How much do I lose when changing my francs into euros?
When you change your salary, the bank uses a worse rate than the official rate and sometimes adds fees. Here is what it really costs you.
How to find your bank's margin
- Look at your last exchange: on the statement, find the amount in francs and the amount received in euros.
- Divide the euros by the francs: this gives you the real rate, fees included.
- Choose "The rate I was given" in the calculator and enter this rate.
Good to know: a 1% margin on 5,000 CHF per month is about 640 € per year, at the October 2026 rate. Comparing two or three options takes a few minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the official rate?
It is the reference rate published every working day by the European Central Bank. Banks and exchange services move away from it to make their money.
Should you change your whole salary in one go?
If your service charges fixed fees on each exchange, it is better to change less often. The calculator shows the effect of the number of exchanges per month.
Useful links
Rate source: European Central Bank, via the Frankfurter service.