Should I bring Pesos or American dollars (or both..) to Mexico for a trip? Thanks

Canadian or American dollars.

pesos. prices are higher if you spend in US dollars.

Brenton Walters
Where are you going? Many places will take US dollars, but you may need pesos as well.

Pesos

Tara
Depends on where, but generally it's a good idea to have both as a back up (if your bank card doesn't work you all least have something to change to pesos). Big chain touristy places will accept US but many small places and vendors will only accept pesos.

Wow! I've never come across a place in Puerto Vallarta that doesn't take all 3.

Peso for sure! a little US just in case and also lots of places take Canadian
and watch for certain places that will give you a way better deal on Can rather than US
have fun

if you pay with USD you will pay a 10-30% premium for sure, CAD even worse... Just use pesos,

Sarah, it depends on where you go, I live in Vallarta and know dozens of places that will only accept pesos. The locals are only legally allowed to exchange so much foreign currency every month. So only larger businesses will go through the hassle.

yes true they charge more if you don't use pesos good point!!!

Maybe it's just never a real issue cause I use my debit card and get pesos there. But I know I've used all three and have been there a lot. Was just told to make sure you know the exchange and how to calculate it. Good info!

Thanks guys.
Pesos it is.

We travel to Mexico about twice (+) times per year and always take some pesos and get the rest there. We never take canadian or american currency - they use pesos and have to take it to the bank to exchange it. The best exchange rate is when we use our Visa so any place that accepts credit cards, we use that and otherwise, we respect their culture and use their currency.They appreciate it always.

Us dollars

Definitely pesos -- it's the only way you can eat/shop at places that aren't tourist traps.

My husband and I go 4 times a year and I usually bring a bit of US and just use my bank card to withdraw pesos. It is the least expensive way to exchange from Canadian funds to pesos. The bigger cities will accept Canadian funds but the small villages will not as it is difficult for them to access a bank that will exchange the funds.

Peso!!!

Jon Schmok
Countries official currency is PESOS so bring PESOS! If you show up with USD or CAD you look like a GIANT ignorant tourist who feels their money is superior and should be accepted everywhere AND you are more likely to get ripped off through a bad conversion rate or other things.
Hands down, Pesos!
You wouldn't show up in Europe with Japanese Yen if you were from Japan would you? You'd likely bring Euros with you.....

Jon, it's a legitimate question. Last time I went to Cuba, I was expected to pay and tip in USD, and they're still under a US trade embargo! USD is a global currency and is sometimes preferred to local currency. I haven't been to Mexico before so I just thought I'd ask.

Both.

Jon that was a little bit rough.
I would have the same question for many places. It isn't always about what to spend. Sometimes people do not want to withdraw money from a card abroad so they bring cash to convert.
Eg. In Cuba it is smarter to bring CAD instead of USD for conversion. In the Philippines, even when the CAD was higher than USD, a better rate was being offered for USD. In Japan, bring USD, to convert, etc.
I always take extra CAD or USD to convert as needed, and many people might have this question

Pesos for sure. Atm withdrawals down there ,don't bring much cash

you can bring either and both are accepted. I always find that if you use their currency they like it better. It is easy to exchange at the airport or if you use your ATM card you can get pesos out. ATM's are everywhere.

I take both - keep in mind they have to pay to convert usd to pesos

Both...they do like the Canadian dollar in most places. The bank has a better rate for exchange than other places!

It is handy to have some pesos for tips and taxis as they usually don't like to take US $$

Well said Jon ....

The banks no longer take USD dollars, but they will take Canadian no problems. Take a few pesos too for tips etc just to get you by until you get to a bank.

The staff at three hotels I've been at have told me they prefer their tips in US dollars. Guess everyone is different. But regardless, you'll be fine no matter what - bank machines everywhere! Just like here.

Definitely bring both. Like Sarah said, a lot of the housekeepers/bartenders/hotel staff prefer to be tipped in US dollars, and even a lot of the vendors that try to sell their wares/services on the beaches prefer US dollars. So last time we stayed at an all-inclusive in Puerto Vallarta, we brought US dollars for tipping the hotel staff, and pesos for when we went into town to check out some of the smaller shops and restaurants.

we had many vendors asking us for Canadian money! no need for pesos at all, US money is easier

I bring Pesos to buy things when I am in town and $5-10 US a day in $1 bills to tip for good service.

Lots of tourists tend to tip more when it's in US instead of pesos
I have many friends who work in the industry here in Mexico. Ex: If the tip amount would be $3.50 (50 pesos) many will leave $5 instead meaning more money for them

Pesos!!!

Marji Stevens
Singles (US dollars) for tips. Many currency exchange places do not take coins so Loonies and Twoonies are useless. In Cuba, the workers had to exchange loonies with CND tourists.

Take both!

Take a little American to get down there. Then use your bank card to take out pesos. The locals appreciate that.

They prefer us but I agree with Gina

Take US we went in January and took pesos. Booked all our excursions and by the end of the week when we came to pay for them the peso dropped we lost out on doing a lot of things. But if you pay in dollars you'll get change in pesos so watch the exchange rates.

When I went down to Cancun a few years ago, USD was king.

Pesos

Stephen J Diebolt
Take pesos. If you bring USD, you will pay the exchange from CAD. Then you will pay it again going to pesos. The Mexican currency is the peso and every hotel and resort will accept them. Many small vendors only take the peso or really burn you on the exchange.

Grayson the reason US dollars seems king is you, the consumer, gets a much worse deal. A few years ago with the peso being 12 pesos to a dollar, when you paid with dollars, vendors were giving 10 to 1.... for an extra 20 percent, they don't mind running to the bank at the end of the day! Pesos ALMOST always gets you a better deal

I brought both but ended up coming home with cash. I used my card for the few purchases I made or excursions. That way you get the daily exchange rate. But I would advise small bills in USD for tips and bus fares

Where is Mexico? PV and Cabo are definitely pesos, Cancun is a mix of both I find. Pesos a better deal usually

I take both. I like American for tipping, etc. in the resort, but when Im buying things, I prefer to pay in pesos while off the resort

Handy to have lots of lower denomination pesos for tipping...us or pesos for shopping work just as well, just try to remember your conversions so you have an idea what stuff is really costing...not everything's a deal.

In a resort compound you can bring US, but in real Mexico bring Pesos; works out better on the exchange rates

I would just bring pesos, out of respect to the people, the country and their currency. How do you feel if people could only pay you here in USD? Then you've gotta go to the forex place and convert it. You will have a better travel experience if you integrate yourself into the culture more.

I do a wallet sized exchange chart in excel before i travel so conversions are quick and easy and you dont get ripped off.

I live in Vic and just about every business here takes USD. It's not insulting to pay in another currency

Yes Sarah, but most take it on par with the Cdn $ so they are doing very well in this transaction.

Both

American

It's not at all insulting, but the people receiving USD will happily oblige because they will charge more for your 'convenience'. From my experience, the locals tend to think of you more as a tourist, a gringo and an American, which they may already assume that, but you are removing any doubts that they had. It may be a subtle difference, but you'll notice it's better to integrate yourself into the society than to look foolish unnecessarily paying extra for things. The last thing I'm going to mention is that a lot of people in Mexico work 12 hour days, six days a week, and to afford a decent lifestyle, they live far from the city and spend a lot of time on the bus getting to and from work. Forcing them to go to a currency exchange bureau isn't exactly good for them.