Travelling to Mexico

[jcdammeyer]

Yes. Totally off topic for metalworking.
We're headed out there for a winter holiday and were wondering how much PESO cash we should carry. With around 14 Peso to the dollar even just $250 Cdn is over 3527 Peso. Is the smallest coin or bill 100 Peso or are there 1 Peso coins?

 

[phaxtris]

depends where you are going, and how you like to tavel. What i have found even off beaten path areas, when you do the conversion, are only about 25% cheaper, at most, than what it would be in Canada.....Covid really hit the pricing down there, and our dollar is not as strong as it used to be (or there economy is growing, ie stronger peso), its a cheaper trip than Canada, but its not as cheap as it once was

you can take out of the cash machines or banks down there, when the wife and i go we usually only start with 250-300 cad in pesos, and just take out as needed

Edit; for reference, a taco, on the side of the road is around 50-75 pesos, the coins go down to 1 peso, but nothing is 1 peso

 

[YYCHM]

Pretty much everything is priced in USD. Just take a bunch of USD 1's, 5's, 10's, 20's, 50's. Been there 6 times now, that's all we do. They tend to give change in Peso's but not always. You'll come back with some Peso coins and small Peso bills.

 

[phaxtris]

Pretty much everything is priced in USD. Just take a bunch of USD 1's, 5's, 10's, 20's, 50's. Been there 6 times now, that's all we do. They tend to give change in Peso's but not always. You'll come back with some Peso change and small bills.

it depends where you go, if you go to like Mazatlán, yes, if you go to anything that isnt a hot tourist destination then its pesos

 

[LenVW]

Hey John,
Check out the ‘WISE’ card.
You can load as much as you want on it for your trip.

Cash wise, US Dollars, but only take a couple hundred.
Don’t bother with anything larger then 20’s.

 

[trevj]

Pretty much everything is priced in USD. Just take a bunch of USD 1's, 5's, 10's, 20's, 50's. Been there 6 times now, that's all we do. They tend to give change in Peso's but not always. You'll come back with some Peso coins and small Peso bills.

Yeah, this.

Based upon my experiences in Jamaica, skip the whole "local currency" thing, and stick to what has actual value to the locals!

As above, lots of small denominations. Anything big can likely be paid for with any Debit card (handy at the very least for conversion rates), but a fella better be willing (and understanding) of what the conversion rates are!

I would not load up on Pesos, but would have at least 'some', on hand. To be varied, depending on how much time was to be spent out in the sticks, compared with in anyplace essentially 'civilized'.

 

[YYCHM]

So, where are you going?

 

[jcdammeyer]

So, where are you going?

Puerto Vallarta. Friends of ours have a time share and they are letting us use it for the maintenance fee. No idea what we'll do there. Not really a water person anymore. Linda never was. Maybe I can find a local hobby type person who does casting? Get a tour.

 

[jcdammeyer]

There's WiFi and I'm taking a tablet along with the phone so I'll be watching this group to make sure that everyone behaves. And we have to slow down @DavidR8 somehow.

 

[wmetfab]

Dont buy weed from the guy with the ice cream cart.
Or..
Take extra cash for paying the cop who's friends with the ice cream man

 

[slow-poke]

I lived in Mexico for about 6 months when I was 18. The police force in Mexico is VERY different. After witnessing some really weird stuff my local buddy explained "Never ever willingly go to the police"

I was more than a bit scared when about 8 soldiers pointed their IWI Galil SMG's at the three of us and shouted "No te muevas"!

 

[wmetfab]

Dont buy weed from the guy with the ice cream cart.
Or..
Take extra cash for paying the cop who's friends with the ice cream man

The ice cream guy quickly pedaled away in his cart at the same time I saw red and blue flashing lights approaching.

I managed to get away by some quick (but Pacifico clouded) thinking and some good luck