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USA dollars in Mexico?

Retiring cajun

By Retiring cajun,
in Princess Cruises

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itchyfeet

itchyfeet

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We travel to Mexico often. You will get better prices if you pay in pesos because they have to pay a fee to have the dollars changed into pesos. Most businesses except vendors will accept credit cards. We use a credit card that does not have an exchange fee. Also let your cc company know you will be traveling in Mexico.

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tonit964

tonit964

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Can we use USA dollars in Mexico? Will the change be given back in dollars?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

Yes, they take US dollars. You may or may not get change in US, we've had both. We take lots of small bills with us so if we do get pesos, it's not too much.

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joeyancho

joeyancho

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In tourist areas you will get dollars in change. They will be more than happy to take your dollars. If prices are posted in pesos, don't expect to get to get the current exchange rates for your dollars. You will get a few pesos less, because they have to exchange the dollars for pesos and that costs them.

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SadieN

SadieN

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We pay in dollars in the more frequently visited cities. In the others and places that don't see too many tourists, we pay in pesos.

We figured out that supermarkets and Walmart will the best exchange rate for our dollars.

 

Don't fret too much about bad exchange rates. Last cruise we figured it cost us about $6 more to pay in USD rather than pesos.

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Griller

Griller

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Last week it was about 20 pesos for $1 US. Some places gave that, other stores calculated it at 17 pesos. If its a larger purchase like in a pharmacy I normally use a debit card in pesos and get a good rate through my bank.

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Griller

Griller

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It is often hard to get pesos in Mexico.

 

ATMs in tourist areas such as Cozumel only dispense US $

 

Cozumel is such a poor advertisement for Mexico, there are other such nice places there and nice people, not like Cozumel and the other main tourist towns.

But of course most cruise passengers only see those awful coastal resorts.

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wishfulone

wishfulone

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We're going to puerto Vallarta, mazatlan, Cabo

 

 

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Every restaurant, cafe, tourist stall, craft market, tour company in all three of those places will accept USD. MOst of the restaurants actually display their charges in USD. Carry plenty of small bills. Bargain in US currency. Pay in US currency.

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El Crucero

El Crucero

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Can we use USA dollars in Mexico? Will the change be given back in dollars?

 

I live about half the year in Mexico and love it. Yes, most places in tourist areas like PV, Mazatlan, and Cabo will accept dollars but realize it will cost you about 5% to 10% more to use them. You will get your change back in pesos. You can change those pesos back into dollars at a bank in the USA, but it will cost you 5% to 10% to exchange.

 

I do not recommend using ATMs in tourist areas for two reasons, 1. they will give you pesos not dollars (I know there are a few hard to find exceptions) and 2. ATMs in tourist areas are prone to hacking by the bad guys.

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Colo Cruiser

Colo Cruiser

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I live about half the year in Mexico and love it. Yes, most places in tourist areas like PV, Mazatlan, and Cabo will accept dollars but realize it will cost you about 5% to 10% more to use them. You will get your change back in pesos. You can change those pesos back into dollars at a bank in the USA, but it will cost you 5% to 10% to exchange.

 

I do not recommend using ATMs in tourist areas for two reasons, 1. they will give you pesos not dollars (I know there are a few hard to find exceptions) and 2. ATMs in tourist areas are prone to hacking by the bad guys.

 

 

 

We travel there all the time have always asked for and received US $$ back in change and no we did not pay 5% to 10% more. Be aware of what is transpiring.

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Parrottdizes

Parrottdizes

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We're going to puerto Vallarta, mazatlan, Cabo

 

 

Have land vacationed in all of those places and they all accept US dollars. Many shops will show the prices in both dollars and pesos. Street vendors accepted dollars.

 

If you take a taxi anywhere, do agree on the price before you get in the taxi.....just so there is no confusion later. And yes, they did accept US dollars.

 

 

Sometimes there are excursions to small villages and it is at these times that you would be better off using pesos. The person selling that type of tour should tell you this before hand.

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4x4bob

4x4bob

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There is one very important service industry that has not been covered as of yet.

 

Bathrooms. You will find that most bathrooms have a guard that will collect payment before you go in. And, do not forget to obtain paper if you think you will need it.

 

 

Now, if there is a guard you can normally pay with USD.

 

 

However, if you run into an automated Bathroom with a turnstile that you have insert cash payment it will only work with Peso's.

 

 

I saw this happen in a bus station when a bus load of passengers headed over to the bathroom to find the turnstile and most of them did not have any Peso's. The look on their faces said it all. But, But we were told that all we needed was USD and a credit card.

 

 

Bob

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SadieN

SadieN

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There is one very important service industry that has not been covered as of yet.

 

Bathrooms. You will find that most bathrooms have a guard that will collect payment before you go in. And, do not forget to obtain paper if you think you will need it.

 

 

Now, if there is a guard you can normally pay with USD.

 

 

However, if you run into an automated Bathroom with a turnstile that you have insert cash payment it will only work with Peso's.

 

 

I saw this happen in a bus station when a bus load of passengers headed over to the bathroom to find the turnstile and most of them did not have any Peso's. The look on their faces said it all. But, But we were told that all we needed was USD and a credit card.

 

 

Bob

 

 

Bob

You forgot an important detail ;)

All that paper you bought---goes into the trash, not the toilet.

In Cabo the fee was 5pesos. In the La Paz bus station the fee was 6pesos.

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