Travel Tips

Currency exchange Hamilton: Best places to go to 2019

Wise

08.04.19 (updated more than 1 year ago)

Read time 3 minutes

Hamilton, located in southeastern Ontario, is the third largest city of the province. With a unique urban feel and a vibrant arts and culture scene, it’s also a great city for outdoor activities. You’ll find conservation and recreation lands, gorgeous waterfalls — all offering a great variety of opportunities for adventures.

Here’s our guide on how to exchange local money, that you need to make to make the most of your visit.

And if you’re already living in Hamilton, you’ll find all you need on exchanging currency for your trip abroad.

Check out our top tips for getting the best available deal on currency exchange in Hamilton, as well as a few specific currency exchange services to try.

Things to know before exchanging your money

No matter which way you are exchanging your currency — to or from Canadian dollar — there’s always a few simple things that you’ll want to know and understand.

Know the actual exchange rate

You’ll always want to get the best deal for your exchange rate — different providers will offer you vastly different rates. So what’s the best way to compare? The best idea is to use the mid-market rate for comparison. It’s easy — just use google or an online currency converter and you’ll see what the current mid-market rate is. It’s the rate that financial institutions use when selling currency to each other, the mid-point between the sell and buy rates. Sadly, most providers don’t give their customers a chance to purchase at this exchange rate. Instead they choose to add a margin to the rate they use, which in effect is another fee. One that’s not clearly disclosed and makes it hard to understand the true cost. So take a look at the mid-market rate, compare it to the providers and you’ll have an idea about how good or bad of a deal you’ll be getting.

There are alternatives available. One option is to try the multi-currency borderless account from Wise, for example. This type of account lets you hold your money in 40+ currencies and easily convert your money between them using the mid-market exchange rate, when the time is good for you. You won’t find any hidden costs, there’s just a small upfront fee that you’ll pay.

Remember — exchange rates always change

Taking a glance at the rates a single time isn’t enough, because they’re always changing. These fluctuations can make a huge difference in how much foreign currency you end up getting. Keeping an eye on the mid-market rate helps you find the best time to trade your money.

Research your home bank’s partnerships before you leave

Planning on using ATMs? Check out the fees beforehand and also ask from your home bank if they are participants in an ATM network, which could offer you fee free or cheap withdrawals when travelling.

Always choose to be charged in the local currency

Steer clear of DCC — Dynamic Currency Conversion. DCC happens when you’re offered the opportunity to be charged in your local currency. This isn’t a good idea, even though it seems it might make it easier to understand how much you’re spending. What you end up with is a worse rate — the exchange rate applied will be that of the ATM provider or merchant. Your own bank or card provider will usually give you a better deal. So remember to choose to pay in the local currency wherever in the world you are, for the best deal.

Avoid airport and hotel currency exchanges

The money exchanges in airports and hotels are known for having high rates — this is because they are most of the time the only choice a customer has and so they can afford to inflate the rates.

Spend your money before leaving

Don’t bring your holiday money back home.It is possible to sell your foreign currency back to an exchange service or bank, but you’ll end up paying commission again, which can leave you with less than you’d like.

Change only what you need for the travel and spend what you’ve changed.

Where to exchange money in Hamilton

We’ve listed a few popular currency exchange services to get you started. You can call in advance and check the rates available before you head out.

Name	Address	Contact details
Continental Currency Exchange	999 Upper Wentworth St z005, Hamilton, ON L9A 4X5	(905) 575-1500
Continental Currency Exchange	2 King St W #138, Hamilton, ON L8P 1A1	(905) 529-2110
United Money Exchange Inc.	586 Concession St, Hamilton, ON L8V 1B1	(647) 937-9647
Cash Money	1396 Main St E, Hamilton, ON L8K 1C1	(905) 547-1410
Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange	100 King St W #5700, Toronto, ON M5X 1C7	(416) 479-0834

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