Peso's or American dollars in Mexico

[Alberta54]

Just wondering whether we need to have Peso's for our trip to Mexico? I understood that Mexico has stopped accepting US dollars. Thanks.

[CWcruisers]

Mexico has not stopped accepting US Dollars. They are widely accepted in Cabo, PV and all tourist destinations. A check is in restaurant is presented in both pesos and dollars and vendors will quote you prices in either currency.

 

Unless you are planning to make a big purchase, it is not necessary to exchange money for such a short visit.

[Keith1010]

USA Dollars are readily acceptable.

 

Keith

[Alberta54]

Thanks for the information.

[youbid]

You may want to buy peso. While in Mexico you will get better deals with the peso over the dollar, the vendors try to only give you a 10-1 exchange rate and today rate is 12.79 to 1 US dollar..So you will lose almost of 3 dollars on a 10 dollar purchase...Enjoy we do...

[swedish weave]

I think a lot depends on where you make your purchases. Many of the stores have a sign showing their exchange rate and they honor that rate.

 

The street vendors may all give you different exchange rates but they also have "negotiable" prices. That can be used to your advantage when using dollars.

[MSN-Travelers]

Just wondering whether we need to have Peso's for our trip to Mexico? I understood that Mexico has stopped accepting US dollars. Thanks.

 

Those of us that vacation in Mexico 2 weeks to 3-4 months at a time .... do everything in pesos. People that arrive via cruise ship for a total of 3 or 4 days can do whatever they want.

 

All ya need to know is all large purchases will be better for you if you do CASH and do PESOS. Trinket shopping, ground transportation, a bar/restaurant visit will work just fine in US dollars.

 

As others have said .... they use the "$" sign for pesos just like we see it for regular purchases in dollars. Items priced in US dollars will be listed as USD on the price tag otherwise it is pesos.

 

Enjoy!!!

[downsized]

You may want to buy peso. While in Mexico you will get better deals with the peso over the dollar, the vendors try to only give you a 10-1 exchange rate and today rate is 12.79 to 1 US dollar..So you will lose almost of 3 dollars on a 10 dollar purchase...Enjoy we do...

 

I can't let this go...I see this post way too often! We visit Cabo two or three times a year for a week to 10 days at a time. We have never, repeat never, been offered 10-1 anywhere in Cabo. This falls under the category of "Urban Myth".

When in Mexico, the kind thing to do is to buy Pesos, and pay in Pesos, but those aboard a cruise ship, only going to be there for a few hours at a time, can do well just using dollars. Most (and I mean nearly every single time) vendors have a calculator, and will offer you a very fair exchange rate when using US Dollars. The calculated rate might be off by .1 or .2, but keep in mind that the vendors have to stand in line every morning at a Cambio to exchange your dollars back into Pesos.

If you are going to buy expensive items, then yes, buy Pesos first. If you are only going to buy souvenirs, trinkets, beverages, and food items, you can use US Dollars, just fine. Just have an idea as to what the current exchange rate is. There are numerous apps for that, or you can just stroll by one of the Cambios in Cabo to find out.

[Rosefloater]

I can't let this go...I see this post way too often! We visit Cabo two or three times a year for a week to 10 days at a time. We have never, repeat never, been offered 10-1 anywhere in Cabo. This falls under the category of "Urban Myth".

 

Maybe not in Cabo, but there are stores in Puerto Vallarta, Ensenada and Manzanillo that offer the 10:1 ratio. The 10:1 ratio is not an "Urban Myth".

 

FYI - We were on a tour and went to a tile store in PV. We were offered 10:1 rate and decided to keep looking. When a man behind us in line was offered an 11:1 rate, we overheard this and ask the worker for that rate and he wouldn't give it to us. We walked out of the tile store with no purchases. (The man and us were basically buying the same small souvenirs.)

[MSN-Travelers]

You may want to buy peso. While in Mexico you will get better deals with the peso over the dollar, the vendors try to only give you a 10-1 exchange rate and today rate is 12.79 to 1 US dollar..So you will lose almost of 3 dollars on a 10 dollar purchase...Enjoy we do...

 

I can't let this go...I see this post way too often! We visit Cabo two or three times a year for a week to 10 days at a time. We have never, repeat never, been offered 10-1 anywhere in Cabo. This falls under the category of "Urban Myth".

 

I have never, repeat never, met a taxi driver in Vallarta that offered an exchange rate other than 10:1. Same goes for the beach vendors. You are correct in saying that most shop owners and restaurants will offer a rate close to the daily international rate.

 

Cash is king in Vallarta. Use plastic and the shop owner will add on the CC merchant fee to the final price.

 

Enjoy!

[ronrythm]

Quick, what's $128.00 divided by 12.8871? Can't figure it out without your calculator? What's a $128.00 divided by 10? That's easy, just move the decimal point one place to the left and you get $12.80. And that's why most of the casual vendors and taxi drivers use the 10 to 1 conversion. They're not really trying to rip anyone off, they are just trying to make the math easy and fast so they can go on to the next customer or fare. If you need to watch prices that carefully go with Pesos. 12.8871 is the market exchange rate as I write this.

Enjoy

Ron

p.s. It's $9.93. So I spent an extra $2.90 on that lunch. Of course it would have cost me about $30.00 here in Orange County California USA. And the Shrimp would not have been as fresh.

[youbid]

This falls under the category of "Urban Myth".

 

Sorry friend, I have been going to Baja for over 45 years no less than 75 times, as I live in So. Ca. and I do know what I am talking about. Years ago we could eat in any restaurant and order off a Mexican printed menu and pay about 1/4 of the cost on the menu printed in english. As for the 10-1 almost all vendors in the tourist area either have a sign or will ask for this exchange rate. Not a myth...

[downsized]

This falls under the category of "Urban Myth".

 

Sorry friend, I have been going to Baja for over 45 years no less than 75 times, as I live in So. Ca. and I do know what I am talking about. Years ago we could eat in any restaurant and order off a Mexican printed menu and pay about 1/4 of the cost on the menu printed in english. As for the 10-1 almost all vendors in the tourist area either have a sign or will ask for this exchange rate. Not a myth...

 

First of all, from your post, it appears that I am not your friend.

I can neither speak of "years ago", nor was I speaking of anywhere but Cabo San Lucas. That being said, I stand behind my post.

We were in Cabo as recently as April, and will be there again in 11 days.

For inexpensive purchases, beverages, and meals, Pesos are best, but US dollars will work, and at a fair exchange rate.

[cabo helper]

First of all, from your post, it appears that I am not your friend.

I can neither speak of "years ago", nor was I speaking of anywhere but Cabo San Lucas. That being said, I stand behind my post.

We were in Cabo as recently as April, and will be there again in 11 days.

For inexpensive purchases, beverages, and meals, Pesos are best, but US dollars will work, and at a fair exchange rate.

 

I agree with you and MSN totally. The vendors here in Cabo all have little handheld calculators to figure rates even the ones on the sidewalks. I have lived here over 7 years and have never seen 10/1 ratios. I just asked everyone in my office and only one person said that she was offered 10/1 once recently and that was at a little neighborhood grocery in her colonia. I am not sayiing it does not happen around occasionally but I am betting 99.99 times out of 100 that the rate you will see in the tourist areas is close to going rate. Just keep in mind that the rates will vary slightly from shop to shop - example...I just came back from my bank. Within 1 block I saw 12.63 at Banorte Bank, 11.7 at Pemex, 12.8 at OXXO store and 12.78 at Banamex Bank.