Money & Payment
The currency is the Mexican Peso (MXN), symbol: $. Beware of confusion: The $ sign stands for pesos in Mexico, not US dollars! If a restaurant lists “$150” on the menu, it's pesos (approx. €8), not dollars.
Exchange Rate
1 EUR ≈ 18–19 MXN (as of 2026). Easy to calculate: Peso price divided by 18 ≈ Euro price.
Withdrawing Money
- ATMs (Cajeros): Available everywhere (OXXO, banks, shopping centers). Citibanamex, BBVA, and HSBC are the most reliable. Max. 6,000–9,000 MXN per withdrawal.
- Fees: Most Mexican banks charge 30–50 MXN per withdrawal. Your home bank's fees are additional. DKB Visa and Revolut are the cheapest in terms of fees.
- ALWAYS withdraw in MXN! If the ATM asks “Accept exchange rate?”, say NO and withdraw in local currency. Otherwise, you pay a poor conversion rate (Dynamic Currency Conversion).
Card Payment
Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are accepted in hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets. In rural restaurants and cafes, at street stalls, in Colectivos, and small shops: cash only. Always carry 500–1,000 MXN in cash.
Propina (Tip)
- Restaurants: 10–15% (in tourist areas, 15% is standard). Check the bill to see if “propina” is already included!
- Bars: 10% or round up to the nearest amount.
- Hotel staff: 20–50 MXN per night for housekeeping.
- Taxi drivers: Tips are not customary, but rounding up is nice.
- Guides: 100–200 MXN per day for a good guide.
- Supermarket packers: 5–10 MXN — these are often retirees or young people who rely solely on tips.
💡 Tipp
NEVER exchange money at the airport — the rate is disastrous (up to 20% loss). Instead: withdraw MXN at an ATM in the terminal. Even better: use a Revolut or Wise card with a real-time exchange rate.
