ATM Fees on Bali: Why the “5 Percent BCA Fee” Is a Misunderstanding

Last updated on 12 September 2026

One figure circulates about Bali that is simply wrong: that BCA machines charge 5 percent. They do not. BCA charges foreign cards no fee at all — the 5 percent arises somewhere entirely different, and you decide whether to pay it. Understanding that difference saves more on a Bali trip than choosing the right bank does.

The fee-free machines

As of 12 September 2026, from the POVNOMAD fee dataset (ATM Fee Saver, as of 1 September 2026), not individually cross-checked per bank. Independent guides consistently name BCA, BNI and Maybank as good options, though some also list Mandiri as fee-free, which contradicts our data (see below). The figure shown on the ATM screen is what applies.

BCA and Danamon are the two most dependable addresses. Both charge nothing regardless of card type per our data, whereas at BNI, BTN, HSBC and Common Wealth the fee depends on your card or the location.

Where the “5 percent BCA fee” actually comes from

The number is not invented, just misattributed. Like almost all Indonesian machines, BCA ATMs offer to bill you in your home currency at their own exchange rate. Our dataset puts that markup at 5 to 10 percent for BCA and 5 percent for Mandiri.

That is not an ATM fee but a currency conversion markup. The crucial difference: a fee you have to pay, a conversion you can decline.

On screen you will see something like “With conversion” against “Without conversion”, or “Decline conversion”. Always take the option without conversion, settling in rupiah. Your own bank then converts at the Visa or Mastercard rate, which is considerably better. The full explanation is in With or without conversion? — the ATM screens are reproduced there.

Once you understand that, you genuinely do withdraw free on Bali. Accept it and you pay roughly €8 to €16 too much on a 2.5 million rupiah withdrawal — and then go and write in a forum that BCA charges 5 percent.

The machines that do charge

As of 12 September 2026, source as above. Divergence from the second source: several guides list Mandiri as fee-free or very cheap; our dataset says Rp 50,000. We cannot resolve the contradiction — check the screen.

CIMB is the only operator charging a percentage and therefore the most expensive on larger amounts: 6.5 percent of three million rupiah is about 195,000, while BCA takes nothing.

The sticker on the machine tells you the limit

A detail that helps in practice and appears almost nowhere: Indonesian machines often carry a sticker showing a note denomination, and it tells you how much you can take out.

• “Rp 100,000” on the machine: it dispenses 100,000 notes and the limit is correspondingly higher — usually 2.5 million rupiah at BCA.
• “Rp 50,000”: it dispenses 50,000 notes and the limit is lower, around 1.25 million at Mandiri.

Because the Indonesian fee is flat, that sticker is worth a glance: the machine with the higher limit halves the number of withdrawals you need.

Low limits are the real obstacle

Between one and three million rupiah per withdrawal, roughly €55 to €170. That is far less than in most destinations and the reason the fee question matters so much on Bali.

A worked example: needing €1,500 in cash over three weeks, at a two million rupiah limit, means around fourteen withdrawals. At BRI’s 30,000 rupiah that is some 420,000 rupiah in fees, about €24. At BCA it is nothing.

So find a BCA or Danamon machine near your accommodation early on and withdraw there regularly, rather than taking whatever is nearest while out and about.

Where not to withdraw on Bali

Free-standing machines without a bank logo exist on Bali too, mainly in Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu and along the beach strips. They do not stand at a branch and belong to independent operators.

Use machines that clearly belong to a bank and ideally sit inside a branch, a supermarket or a guarded shopping centre. That is also the advice Indonesian travel guides give consistently, and it has a second reason beyond price: card skimming is a known issue on Bali, and machines inside branches are covered by cameras.

What your own bank adds

The rupiah figures above are the Indonesian operator’s charge and apply whoever issued your card. On top, most banks add a foreign transaction fee, commonly around 1 to 3 percent, and some add a flat charge per withdrawal.

On Bali that second item is decisive: if your bank charges a flat fee per withdrawal, fourteen withdrawals add up substantially even when the Indonesian machine takes nothing. We deliberately name no individual issuer’s terms; they change often, and only your bank can confirm them.

Why you want a signal at the machine

Many banks now require approval through a push notification in their app for withdrawals abroad; with no data connection the card is declined. On Bali there is the practical benefit too: finding the nearest BCA or Danamon machine on a map rather than settling for whatever is closest.

An Indonesia eSIM from POVNOMAD starts at €1.00 and covers all of Bali. Install it at home by QR code; validity starts when it first connects. Unlimited plans include tethering at no extra cost up to the daily allowance, after which the connection continues at 1 Mbit/s. How we compare with other providers is in our Bali eSIM comparison.

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