Cash in Mexican Riviera

[Naomilasha]

My husband are going on our first cruise to the Mexican Riviera on January 5th. How much cash should we expect to take? 

[CA_Cruzing]

Depends how much you like to spend and if you’re doing private shore-ex instead of Carnival shore-ex. 

 

We we usually bring around $1000 or so depending on what we have planned (tequila shopping, excursions, taxis, food and onboard gambling) and we usually come home with change. 

 

It really depends on how you like to spend/buy and vacation. Right now the Peso is 0.50 to $1USD. https://www.google.com/search?q=peso+to+usd&rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS775US775&oq=peso+to+usd&aqs=chrome..69i57.3899j0j7&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

 

Know your exchange rates so you don’t overpay in USD. 

 

And if if you’re in Cabo, it’s whale watching season. Check out WWC in Cabo for their tours. Cash discount of 15%. Well worth the deal paying cash. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by CA_Cruzing

[tallnthensome]

6 hours ago, Naomilasha said:

My husband are going on our first cruise to the Mexican Riviera on January 5th. How much cash should we expect to take? 

Nobody here could possibly know your spending habits or budget.

[Tapi]

6 hours ago, CA_Cruzing said:

Right now the Peso is 0.50 to $1USD. 

Move the decimal point one digit left. The current exchange rate is 0.05 MXN to $1 USD. Based on my last visit to Mexico for work lat week, divide prices in MXN by 20 to get the price in USD. 

 

To the OP: Don’t worry about exchanging money in this itinerary. The US dollar is widely received at destinations in Mexico that heavily cater to American tourists. 

[wheezedr]

Really impossible to answer as it depends on your travel habits as well as shopping patterns.  If you are doing ships tours your cash needs may be less than if you go off on your own.  Stores will take cash or credit but price will vary depending on whether you buy in dollars or pesos.  Always ask for the price both ways.  We have done both cruises and land vacations to PV.  On some I have gotten Pesos as I felt the exchange was worth it, on others I have just used dollars.  If you plan on dollars, bring clean untorn bills and bring some smaller bills as you will not want to get large amounts of change in Pesos. The farther off the beaten track you get the more likely Pesos will work better.

[Mike45LC]

The peso exchange rate varies considerably from store to store.  I almost never go to Money Changers while cruising.  Most of my purchases are minor, and if some store keeper uses an exchange rate of 15 pesos per dollar US for a small purchase, OK, it is not the end of the world.  

 

Credit card purchases, they charge in pesos, and my credit card uses a very good exchange rate.

 

As to how much cash?  I generally figure a couple hundred US per port, for taxi costs, meals, and purchases.  But that is just my own spending habit.

 

[mexico8]

Use pesos - you will save money using pesos for nearly everything.    Someone posted that they were going to get a taxi and the quote was about eight dollars more if paying in dollars than pesos.    That can add up quickly.

[SadieN]

Really depends on what you want to do.  

Three of us spent around $150 total ($50pp) on a 5 port MR cruise, including San Diego.  That included lunch and snacks in every port and a few small things, including a curtain for Mom's bathroom.     

[SelectSys]

On 12/27/2018 at 1:37 PM, mexico8 said:

Use pesos - you will save money using pesos for nearly everything.    Someone posted that they were going to get a taxi and the quote was about eight dollars more if paying in dollars than pesos.    That can add up quickly.

 

If you want to use pesos, the simplest thing to do is simply go to a bank ATM - Bancomer, Sandanter ... - and get your desired amount without any hassle.  I avoid off brand ATM's as I worry about fraud or excessive transaction fees.

[Hlitner]

20 hours ago, SelectSys said:

 

If you want to use pesos, the simplest thing to do is simply go to a bank ATM - Bancomer, Sandanter ... - and get your desired amount without any hassle.  I avoid off brand ATM's as I worry about fraud or excessive transaction fees.

Completely agree.  We live in PV for about 2 1/2 months a year and only use Pesos and credit cards (which are transacted in Pesos).  All of our cash (and we go through a lot of cash) is obtained ONLY from bank ATMs.  PV has many third party owned ATMs..which we avoid like the plague.  Come to think of it, I do not think any of our friends in PV use any other way to get their cash.  But it is true that one can survive using dollars and credit cards...although you might take a hit with the exchange rate you get for your dollars.   The one recent development are the new buses which may no longer accept US Dollars (we will know more about this in a few days).

