Currency

The currency is Mexican Peso (MXN or M$), divided into 100 centavos. Notes come in denominations of M$1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 (new 20- and 50-peso bills are made from polymer plastic). Coins are issued in M$100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centavos.

US dollars are widely accepted in the north as well as in tourist areas. Other currencies, like euros, British pounds or Canadian dollars, are generally not accepted by merchants. Prices in US dollars are usually marked with "US$" symbol to differentiate from prices in pesos, marked with just "$".

Money Exchange

Money can be exchanged at banks, airports, hotels or exchange offices. Exchange offices usually give better exchange rates than hotels and may accept more foreign currencies than banks. When paying merchants with US$, travelers will usually get a little worse exchange rate.

ATMs

ATMs (called caja permanente or cajero automático) are widely available. They accept most major credit cards as well as some debit cards, especially the ones using Cirrus or Plus systems.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are acceptable in Mexico, although they are not as popular as in the United States, Canada or Europe. Most widely accepted cards are Visa and MasterCard. Some merchants will charge extra fee (about 5%) when paying by card.

Traveler's Checks

Traveler's checks issued by well-known brands (such as American Express or Visa) can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices or at hotels. Preferable currency is US dollars.

Banking Hours

Usual banking hours are from Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Some banks are also open on Saturdays and/or longer hours.

Current Mexican Peso Rates

For other currencies or conversion amounts go to Currency Converter

    

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