The currency. The Mexican peso (MXN), written with the same $ sign as the dollar — which is the single most common source of confusion for visitors. Prices in shops and restaurants are in pesos unless explicitly marked USD. Notes run from 20 to 1,000 pesos; coins from 50 centavos to 20 pesos.
Where to change money. ATMs give the best rate in practice: use machines inside bank branches or shopping centres rather than free-standing ones on the street, and decline the machine's own currency conversion if offered. Casas de cambio are widespread in the centre, the Zona Rosa and the airport; airport rates are the worst in the city. Banks change money but ask for identification and are slower.
Cards. Accepted in almost all restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and shops. Not accepted in markets, street food stalls, most taquerías, small cantinas and many museums' ticket windows. Carry enough cash for a day.
Tipping. Around 10 to 15 per cent in restaurants, and it is often not included in the bill — check for propina incluida. A few pesos for the person who bags your shopping, parks your car or watches it in the street; taxi drivers are not normally tipped.
Practical cautions. Break large notes early: a 500 is hard to spend in a market and a 1,000 is hard to spend anywhere small. Keep small change for the Metro, for tips and for markets. And carry only the day's cash, with cards and documents separate.
The official currency of Mexico is the Mexican peso ($). Circulating notes are: 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 pesos; and coins are: 10, 20 and 50 cents, plus 1, 2, 5 and 10 pesos. Please visit the official Banco de Mexico website for any questions regarding bills and coins in circulation.
We suggest you carry small bills for petty expenses. Check the exchange rate here.
Most widely accepted credit cards are: Visa, American Express and Master Card.
There are ATMs at all main bank offices and most debit and credit cards work on them. You may only take out Mexican pesos from an ATM.
We recommend to bring along travelers checks issued only by internationally-recognized entities, for these may be exchanged without a problem at bank offices, and are widely accepted at hotels and travel agencies. However, you need to take into account that commissions apply to be deducted from the amount of the check.
Some business are affiliated to the Taxback program. When you shop at this businesses you may ask for the refund of 65% of the VAT applied to purchases made during your stay in Mexico City. Minimum purchase amount is 1,200 pesos per store. Check here the list of participating brands.
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