Can I use my Starling card in Turkey?

Jetting off to Turkey soon? You’ll need to get your holiday money sorted, so you can spend in Turkish lira when you get there.

If you’re a UK customer of Starling Bank, you might want to know if you can use your debit card for your Turkish holiday. Read on to find out everything you need to know.

We’ll also have a quick look at an alternative for holiday spending from the money services provider Wise - the Wise international debit card.

Learn more about Wise 💳

Do Starling debit cards work in Turkey?

Yes, Starling Bank cards are designed for use overseas, as well as for everyday spending in the UK.

This means you can pop yours in your travel wallet, and use it for spending in Turkey.

It works just like at home, so you can use your Starling card to spend in shops, restaurants, hotels and anywhere that accepts Mastercard payments. This includes online shopping. You can also use your card to withdraw cash from an ATM in Turkey.

Are Turkish lira supported for spending?

You can spend in almost any currency with the Starling debit card. Just make sure you choose to pay in the local currency (Turkish lira) when asked, rather than in your home currency (British pound sterling).

This will mean that the currency is converted by Mastercard when you spend, which generally offers the mid-market exchange rate or very close to it.¹

You can check the Mastercard exchange rate at any time here.

Are there any limits?

There are some limits for spending on your Starling debit card overseas:²

Transaction type	Limit
Spending on your card	Up to £10,000 per day
Contactless payments	Limit varies by country
ATM withdrawals	Up to £300 per day, 6 withdrawals maximum

Do you need to tell Starling Bank that you’re going abroad?

There’s no need to tell Starling Bank in advance that you’ll be using your card in another country.¹ You can just hop on the plane and go, and start spending as soon as you arrive.

How much does it cost to use a Starling card in Turkey?

Starling Bank doesn’t charge any fees for using your debit card abroad.¹ This includes both spending and cash withdrawals, although you’ll just need to watch out that ATM operators don’t charge their own fees.

A great alternative for low-cost spending in Turkey - the Wise card

Starling Bank isn’t the only game in town when it comes to travel spending, and it’s always worth comparing all options.

Open a Wise account online and you can get a Wise international debit card for a one-time fee of just £7. This can be used for spending and ATM withdrawals in 150+ countries, including Turkey.

The Wise international debit card automatically converts your pounds to Turkish lira when you spend. But unlike some other providers, it does the conversion at the mid-market exchange rate.

There’s just a small, upfront fee to carry out the conversion. Or if you already have TRY in your account, it’s fee-free.

Need cash? You can even use your Wise card to withdraw up to £200 a month (up to 2 transactions) from Turkish ATMs for free (although remember that some ATM providers may charge their own fee).

Sign up with Wise today 💰

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So there you have it - all the key info you need to know about using your Starling debit card in Turkey. The good news is that you can use it in other countries, and you won’t be charged any fees either. Happy travels!

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Sources used for this article:

1. Starling Bank - Travel
2. Starling Bank - What limits does my card have?

Sources checked on 22-04-2024.