By Syam, JesTiny Guide · Last checked: 22 October 2026

Mactan-Cebu Airport (CEB) Currency Exchange: Counters, ATMs and Rules

Cebu is one of the few airports we cover where a travel writer has measured the gap between the airport rate and the market rate. This guide sets out what that guide found, what three airport guides say about the counters and ATMs, and what the Philippine rules say about carrying pesos and foreign cash. We found no page from the airport operator that lists the counters, so the operator list rests on travel guides. We did not measure any rates ourselves.

The short version

• A travel guide (THAIest, 13 March 2025) found Curex Money Changer at the airport and measured its rates 5.0% to 5.7% below the mid-market rate for US dollars, euros, pounds and Singapore dollars, and 10.6% below Australian dollars. It was one visit, and rates change.
• Two other guides (Sleeping in Airports, February 2026, and Airport Information, undated) say Curex and LuLu Money have exchange counters in both terminals. THAIest did not confirm LuLu at the airport.
• Airport Information says Terminal 1 is domestic, Terminal 2 is international, they are about 500 metres apart, and a free shuttle bus runs between them every 15 minutes. The 3D Universal guide (July 2026) agrees on the domestic/international split.
• The same Airport Information page places ATMs in Terminal 1 at the White Taxi Bay in Arrivals and in Terminal 2 at the Terminal Link Bridge in Departures. It names no banks.
• A Philippine embassy page states taking more than 50,000 pesos in or out is prohibited without Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas authorisation, and for foreign currency above US$10,000 a declaration is required.
• No source was found for hours at any counter.

What the rate measurement shows

THAIest's table compares the rates at the Cebu airport counter with the mid-market rate on the author's visit:

• US dollar: 49.15 pesos against 52.10, about 5.7% lower.
• Euro: 60.69 against 64.10, about 5.3% lower.
• Pound: 69.27 against 72.95, about 5.0% lower.
• Singapore dollar: 37.48 against 39.58, about 5.3% lower.
• Australian dollar: 35.73 against 39.98, about 10.6% lower.

The author mentions Manila money changers gave approximately 52.00 pesos to the US dollar and 63.80 to the euro at the time, in line with the mid-market figures. The author also says the rates for selling foreign currency back were uncompetitive.

There are several caveats. It is one visit. The guide states no clock time for the readings, and the author notes that changers adjust their margins. The guide promotes the Wise card and carries affiliate links. The figures compare the airport with Manila changers and the mid-market rate, not with other Cebu changers, so they do not reflect what a Cebu city changer would give. They highlight that a Cebu airport rate is not close to the market. We will not turn these into a general figure for the airport, as we cannot prove the gap remains on another day.

Who runs the counters

THAIest says Curex Money Changer was the only changer the author found, and the only one the airport's website promoted. It says "latest reports" have a LuLu Money branch at the airport but does not confirm it. Sleeping in Airports says currency exchange is available through Curex and LuLu Money in both terminals and gives no hours. Airport Information says Curex and LuLu Money have exchange bureaus in both terminals. 3D Universal says both terminals have several ATMs and money changers.

That is three guides naming the same two operators and one stating only Curex, so the two-operator picture is likely but unconfirmed by the operator. None of them lists a position inside a terminal.

Hours

We found no hours for either operator. Sleeping in Airports says the airport is open 24 hours and gives no separate hours for exchange or ATMs. If your flight arrives at night, treat a counter as possibly closed and plan on an ATM or card.

The two terminals

Airport Information describes Terminal 1 as the older domestic terminal with 6 gates and Terminal 2 as the international terminal, opened in 2018, with 7 gates. It says they are approximately 500 metres apart with a free 24-hour shuttle bus every 15 minutes. 3D Universal, published in September 2025 and updated in July 2026, says Terminal 1 is mainly domestic and Terminal 2 is international.

This matters for money in one way. If you land from abroad you arrive at Terminal 2, and the Terminal 1 counters are for domestic passengers and connections. Check which terminal you're using before walking to a counter.

ATMs

Airport Information places an ATM in Terminal 1 near the White Taxi Bay in Arrivals and one in Terminal 2 at the Terminal Link Bridge in Departures. Sleeping in Airports and 3D Universal say both terminals have ATMs. None of them lists the banks or gives fees or withdrawal limits. THAIest notes that an ATM costs you the exchange rate, your own bank's foreign withdrawal fee and possibly a fee from the Philippine bank.

Check the fee shown on the machine before accepting, and choose pesos if a machine offers to charge you in your home currency. Our guide to dynamic currency conversion explains why.

To see what a percentage gap costs on your amount, use our mid-market rate guide.

How to check a rate yourself

This section is our advice, not a sourced fact.

