USD to MXN: A Traveler's Guide to Pesos
Today's reference rate loads below, with a price chart built from it. Then the practical part: mental math, ATMs, cards, and why to pay in pesos.
Loading today's reference rate…
| Pesos | ≈ USD | Dollars | ≈ MXN |
|---|
Reading prices in pesos
Mexico uses the peso (MXN). Prices are written with the same "$" sign as US dollars, so a menu showing "$250" almost always means 250 pesos. Tourist businesses sometimes mark dollar prices as "USD" or "US$". If a price seems oddly low or high, ask which currency it's in.
Mental math that works
Pick a round number near the current rate shown above and divide by it. If the rate is near 20, divide pesos by 2 and drop a zero: 350 pesos ≈ $17.50. If it's nearer 18, the 20 shortcut slightly understates the dollar price (by about 10%), so add a little. For bigger purchases, use the exact converter.
Cash, cards and ATMs
- Pay in pesos. When a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in dollars ("dynamic currency conversion"), choosing pesos usually means your own card network does the conversion instead of the merchant's provider.
- Check your bank's fees before you go: foreign transaction fees on cards, plus per-withdrawal fees at ATMs. The ATM operator may add its own fee, which the screen should show before you confirm.
- Prefer bank ATMs inside branches or malls, and take out fewer, larger amounts if fees are charged per withdrawal.
- Carry some small bills and coins for tips, markets, taxis and toll booths. Breaking a 500-peso note at a small stall can be hard.
- Exchange booths (casas de cambio) post buy and sell rates. Compare their rate with the reference rate above to see the real margin, and count your cash at the counter.
Is the rate on this page what I'll get?
No. It's the daily mid-market reference rate, the fair benchmark. Every provider sells slightly below it. To judge an offer, convert $100 here, then compare the pesos they'd hand you. The gap is what the exchange costs you.
Before you go
Open the currency converter once while you're online. It saves the latest rates on your phone so it keeps working offline, and its travel mode shows prices both ways. For tipping customs, see tipping in Mexico.
FAQ
Does the $ sign in Mexico mean dollars?
Usually it means pesos. Mexico uses the $ sign for the peso; dollar prices are normally marked USD or US$.
Should I pay in dollars or pesos in Mexico?
Generally pesos. Paying in dollars, or letting a card terminal convert to dollars, often comes with a less favourable rate.
Is the rate shown the rate I'll get?
No. It's the mid-market reference rate. Banks, cards and exchange booths add a margin or fee.