How this converter works
This converter doesn't fetch live rates — you enter the current exchange rate (from your bank, a search engine, or your central bank) and the calculator does the math. That avoids relying on external services and makes it clear exactly which rate is being used in each calculation, which is especially useful for comparing offers or understanding the real cost of a transaction.
Formulas used
Currency conversion: converted amount = amount × exchange rate, and the inverse rate is simply 1 ÷ exchange rate.
Rate comparison: the amount is converted at the reference rate and at the offered rate, and the difference between the two results shows how much more (or less) you'd pay using the offered rate.
Real cost of an international purchase: the amount is converted at the exchange rate you enter, then the card's spread (the issuer's foreign-exchange markup) is applied, and finally the foreign-transaction fee is applied on top of the already-converted, already-spread amount.
Worked example: currency conversion
With an amount of 100 units in the source currency and an exchange rate of 5.00, the converted amount is 500.00 in the target currency, and the inverse rate is 0.2000 — meaning 1 unit of the target currency equals 0.2 units of the source currency.
Worked example: rate comparison
With 1,000 units in foreign currency, a reference rate of 5.00 and an offered rate of 5.25, you'd pay 250.00 more using the offered rate — a 5% difference compared to the reference rate.
Worked example: real cost of an international purchase
With a purchase of 100 units in foreign currency, an exchange rate of 5.00, a 2% card spread, and a 3.5% foreign-transaction fee, the amount converted at the pure exchange rate is $500.00, but the total that shows up on your statement, after spread and the fee, comes to approximately $527.85.
What the calculator doesn't account for
Exchange rates, the spread charged by each card or institution, and foreign-transaction fees change frequently and vary by issuer and country. The figures used here are always whatever you enter — confirm the day's rate, your card's spread, and the current fee before making decisions based on the results.