Money exchange in Phuket (2026): where to get the best rate

Short answer: you get the best rate at licensed money changers and bank exchange booths in Patong or Phuket Town, not at the airport or your hotel. Bring clean 100-dollar (or 50-euro and up) bills, take your passport, and compare two or three booths before you change a large sum. A foreign card in an ATM costs 220 THB per withdrawal plus your own bank's fees, so it is the most expensive way to get cash for small amounts.

Where to exchange money in Phuket: options compared

Money changers in Patong and Phuket Town

Exchange booths line the main streets of Patong, Karon, Kata and Phuket Town. Some are run by banks, others are independent licensed changers. The independents often pay a bit more, and the difference between two booths on the same street can be noticeable on a large amount.

Every booth shows a board with two columns. "We buy" is the rate you get when you sell them dollars or euros, so that is the only column that matters to you. Most boards list separate rates by bill size: 100 and 50 dollars get the top rate, 20s and smaller get less.

Ask how many baht you will get for your exact amount before you hand over any money. A board that says "no commission" means nothing if the rate itself is low.

Is there SuperRich in Phuket?

SuperRich and Vasu are the Bangkok money changers people usually mean when they search for the best exchange rate in Thailand. Note that there are two separate SuperRich companies, SuperRich Thailand (green logo) and SuperRich 1965 (orange logo). Most of their branches are in Bangkok, so check the current branch list on the official site before you plan a trip across the island for one.

Even if you never visit one, their websites publish live rates. Open one before you go out, and you will know what a good "We buy" rate looks like that day. A Phuket booth close to it is worth using.

Banks and the airport

Bank booths are the safe middle option: the rate is a little below the best independent changers, but they are everywhere, they issue a receipt, and nobody tries to rush you. Take your passport, as with any exchange in Thailand.

At Phuket airport, change only enough for the taxi or transfer and the first few hours. The counters in the arrivals hall pay less than the booths in town, so carry the rest to Patong or Phuket Town.

Which bills get the best rate

• Large bills. 100-dollar bills get the top rate; 50s are close; 1 to 20 dollars get noticeably less. The same logic applies to euros and pounds.
• New series. Current-design 100-dollar bills (with the wide blue security ribbon) are accepted everywhere. Older series may get a lower rate or be refused.
• Clean and whole. Writing, stamps, tears and heavy creases are a reason to cut the rate or refuse the bill.

How not to get short-changed

• Work out the total first. Multiply the board rate by your amount on your phone and compare it with what you are given.
• Count at the counter. Count the baht yourself before you step away. Do not hand the stack back for a "recount" out of your sight.
• Get a receipt. Licensed changers and banks print one; a booth that will not is a booth to skip.
• Hand over your cash after you hear the final number in baht, not before.

ATMs: convenient but expensive for small amounts

Thai banks charge foreign cards a flat 220 THB per withdrawal, and your own bank usually adds its own fee and exchange margin. Taking out 3,000 THB at a time, that fee alone is over 7%. If the ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and choose baht. Fees and limits by bank are in our guide to ATM fees in Thailand.

Rubles in Phuket: what works in 2026

Short answer: ruble banknotes are a poor choice in Phuket, and Russian cards do not work at all. Most money changers and Thai banks do not buy rubles; the few booths that do pay a wide spread. Visa, Mastercard and Mir cards issued by Russian banks are declined by Thai ATMs and terminals. If your money is in rubles, transfer them from a Russian bank through an exchange service and collect baht on the island: at a cardless ATM, by courier or to a Thai bank account. How the transfer works is covered on the rubles to baht page.

No cash to exchange? USDT to cash baht

If your money sits in USDT rather than in banknotes, you do not need a money changer at all. OneEx buys USDT on TRC20, ERC20 or BEP20 (and rubles from Russian banks) and pays out cash baht in Phuket at a cardless ATM with a one-time code or by courier to Patong, Karon, Kata or Rawai. The baht amount is confirmed before you send anything, and the fee is already in the quote, which gets better on larger amounts and is only available in the Telegram bot. The minimum is the equivalent of 5,000 RUB.

How this compares with P2P and crypto ATMs on the island is covered in sell USDT for cash in Phuket. Payout options by area are on the Phuket exchange page.

FAQ

OneEx's exchange rate is only available in the Telegram bot: the manager quotes it for your amount and fixes it before you pay. To get a quote, message the OneEx Telegram bot. OneEx is a P2P exchange between individuals.