Multi-currency expense calculator
Spending in several currencies is fine as long as the group settles in one. Choose the settlement currency first, then convert each expense as you enter it.
Short answer
Convert every expense to one agreed base currency using a fixed rate for the trip, log the converted amount, and settle balances in that base currency — this avoids balances drifting as exchange rates move day to day.
People
Expenses
Balances
- Alex$375.00
- Sarah$15.00
- Mike$165.00
- Emma$195.00
+ gets money back · − owes money
💸 Settle up
Only 3 payments needed.
- EmmaAlex$195.00
- MikeAlex$165.00
- SarahAlex$15.00
Who paid what
- Alex$600.00
- Sarah$180.00
- Mike$60.00
Saved on this device. No account needed.
How it works
- 1Pick the currency the group will actually settle in.
- 2For each foreign-currency expense, convert at the rate your card used and enter that figure.
- 3Note the original amount in the expense title if you want a record.
- 4Settle once, in one currency, at the end.
Travelling across borders means paying in multiple currencies, sometimes for the same trip. If you try to settle in whichever currency each receipt happened to be in, balances become impossible to compare fairly.
The standard fix is to pick one base currency for the whole trip — usually whoever's home currency, or the destination's — and convert every expense to it using a rate agreed at the start, not whatever the bank quoted on each individual purchase.
It's worth noting exchange rates move daily; using a single illustrative rate for the whole trip is a reasonable simplification as long as everyone agrees on it upfront, rather than each person converting differently.
Worked examples with real numbers
A trip spanning EUR and THB, settled in EUR
Three friends travel through Europe then Thailand. They agree to settle everything in EUR, using an illustrative rate of 1 EUR = 38 THB for the whole trip.
| What was paid (converted to EUR) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hotel in Paris (EUR 450)Lior paid | 450.00 |
| Hotel in Bangkok (THB 9,120 ÷ 38)Mira paid | 240.00 |
| Food in Bangkok (THB 4,560 ÷ 38)Noa paid | 120.00 |
| Total | 810.00 |
| Person | Paid | Fair share | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lior | 450.00 | 270.00 | +180.00 |
| Mira | 240.00 | 270.00 | −30.00 |
| Noa | 120.00 | 270.00 | −150.00 |
- NoaLior150.00
- MiraLior30.00
Total spend in EUR terms is 810 (450+240+120), split evenly is 270 each. Converting the Thai baht costs to EUR at the trip's agreed rate first means the settlement is entirely in one currency.
Two people paying in different currencies for the same item
A couple splits a rental car: one pays the deposit in GBP, the other pays the balance in EUR at the counter. They settle in EUR using an illustrative rate of 1 GBP = 1.17 EUR.
| What was paid (converted to EUR) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Deposit (GBP 100 × 1.17)Priya paid | 117.00 |
| Balance (EUR 203)Sam paid | 203.00 |
| Total | 320.00 |
| Person | Paid | Fair share | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priya | 117.00 | 160.00 | −43.00 |
| Sam | 203.00 | 160.00 | +43.00 |
- PriyaSam43.00
Total car cost in EUR is 320, split evenly between two people is 160 each. Converting the GBP deposit first means both amounts are comparable before working out who owes what.
Converting to a single base currency
1. Pick a base currency
agree once for the whole trip, e.g. EUR
2. Convert a foreign amount
foreign amount ÷ agreed rate (units of foreign per 1 base)
e.g. THB 9,120 ÷ 38 = EUR 240
3. Log the converted amount
record the base-currency figure as the expense, noting the original for reference
4. Split and balance as normal
balance = paid (in base currency) − share (in base currency)
Rates in these examples (38 THB/EUR, 1.17 EUR/GBP) are illustrative only — use the actual rate agreed by your group.
Mistakes that cause arguments
Converting each expense at a different daily rate
Small day-to-day rate fluctuations make balances hard to reconcile — agree one rate for the trip unless amounts are very large.
Settling in whichever currency was paid, mixed together
You can't net a EUR balance against a THB balance directly — convert everything to one currency before comparing.
Ignoring card fees and dynamic currency conversion charges
These are real costs of paying abroad — log them as their own small expense rather than folding them silently into the item's price.
Practical tips
- Agree the base currency and the rate to use before the trip starts, in writing in the group.
- Note the original currency and amount alongside the converted figure for anyone checking later.
- Round consistently (e.g. to the nearest whole unit) so tiny rounding differences don't cause confusion.
- Use one rate for the whole trip rather than the live rate on the day of each purchase, unless the trip is long and rates move significantly.
- Settle the final balances in the base currency in one transfer, converting back to local currency only if the payer needs to.
Questions
- Which exchange rate should we use?
- The rate on the payer's card statement is the fairest, because it is what the money actually cost.
- Can I change the settlement currency later?
- You can, but already-entered amounts are not re-converted, so decide before you start.
- Does it support all currencies?
- Yes — every ISO 4217 currency is in the picker, formatted with its correct symbol.