Which is better - choosing With or Without Conversion at ATM in Ukraine?
Living in Kyiv, I’ve seen plenty of travelers get burned by DCC at ATMs. The rule’s simple: never accept the ATM’s conversion. They’re using outdated rates with built-in fees. Choose “Withdraw in Local Currency” or “No Conversion.” You’ll see the final charge in your bank account a day later, and it’ll be much closer to the true exchange rate. The only ATMs I trust here are inside bank branches - never the ones in metro stations or near hostels.
DCC is a scam - simple as that. Every ATM I used in Odessa asked me to pick, and the “With Conversion” rate was awful. Like 33 UAH per USD instead of the 37 official rate. Always hit “Continue Without Conversion” or “Decline Conversion.” If you screw it up, you're giving away money for nothing. Best ATMs for foreign cards were Raiffeisen and UkrSibbank - just be slow and read every screen carefully.
I’ve been living between Kyiv and Kharkiv since March and learned the DCC game quick. Ukrainian ATMs - especially Euronet or standalone ones - default to “With Conversion”, showing your total in USD or EUR. Don’t take the bait. Choose “Without Conversion” and your home bank will apply the interbank rate. It's usually 3-5% cheaper. I use a Wise card and never accept the ATM’s conversion - learned that lesson after a bad withdrawal in central Kyiv.
Just got back from Lviv last month - every ATM I used (especially PrivatBank and Oschadbank) popped up with the “With Conversion” or “Without Conversion” option. That’s Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) - a sneaky way to charge you in your home currency at a much worse rate. Always choose Without Conversion to let your own bank handle it - the rate is way better. One time I tested both and lost almost $8 on a $100 withdrawal by choosing “With Conversion.”