Montenegro uses the euro, and withdrawing cash with a foreign card at a Montenegrin bank ATM costs €4.99 to €5.99 per withdrawal in 2026, according to the banks' current tariffs. If you accept conversion into your card currency on screen (DCC), the bank charges another 10 to 13% of the amount, so choosing to withdraw in euros is almost always cheaper. A shop may not add a surcharge for paying by card (Law on Payment Transactions, Article 28), and you only pay an ATM fee if the full amount was shown to you before the transaction.
This guide compares the fees of five banks and Euronet ATMs, explains currency conversion, what the law says and how to pay less.
How much does a foreign card ATM withdrawal cost in 2026?
| Bank | Fee for withdrawing in euros | Conversion into card currency (DCC) | Tariff in force from |
| CKB | 1% of the amount, at least €5.99 | 10% of the amount | 1 September 2026 |
| Erste Bank | €5.99 | 10% of the amount | 20 July 2026 |
| Hipotekarna Banka | €5.88 | 10% of the amount | 5 March 2026 |
| Lovćen Banka | €4.99 | 10% of the amount | 20 July 2026 |
| NLB Banka | €5.99, for cards outside the NLB Group | 13% of the amount | 21 September 2026 |
| Euronet ATMs, per the Erste and Lovćen tariffs | €4.95 | 13% or 13.95% of the amount | 20 July 2026 |
- The fee in the table is charged by the bank that owns the ATM, and the bank that issued your card may add its own fee for withdrawals abroad, according to its price list.
- At CKB the 1% fee only exceeds the €5.99 minimum for withdrawals above €599, so a €600 withdrawal costs €6.
- NLB Banka does not charge the foreign card fee to NLB Group cards.
How much does conversion into your card currency cost?
- If your card is linked to another currency, such as pounds, dinars or lira, the ATM may offer to convert the amount into that currency straight away. This is dynamic currency conversion (DCC).
- For this service the banks charge 10% of the amount, NLB Banka 13%, and Euronet ATMs 13% or 13.95%, according to the tariffs in the table.
- Example: withdrawing €200 at an Erste Bank ATM costs €5.99 in fees, and if you accept conversion you pay about €20 more, around €26 in total.
- The same applies in shops: CKB, Erste and Hipotekarna charge 6% of the amount for conversion at a card terminal.
- If you decline conversion and choose euros, the bank that issued your card converts the amount at its own rate and fee.
What does the law say about ATM fees and card payments?
- A bank or other party that charges a fee for using a payment instrument must tell you about it before the transaction, and you only pay the fee if the full amount was shown to you in advance (Law on Payment Transactions, Article 13).
- Whoever offers currency conversion at an ATM or point of sale must tell you all fees and the exchange rate before the transaction (Article 14).
- ATM owners that are not banks must show the fee before the withdrawal and state it on the receipt afterwards (Article 3 point 15).
- The payee may not charge the payer a fee for using a particular payment instrument, so a shop may not add a card surcharge (Article 28).
- The rule that cross-border euro payments cost the same as domestic ones (Article 172) only applies from the day Montenegro joins the European Union (Article 193).
How can you pay less?
- On the ATM screen always choose to withdraw in euros and decline conversion into your card currency.
- Withdraw larger amounts less often, because most banks charge a fixed fee per withdrawal.
- Pay by card wherever you can, because shops may not add a card surcharge.
- Before you travel, check your own bank's price list for withdrawals abroad and whether it has partner ATMs in Montenegro.
If you are staying longer, opening an account with a Montenegrin bank is explained in our guide to a bank account for foreigners, and the rules for bringing in and paying with cash in our guide to bringing cash. The legal right to a basic account is also covered by RoNa Legal. Other travel costs are explained in our guides to SIM cards and taxi prices.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an ATM in Montenegro charge a foreign card? At Montenegrin bank ATMs a foreign card withdrawal costs €4.99 to €5.99 per withdrawal, and at CKB 1% of the amount, at least €5.99.
Is there an ATM without fees for foreign cards? The tariffs of the five banks we checked do not provide free withdrawals for foreign cards, except NLB Group cards at NLB ATMs.
Should I accept conversion at the ATM? No, because conversion into your card currency costs 10 to 13% of the amount, so withdrawing in euros is cheaper.
Can a shop charge a surcharge for paying by card? No, because the Law on Payment Transactions prohibits the payee from charging a fee for using a payment instrument (Article 28).
What currency does Montenegro use? The euro has been the official means of payment in Montenegro since March 2002, although Montenegro is not a member of the European Union.
How much does a Euronet ATM charge? Per the Erste and Lovćen tariffs the fee is €4.95, and conversion into your card currency costs 13% or 13.95% of the amount.
Sources
Foreign card fees are published in the banks' tariffs: CKB (section 14), Erste Bank, Hipotekarna Banka (items C1.18 to C1.20), Lovćen Banka (items 3.3.6 to 3.3.9) and NLB Banka (items 4.14 and 4.15). The fee rules are in the consolidated Law on Payment Transactions on the Central Bank of Montenegro website, and the history of the euro in Montenegro is published by the Central Bank of Montenegro. The information was checked on 26 September 2026, and banks may change their tariffs. Fijaka is a classifieds platform and is not affiliated with any bank.