. Fees were reasonable at about 70 ETB, and daily limits covered my needs. Some ATMs in Bahir Dar stopped working with foreign cards, so be careful. If possible, use travel cards that offer free withdrawals to avoid stacking fees.
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia has the most foreign card-friendly ATMs in Addis Ababa. I used my Visa card frequently with withdrawal fees around 75 ETB per transaction. The daily limit was good enough for travel, around 12,000 ETB. Hostels in Bole like Jupiter International recommend always withdrawing from main banks in person to avoid issues. Cash is still king in many places, so plan accordingly.
I honestly found Ethiopia’s ATM situation a bit frustrating. Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and Awash Bank ATMs accept foreign cards like Mastercard, but fees add up pretty fast. The maximum daily withdrawal was about 10,000 to 15,000 ETB. Many smaller ATMs don’t accept foreign cards, so I recommend sticking to major banks and carrying some USD for emergencies.
In Addis Ababa, I had good luck using Commercial Bank of Ethiopia ATMs with my Visa debit card. The fees were moderate, usually fixed around 50 to 100 ETB, but if you have a travel card like Wise, you can save a lot on international fees. Daily withdrawal limits were enough for typical expenses, about 10,000 ETB. Plan bigger withdrawals because many smaller banks charge extra.