When traveling internationally, it’s a good idea to have some local currency in your pocket when you arrive.

If you are getting a ride through us, you don’t have to pay in pesos. You can pay our drivers in US dollars and the pre-determined price we set is at the current exchange rate.

Puerto Morelos is a tourist town, so most places accept US dollars, but at a horrible exchange rate! Watch closely! We recommend paying in USD only as a last resort. Instead, this page describes better ways to acquire pesos.

The exchange rate lately (July/August) is highly in our favor. Now seems like a great time to convert some dollars.

Through your bank

Consider acquiring pesos from your bank at home before traveling.

  • Most people opt to get at least some pesos ahead of traveling. Most banks require that you have an account with them and it takes a couple of days to “order” them. Check the exchange rates and admin fees for the best rates. They can vary widely. Google USD to pesos to see the current US Forbes rate. You’ll never quite get this rate, but more and more these days you can get within a few cents.

Pro tip: Remember to tell your bank(s) the dates you will be traveling in Mexico using your credit card and/or debit card to lower the chances of a fraud alert while you’re in PM.

At Mexican ATMs

  • Exchange booths and ATMs at airports typically have bad rates, and Mexico is no exception.

  • The exchange booths in PM give fairly decent rates. They are on the town square next to La Sirena and just past Chedraui on the ocean side.

  • The ATMs in Mexico can be quirky and/or they regularly run out of pesos.

    We strongly recommend using only ATMs that are physically connected to a bank and only when the bank is open. Much less scamming happens there and if the machine eats your card, the bank is there to help you recover it. The closest one to camp is at the entrance to the Chedraui in La Colonia just across the highway.

  • Jan and Kevin created this video explaining the importance of declining the ATM exchange rate at Mexican ATMs. It saved them about 7%!

  • Be sure you are using a debit card in ATMs. Most banks treat ATM withdrawal using a credit card as a cash advance, which immediately starts accruing interest charges on your entire outstanding balance.

Using credit cards

  • Most places beachside take credit cards. Most places in La Colonia do not.

  • Most basic credit cards charge a 3% foreign transaction fee. Check your cards and, if you don’t have one that waives the 3% fee, consider applying a credit card that does.

  • For trust and transparency on their end, most places use a handheld credit card machine right in front of you. For your security and peace of mind, don’t let anyone take your credit card out of your sight.

Don’t use a credit card to withdrawal money from an ATM! The withdrawal is treated as a cash advance, which immediately starts accruing interest charges on your entire outstanding balance.

Using Wise

Wise is similar to PayPal and Venmo, but with a focus on international money transfers (to yourself as well as to others). More of us are using a Wise account these days because you can convert dollars to pesos whenever you feel the exchange rate is best. Their fees are very reasonable.