Which is better - choosing With or Without Conversion at ATM in Central African Republic?
The general travel advice in Central African Republic is to avoid ATM currency conversion at the machine. Always select ‘Without Conversion’ because the ATM operator’s rate tends to have a big markup. I used VISA cards at National Bank ATMs and had lower fees choosing no conversion.
If you’re in Bangui or other cities in the Central African Republic, always opt for ‘Without Conversion’ at ATMs. The bank’s rates are usually more transparent and cheaper. I made the mistake of accepting ‘With Conversion’ once, and the markup was surprisingly high. Stick to letting your bank handle it.
I was confused about this too, but in the Central African Republic, declining conversion is the better call. Those 8% or more markups shown in ‘With Conversion’ are not worth it. I withdrew cash at Ecobank ATMs and always picked ‘Without Conversion’ so my bank did the conversion, saving me quite a bit overall.
When I used ATMs in Bangui, I always chose ‘Without Conversion.’ The ‘With Conversion’ option usually means you’re accepting Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), which has a poor exchange rate plus extra fees-sometimes up to 8%. By choosing ‘Without Conversion,’ your bank handles the currency exchange, which usually gives you a better rate and fewer hidden charges.