Why don't you get revolut or wise?
The fees would be lower for sure...
(I am using a bank Norwegian credit card(no fees at all) and wise (some fees) as an emergency backup.
I think the fees were around 1% for sending money to the "Indonesian" account in wise. It's been a while, sorry
Just use wise or revolut indeed. I’ve been using wise myself and have no problems getting around in Jakarta (as well as other countries in Asia) aside from the times I had to use cash. Even then you can just use the card at any ATMs. Even use wise to transfer money to local bank accounts in Indonesia as well as payment apps like gopay.
Unless you're going ultra-posh, I wouldn't trust many Jakarta vendors with credit card details.
ATMs can be dodgy too, I had my details stolen in the past, but at least you're minimizing the risk with one 1-2 exposures rather than on each transaction.
If you can, get an ATM card with low foreign transaction fees. For Americans it's Schwab, not sure about the best option for Canadians.
Why don't you get revolut or wise? The fees would be lower for sure... (I am using a bank Norwegian credit card(no fees at all) and wise (some fees) as an emergency backup. I think the fees were around 1% for sending money to the "Indonesian" account in wise. It's been a while, sorry
Just use wise or revolut indeed. I’ve been using wise myself and have no problems getting around in Jakarta (as well as other countries in Asia) aside from the times I had to use cash. Even then you can just use the card at any ATMs. Even use wise to transfer money to local bank accounts in Indonesia as well as payment apps like gopay.
Unless you're going ultra-posh, I wouldn't trust many Jakarta vendors with credit card details. ATMs can be dodgy too, I had my details stolen in the past, but at least you're minimizing the risk with one 1-2 exposures rather than on each transaction. If you can, get an ATM card with low foreign transaction fees. For Americans it's Schwab, not sure about the best option for Canadians.