Spain · Currency & payments · 2026
Paying for things in Ibiza
Card-friendly nation. Contactless and Apple Pay / Google Pay work in 90%+ of restaurants and venues, including small tavernas. Cash is still expected for tips, beach kiosks, and a handful of family-run cafés.
Cash, cards, and ATM tactics
ATMs are everywhere; CaixaBank, BBVA, Santander, and Bankinter machines don't charge withdrawal fees on most foreign cards. Independent / hotel-lobby ATMs (Euronet) charge €4-8 per pull — avoid.
When the ATM offers to dispense in your home currency, decline. That's Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) — your bank's exchange rate beats it every time.
Card surcharges in restaurants are illegal under EU rules. If a venue tries one, push back.
€500 notes are no longer issued and many small businesses won't accept them. €100 and below clears anywhere.
Tipping — what locals actually do
- Restaurants
- 5-10% for genuinely good service. Round up to the nearest €5 if it was fine. Not tipping is normal for casual cafés and tapas counters.
- Taxis
- Round up to the nearest euro. 10% for a long airport run.
- Hotels & service
- €1-2 per bag for hotel porters. €1-2 per night for housekeeping if you've been demanding.
The travel-card question
Wise (was TransferWise) and Revolut beat almost every UK / US bank card on EUR transactions. Charles Schwab Investor Checking refunds all ATM fees globally. Avoid using Amex outside hotels and the bigger restaurants — acceptance is patchy.
Last reviewed . FX rates are not quoted on this page — they move daily; use Wise’s converter for the live rate.
See also: visa & entry · weather & climate · travel essentials.