 

There is one big exception to the using the Peso rule and that would be the two "Monkeys"  (Cheeky Monkey and Sea Monkey) where they give a very good exchange rate which sometimes even favors using dollars.  This is especially true when it comes to their $1 beers (Pacifico or Corona) and $1 Margaritas (probably worth about $1).  

 

Hank

[mkcurran]

Hank, 

What's the current rate that most places are posting for exchange? Last time we were there it was 16 pesos to a dollar. 

 

Thanks!

[Mike45LC]

Hank, I often use OXXO stores to do small money changes.  I'll pay for my purchase with a US$20, and get my change in pesos.  I think they were using 18 peso per dollar.  There is a small penalty in the exchange rate, but it is easy!

 

[1964IceCreamLady]

Do guides prefer to be tipped in pesos or dollars?

[njhorseman]

6 hours ago, 1964IceCreamLady said:

Do guides prefer to be tipped in pesos or dollars?

I tip tour guides in pesos but it's seems pretty common for taxi drivers to want US dollars.

[Ine]

7 hours ago, 1964IceCreamLady said:

Do guides prefer to be tipped in pesos or dollars?

That makes no difference to them.

[Charles48]

Where do we exchange our dollars for pesos???  Thanks!

[Mike45LC]

23 hours ago, Charles48 said:

Where do we exchange our dollars for pesos???  Thanks!

How much pesos do you want?

 

Best thing to do is to go to a bank's ATM and use your network bank card to make a withdraw.  Your withdrawal will be in pesos.  Generally, the Bank ATM will have a decent exchange rate and low fees.

 

Me, I go to the OXXO store (Mexico's version of 7-11), and make a purchase of some sodas and chips, paying with a US$20, and asking for my change in pesos.  The exchange rate is decent, not great, and I will usually get about 150 -- 250 pesos, more or less, in change.  That is usually enough change in pesos for me to carry.

 

By the way, I do NOT change my pesos back to US$.  I have a small stash of pesos from my last cruise, which I will bring with me on my next visit to Mexico.  If you change S$100 to pesos and then change the whole amount back to US$, you might end up with about $85 or so!

 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Mike45LC
Add caution about changing money back

[barbidoll]

We bring lots of $1's $5's and $10's so that when souvenir shopping in port, we can give close to exact change.  I feel bad when I get someone down a few bucks and then hand over a large bill. 

[HellooKitty]

Yeah, we just bought small bills and paid for everything in US dollars.  We only had $200 cash for the whole trip, but we came back with $80.  However, I'm not a big shopper, only bought magnets, and we don't really drink alcohol, so we didn't spend as much as some would.  

[crucero]

Do they like $2 bills? When we went to Cozumel, that was very popular.

[Mike45LC]

I would NOT try to use $2 bills.  Very few are in general circulation, and the storekeepers and taxi drivers are probably not familiar with them.  

 

Remember when the current series of US bills were first introduced, and lots of merchants thought they looked like Monopoly money and refused to accept them?  I'd figure the Mexican merchants would refuse to accept $2 bills.  Why cause the confusion and disruption that trying to us them would?   That would be discourteous!

[HellooKitty]

I don't think I've ever had a $2 bill....

[Hlitner]

On ‎4‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 12:23 PM, crucero said:

Do they like $2 bills? When we went to Cozumel, that was very popular.

I do not think using $2 bills is a good idea. Many Mexicans will not even recognize the denomination and they will be concerned about being stuck with something they cannot use.   You can certainly try, but make sure you have enough normal denominations  (or Pesos) just in case.

 

Hank

[crucero]

When we went before, we took $2 bills for tips. In Mexico, I was told that they consider them lucky because they see them so rarely. 

[1964IceCreamLady]

Just back from our trip to the Mexican Riviera.

 

I "bought" ~$200 in pesos which is ~$4000.  Worked out perfectly.

 

I found if you are bargaining, or even buying a drink at, say, Fat Tuesday in Cabo, things are a smidge cheaper if you pay in pesos.  For example, a drink at Fat Tuesday was $10, but it was 180 pesos.  I gave her 200 pesos and she gave me a $1 bill back.   We tipped everyone in pesos.