AUD – Australian Dollar
USD – US Dollar
EUR – Euro
GBP – British Pound
NZD – New Zealand Dollar
JPY – Japanese Yen
CAD – Canadian Dollar
SGD – Singapore Dollar
CNY – Chinese Yuan
AUD – Australian Dollar
USD – US Dollar
EUR – Euro
GBP – British Pound
NZD – New Zealand Dollar
JPY – Japanese Yen
CAD – Canadian Dollar
SGD – Singapore Dollar
CNY – Chinese Yuan
When conducting international money transfers or purchasing foreign cash through National Australia Bank (NAB), the exchange rate applied to your transaction determines exactly how much foreign currency you will receive for your Australian Dollars (AUD), or vice versa.
Exchange rates fluctuate constantly throughout the day based on global financial markets. Major banks like NAB utilize specific "Buy" and "Sell" rates that differ from the "mid-market" rate often seen on Google or news sites. This calculator helps estimate the potential outcome of a conversion by applying a typical bank spread logic to current indicative market rates.
Key Factors Affecting Your Rate
The Currency Pair: Major pairs like AUD/USD usually have tighter spreads (lower costs) compared to exotic currencies.
Transfer Method: Rates for International Money Transfers (IMT) conducted via internet banking generally offer better value than exchanging physical cash at a branch.
Market Volatility: Economic announcements, interest rate changes, and geopolitical events can cause rapid spikes or drops in the AUD value.
What is the "Spread"?
The spread is the difference between the wholesale price the bank pays for currency and the price they sell it to you. For example, if the mid-market rate for AUD to USD is 0.6500, a bank might offer a customer rate of 0.6200. This difference covers the bank's operational costs and profit margin.
NAB International Transfer Fees
Beyond the exchange rate, it is important to consider transaction fees. NAB often waives transfer fees for international money transfers sent via NAB Internet Banking or the NAB app in foreign currency, though correspondent banking fees from intermediary banks may still apply.
Using This Calculator
This tool uses indicative cross-rates to simulate a conversion. By adjusting the "Estimated Bank Spread," you can see how the retail margin impacts the final amount received compared to the raw interbank rate. Use the "Typical Bank Spread" or "Conservative Estimate" settings to get a realistic idea of what a bank transfer might yield.
function calculateExchange() {
// 1. Get input values
var amountInput = document.getElementById("transferAmount").value;
var fromCurr = document.getElementById("fromCurrency").value;
var toCurr = document.getElementById("toCurrency").value;
var margin = parseFloat(document.getElementById("bankMargin").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("exchResult");
// 2. Define indicative base rates (Base: AUD = 1.0)
// These are static representative rates for demonstration logic
var rates = {
"AUD": 1.0000,
"USD": 0.6550,
"EUR": 0.6050,
"GBP": 0.5200,
"NZD": 1.0850,
"JPY": 98.500,
"CAD": 0.9000,
"SGD": 0.8800,
"CNY": 4.7500
};
// 3. Validation
if (!amountInput || isNaN(amountInput) || amountInput <= 0) {
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
resultDiv.innerHTML = "
Please enter a valid transfer amount greater than 0.
";
return;
}
var amount = parseFloat(amountInput);
// 4. Calculation Logic (Cross Rate)
// Formula: Amount * (Rate_To / Rate_From)
var baseRateTo = rates[toCurr];
var baseRateFrom = rates[fromCurr];
// Calculate raw interbank conversion
var rawConversionRate = baseRateTo / baseRateFrom;
// Apply spread/margin
// If buying foreign currency (AUD -> Other), bank gives you LESS (Rate * (1 – margin))
// If selling foreign currency (Other -> AUD), bank gives you LESS (Rate * (1 – margin))
// In simple terms, the customer always loses value on the spread.
var effectiveRate = rawConversionRate * (1 – margin);
var finalAmount = amount * effectiveRate;
// 5. Formatting
// JPY usually has no decimals or fewer decimals
var decimalPlaces = (toCurr === "JPY") ? 0 : 2;
var rateDecimals = (toCurr === "JPY") ? 2 : 4;
var formattedAmount = finalAmount.toLocaleString(undefined, { minimumFractionDigits: decimalPlaces, maximumFractionDigits: decimalPlaces });
var formattedRate = effectiveRate.toFixed(rateDecimals);
// 6. Display Output
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
resultDiv.innerHTML =
"
* This calculation is an estimation based on static representative rates and the selected margin. Actual NAB rates are live and will differ at the time of transaction.