1. Look up the mid-market rate for your currency pair on the day you travel.
2. Ask the counter for the final amount in Philippine pesos for your exact sum, including every fee.
3. Divide the counter's rate by the mid-market rate. A result of 0.98 means 2% below.
4. If a sign says "no commission" ask for the final amount anyway, as the margin may be inside the rate.
5. Keep the exchange receipt, and keep the amount small if you can wait for a better rate in the city.

Carrying pesos and foreign cash

A Philippine embassy page (Philippine Consulate General, Sydney) states that bringing Philippine currency in or out above 50,000 pesos is prohibited, and that carrying more needs prior authorisation from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. It says no Bangko Sentral permit is required to bring foreign currency in or out, but that foreign currency above US$10,000 must be declared at the Bureau of Customs desk, in the arrival area when entering and in the departure area when leaving. The declaration states the amount and the source of the money. The page shows no date and does not mention penalties.

A diplomatic page is a second-hand source for customs rules, so check the current rule with the Bureau of Customs or the Bangko Sentral before carrying a large sum.

Getting from the airport to the city

3D Universal says Grab operates in Cebu and is one of the easiest ways to book a ride, that pickups are at designated zones, and that both white regular taxis and yellow airport taxis are available, with yellow taxis having a higher flag-down rate but being more reliable. It gives no fares.

The money point is that your first ride may require cash or a card, depending on the driver or the app. We could not confirm from any source which payment methods the taxis take, so keep a small amount of pesos for the first leg, and decide how much from the rate you are quoted.

Questions to ask at the counter

The one measured rate is from March 2025, so the counter is where you find out today's. These questions need no source, because the answers are on the screen or the receipt.

• What is the exact amount in pesos for my sum, after every charge?
• Is there a fee on top of the rate, and is it fixed or a percentage?
• Does the receipt show the rate used, so I can compare it with the mid-market rate?
• Is my currency in stock, and are all banknote sizes accepted?

A small sum is unlikely to be worth a long search. A larger sum is where comparison matters, because the percentage gap grows with the amount, and the one measurement we found was about 5%.

Guides older than this page may name different operators or hours; check the date on any guide you use, and see our updates and corrections.

Our reading of the sources

This section is our reading. It is not a sourced fact. The one measured comparison is large enough to be important: a gap of about 5% on a small sum is a few hundred pesos, and on a larger sum it grows in proportion. The same guide says the author found better rates in Manila, which suggests a city changer in Cebu may perform better, though we did not measure any. For the first taxi and a meal, the airport counter is a convenience that costs little in absolute terms. For a larger sum, changing a smaller amount at the airport and the rest in the city is the cautious plan. Cards and ATMs have their own fees, so the cheapest route depends on your own card.

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm the opening hours or exact positions of the Curex and LuLu Money counters, or the current gap against the mid-market rate, since the only measurement is one visit from March 2025.

A simple plan

1. Check whether you arrive at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, and find the Curex or LuLu Money counter there.
2. Ask for the final amount in pesos for your exact sum, and compare it with the mid-market rate on the day.
3. Change only what you need for the first hours if you can wait for a better rate in Cebu City.
4. At an ATM, choose pesos if offered a choice, and check your own card's fees first.
5. If you carry more than US$10,000 in foreign currency, declare it. Do not carry more than 50,000 pesos without authorisation.

FAQ

Who runs the money changers at Cebu airport?
Three guides name Curex and LuLu Money in both terminals, and one found only Curex. We found no operator page.

Are the counters open 24 hours?
We found no hours for either operator.

How big is the rate gap at the airport?
One guide measured about 5% to 5.7% below the mid-market rate for major currencies and 10.6% for Australian dollars, on one visit in 2025.

Where are the ATMs?
One guide places them in Terminal 1 Arrivals near the White Taxi Bay and in Terminal 2 at the Terminal Link Bridge in Departures.

How much cash can I carry?
An embassy page says no more than 50,000 pesos without authorisation, and foreign currency above US$10,000 must be declared.

Sources and how we checked them

Checked on 22 October 2026. Where we call something confirmed, at least two of these sources agree, or an official source states it directly. THAIest promotes a card and carries affiliate links. The embassy page is a secondary source for customs rules.

• THAIest, travel site, Currency exchange rates at Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB), updated 13 March 2025.
• Sleeping in Airports, travel site, Cebu airport guide, last updated 3 February 2026.
• Airport Information, travel site, Cebu airport page (undated).
• 3D Universal English Institute, guide to Mactan-Cebu International Airport, published 25 September 2025, updated 30 July 2026.
• Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, Department of Foreign Affairs, Bringing currency into the Philippines (undated).

Editorial note: The counter, rate and airport information in this guide is editorial and is not paid for. Rates and fees change, so confirm the final rate at the counter before exchanging.