Money, cards and ATMs in Mexico

Money and paying for things

Mexico uses the Mexican peso (MXN).

• Cards work in mid-range and upmarket restaurants, hotels, department stores and supermarkets in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and the Cancun hotel zone.
• Cash is mandatory for street food, taquerias, markets, public transport, small taxis, public toilets and anywhere rural. Keep small notes - a 500 MXN note at a taco stand is a problem.
• Withdraw only from ATMs inside bank branches: BBVA, Santander, Banorte, Citibanamex, HSBC or Scotiabank. Skimming on standalone street machines, in convenience stores and at petrol stations is the most common financial crime against visitors here - tampered card slots and pinhole cameras. A machine inside a branch, in daylight, is worth the walk.
• Fees: bank ATMs charge 30 to 100 MXN per foreign-card withdrawal (BBVA about 35, Santander about 38, Banorte about 45), and per-transaction limits run 4,000 to 8,000 MXN.
• Decline dynamic currency conversion. Choose MXN; accepting the machine's rate costs 10% to 15%.
• Airport casas de cambio are 10% to 15% off market. Use a bank ATM.

Tipping (la propina)

• Restaurants: 10% standard, 15% for good service. Check the bill first - propina is sometimes added automatically, particularly in tourist areas, and paying twice is easy.
• Bars and cafes: 10 to 20 MXN a round, or 10% to 15%.
• Hotel porters: 20 to 50 MXN a bag. Housekeeping: 30 to 50 MXN a night.
• Taxis: not expected unless the driver handled luggage.

What things cost