How much money should I bring to Cancun with me?
You should plan to spend around M$1,986 ($102) per day on your vacation in Cancun, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, M$361 ($18) on meals for one day and M$241 ($12) on local transportation.
Pesos, being the national currency of Mexico, will be accepted absolutely anywhere. US dollars will be accepted throughout the Cancun Hotel Zone, but the further you venture into 'real Mexico' the more problems you may find in using USD for everyday purchases.
Speaking of cash, yes, you'll want to exchange your currency for Mexican pesos before traveling to Cancun. You'll get a better rate from your local bank or credit union than you'll find at the airport once you've arrived in Mexico.
For a one-week stay at an all-inclusive resort, a couple should budget to spend about $150 US (or the local currency equivalent) total in tips. This means that you should bring about $20 in small bills with you to spend on tips throughout the day.
They depend upon those tips to live. If you're on a tour with a lot of people (20-100 people), each person should leave a tip of at least $5 U.S. (90 pesos). If you're on a tour with very few people (e.g., four people in your family), the group should leave a tip that is equivalent to 15-20% of the cost of the tour.
On average Waiters in Cancun earn around $2.17 an hour + Tips. It's customary to tip from 10-20% depending on the size of the Bill and the quality of service.
Waiters working at restaurants and bars should always be tipped for good service; a sum equivalent to 10-15% of the total bill is appropriate.
So, next time you wonder or ask yourself is $100 a lot of money in Mexico, then the answer is yes.
It's recommended that you buy pesos before you land in Mexico, just in case you need the cash. According to this USA Today article, the most economical way to do this is to buy pesos from your bank in the U.S. Most banks will do this for free, especially if you're not withdrawing a significant amount of money.
The national currency in Mexico is the Mexican Peso (MXN). However the US Dollar is widely accepted across Mexico especially in the more touristic places like Playa del Carmen. In fact most tour companies, restaurants, and even some shops will have their prices in both pesos and dollars.
Is it better to pay in pesos or dollars?
The short answer is use pesos! Most businesses will take U.S. dollars, but it's better to convert your currency to pesos. You'll get better deals and it is the currency of Mexico. Many people get pesos from their bank at home before travel.
Outside of a few purchases like transportation fare or local shops, a credit card will be your best bet for everyday purchases. A card that waives foreign transaction fees like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card can help you save on extraneous fees.
Resorts do not expect you to, but most guests do
Resort brands do not typically advertise their expectations in regards to gratuity, but generally they do not require you to tip.
We encourage you to tip at all-inclusive resorts, although staff will never ask for a tip. They usually work six days a week for low wages and rely on tips.
It might not seem like a big deal to you, but tips are an important part of many workers' wages. These people are responsible for making your all-inclusive vacation magical, so it's only right to make sure you're tipping them appropriately.
In Mexico, any bellboy, chauffeur/driver, or valet parking person expects a tip of $20-$50 pesos. Bartenders, waitresses/waiters, and room service staff expect a tip of 15% of your bill, and housekeepers should be tipped about $50 (or more) a day.
The Bellhop: 25 – 50 pesos is a standard tip for helping you to your room and with your luggage. The Concierge: Tipping 50 to 150 pesos for helpful recommendations is always appreciated.
Restaurants: For good service, a 10% tip is standard. For really good service, anything between 15% and 20% is acceptable. Street food: Again, tipping is not required or expected, but it is appreciated (saying “keep the change” is sufficient). Taxis: If the driver helps with bags, 10–20 pesos is a good tip.
It's up to you how much you tip, but the recommended amount in Mexico is between 10% – 20% (15% is a good standard in tourist areas) of the bill or ticket price.
At Hotels and All-Inclusive Resorts
Leave the same amount—20 to 50 pesos (about US$1–$2)—each day in your room for the housekeeping staff. Standard tipping procedure at all-inclusive resorts on the Riviera Maya and in other beachy areas is less clear-cut.
Do you tip room service?
Tipping is not required for someone fixing something broken or bringing something missing. A gratuity of 15-20% should be added if the hotel did not already include a room service charge on the bill. Tip 15-20% of the total beverage tab.
Some tip every meal, some tip the last day they are at the hotel. Some hotels have a “shared-tips” policy where all tips collected are shared equally among the restaurant staff. Employees come from all over Mexico and there are different view points among Mexican's against one-another.
It's just safer not to carry large amounts of cash on you in Mexico. Also, any cash you take out in your home country will have to be converted to pesos, and that conversion will cost you money.
In Mexico, you can live a comfortable life on $1,000 a month. The average cost of living for expats, digital nomads and retirees varies between $600 to $2,000 depending on one's lifestyle choices and their location. Baseline costs in Mexico are around $750 a month.
1 USD = 19.3406 MXN Nov 26, 2022 04:19 UTC
The currency converter below is easy to use and the currency rates are updated frequently.
Many travelers also recommend bringing a dummy wallet when you travel, which is an old wallet filled with expired or fake credit cards and some small bills. Money belts and neck wallets — those flat, cloth pouches that fit under your clothes — are the traditional ways to carry money safely while you're traveling.
Still, despite the reluctance of store owners to take larger denominations, it's critical to pay with the largest small bill possible. If something costs 30 pesos, sure, you could pay with the exact amount or with a 50-peso note, but later on, you're going to find yourself without any smaller bills.
So, how much spending money should I bring to Mexico? On a mid-range budget, you should expect to spend $110 USD ($2200 MXN) per person daily. This accounts for 3 meals a day, transportation fare, and one activity per day(tours, attractions,etc.).
How much is $100.00 – the one hundred 🇲🇽 mexican pesos is worth $5.16 (USD) today or 💵 five us dollars 16 cents as of 04:00AM UTC. We utilize mid-market currency rates to convert MXN against USD currency pair.
Cash is a necessity in Cancun, given that many restaurants and gift shops don't accept credit cards. Like many other airports around the world, the Cancun airport is jam-packed with money exchange kiosks looking to convert your money into Mexican pesos.
Do taxis in Cancun take US dollars?
Taxi drivers will accept dollars, though at a less favorable rate than pesos. Within the downtown area, the cost is about 25 pesos per cab ride (not per person); within any other zone, it's 70 to 110 pesos. It'll cost about 180 pesos to travel between the Hotel Zone and downtown.
For a private tour, you should tip 200 pesos per day. If you have a driver in addition to a tour guide, you should tip them 40 pesos per day.
Yes, using your debit card in Mexico is generally safe. Relying on a debit card to pay directly at establishments and to withdraw cash when needed is likely safer than carrying a lot of money on you. That being said, take caution when withdrawing cash from ATMs in Mexico.
Double-check with your local bank to see if they have any partnership with a Mexican bank to avoid these extra fees. For example, Bank of America has a partnership with Scotiabank, so if you use their ATM you would avoid that ATM usage fee for each cash withdrawal.
ATMs in Mexico
Most cities and towns in Mexico have an abundance of ATMs (cash machines), where you can withdraw Mexican pesos directly from your credit card or debit card.
The recommended tipping range
The American Hotel & Lodging Association suggests leaving a $1-to-$5 tip per day for the housekeeping staff.
Like when it comes to tipping on takeout orders, it's certainly not required (and not everyone does it), but it is a nice thing to do. Sure, it may take less time and effort to prepare a takeout order than it would if your waiter was serving you or the delivery driver was driving to you.
You also don't want to forget about bellhops and airport shuttle drivers, especially if they go out of their way to assist you. There's no need to tip employees like front desk staff or beach towel stuff; however if they go the extra mile for you, there's no harm in showing your appreciation.
Airport transfers and shuttle bus drivers often work for the resorts but also rely on tips. These individuals are generally very helpful while getting you to your final destination. The suggested tip is about 50 pesos, or $2.50.
Front Desk Clerks, Concierge
For those services, no tip is required. However, if your front desk clerk goes out of his way to provide you information about the city or restaurants or tracks an item you forgot to pack, tip accordingly.
Is it rude to not tip a server?
Tipping gives the waiter an incentive to provide better service. Waiters are paid less than minimum wage and need the money. Refusing to tip is embarrassing: it makes you lose face in front of the waiter and your colleagues. Tipping is a strong social norm and violating it is extremely rude.
If you are carrying more than US$10,000, or its equivalent in other currencies, in cash, checks, money orders or any other monetary instrument, or a combination of them, you must declare the amount exceeding US$10,000. You will not have to pay duties or taxes, but you must declare it on the Customs Declaration form.
So, how much spending money should I bring to Mexico? On a mid-range budget, you should expect to spend $110 USD ($2200 MXN) per person daily. This accounts for 3 meals a day, transportation fare, and one activity per day(tours, attractions,etc.). Add $10 USD ($200 MXN) if planning to drink alcohol.
For All-Inclusive trips we bring about 1500-2000 pesos or so for tipping per week, plus maybe another 5000 for tours, shopping, day trips-IF you will be doing any of that. I agree the best way to get pesos is once you are in Mexico, with your ATM card at an ATM.
It's just safer not to carry large amounts of cash on you in Mexico. Also, any cash you take out in your home country will have to be converted to pesos, and that conversion will cost you money.
Outside of a few purchases like transportation fare or local shops, a credit card will be your best bet for everyday purchases. A card that waives foreign transaction fees like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card can help you save on extraneous fees.
It's recommended that you buy pesos before you land in Mexico, just in case you need the cash. According to this USA Today article, the most economical way to do this is to buy pesos from your bank in the U.S. Most banks will do this for free, especially if you're not withdrawing a significant amount of money.
Restaurants: For good service, a 10% tip is standard. For really good service, anything between 15% and 20% is acceptable. Street food: Again, tipping is not required or expected, but it is appreciated (saying “keep the change” is sufficient). Taxis: If the driver helps with bags, 10–20 pesos is a good tip.
The Bellhop: 25 – 50 pesos is a standard tip for helping you to your room and with your luggage. The Concierge: Tipping 50 to 150 pesos for helpful recommendations is always appreciated. Housekeeping: A tip of 25 to 50 pesos a day for keeping your room tidy is appropriate.
The best currency to bring to Mexico is a mix of pesos and US dollars. Use the dollars to pay for tours, entrance fees, accommodation, and travel. For everything else use pesos.
What can you not bring to Cancun?
You are not allowed to bring food, fruits and/or products that are not "company" packed and sealed. And if you are bringing food or products they are allowed only if you need them because of a special diet or for medical reasons. The same rule applies to medicine.
