clockradio
Contributor
leaving for cozumel on tuesday,was wondering if i need to get pesos or usd and credit card are all that i will need? thanks for the help.
usd or pesos
- Thread starter clockradio
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Natasha
Contributor
I'm sure you'll get lots of different answers.
I can only tell you what I do.
I have my room and dives prepaid before I get there.
They both are on my credit card, unless it's a group trip, then it's prepaid in cash.
I use my card when I check in, but I pay US cash or peso's depending how much the bill is, when I leave.
During my stay there, I use both forms of currency. But, I never exchange my US bills before I leave the US, and try hard not to bring too many pesos back with me.
Some credit cards charge a fee for the exchange rate. If you're going to use yours, find out before you go which ones do not charge the fee.
Have fun.
Cozumel is my favorite.
:sunny:
I can only tell you what I do.
I have my room and dives prepaid before I get there.
They both are on my credit card, unless it's a group trip, then it's prepaid in cash.
I use my card when I check in, but I pay US cash or peso's depending how much the bill is, when I leave.
During my stay there, I use both forms of currency. But, I never exchange my US bills before I leave the US, and try hard not to bring too many pesos back with me.
Some credit cards charge a fee for the exchange rate. If you're going to use yours, find out before you go which ones do not charge the fee.
Have fun.
Cozumel is my favorite.
:sunny:
Rwhiting
Contributor
My experience (most recently last month) is that both forms of currency are acceptable everywhere in Coz. The USD has been rising vs. the peso recently. For a while, it was easy to do the exchange rate math because 10 pesos equaled $1 US. You should do better than that this week ($1 = 11 pesos +/-). Another tip - use your credit card at the ATMs to get pesos on the island. The exchange rate is always more favorable than at airports, and banks etc., not to mention quicker.
Have a great trip!
Rich
Have a great trip!
Rich
Most all the vendors use 10 to 1. I think it is just much simpler for them to figure. Everyone took USD or pesos. If you pay in USD, expect to get change in pesos. The ATM's give pesos. (You can get USD from an ATM, but it has to be with a local ATM card.) The ATM we used Friday at the plaza used a rate of like 11.9 to 1.
Have a great time!
Julie
Have a great time!
Julie
Prepaid flights and hotel (In Canadian dollars) then brought my USD down to Coz. Spent it mostly in USD, and the exchange rate from US to Peso at Fiesta Americana last week was 10.5:1
I got the pesos for the cabbies, as you'll not get much change, and for 60 peso cab fares (F/A), the math didn't work in my favour.
Everywhere else I could have used either.
I got the pesos for the cabbies, as you'll not get much change, and for 60 peso cab fares (F/A), the math didn't work in my favour.
Everywhere else I could have used either.
Wristshot
Contributor
there weren't any places that wouldn't take either dollars or pesos.
The exchange rate varied all over the map, but for most things it was not real significant. In many cases we were able to haggle mroe savings than worrying about exchange rate differences. Not true for the big expenses, but very true for T-shirts and such.
The one place where it really made a difference which currency was used was at Playa Del Carmen. When we took the Rivera bus from PDC to the Cancun airport it was $8 US or 65 pesos. Fortunately some of us had enough pesos left over to save everyone in the group the $1.50. (gee that makes us sound cheap!)
The reputable restaurants took Visa. We paid cash at the smaller places that we were comfortable with. Kinda like where do you trust the water, and where do you not.
My dos pesos, but only because you asked,
Wristshot
The exchange rate varied all over the map, but for most things it was not real significant. In many cases we were able to haggle mroe savings than worrying about exchange rate differences. Not true for the big expenses, but very true for T-shirts and such.
The one place where it really made a difference which currency was used was at Playa Del Carmen. When we took the Rivera bus from PDC to the Cancun airport it was $8 US or 65 pesos. Fortunately some of us had enough pesos left over to save everyone in the group the $1.50. (gee that makes us sound cheap!)
The reputable restaurants took Visa. We paid cash at the smaller places that we were comfortable with. Kinda like where do you trust the water, and where do you not.
My dos pesos, but only because you asked,
Wristshot
Charlie99
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I just returned Saturday from 8 fabulous dive days in Cozumel. Occasionally I did surface long enough to spend some money.
Exchange rates were 10 pesos per dollar for small transactions like cabs, 10.5 at some restaurants, and 10.7x at Chedraui.
For small purchases I find it easiest to have handy lots of small denomination US$ bills so that I don't get back a lot of change in pesos.
Don't forget to bring a few checks. Some operators (Dive with Martin, for example) will take cash or personal US$ checks, but will not accept credit cards.
Having heard various horror stories of fraudulent credit card charges; for restaurant and other miscellaneous charges I used a card other than my main one. That way, if I had to cancel a credit card I wouldn't have to go through the hassle of restarting all of the auto-pay arrangements already setup on my main credit card.
Charlie
Exchange rates were 10 pesos per dollar for small transactions like cabs, 10.5 at some restaurants, and 10.7x at Chedraui.
For small purchases I find it easiest to have handy lots of small denomination US$ bills so that I don't get back a lot of change in pesos.
Don't forget to bring a few checks. Some operators (Dive with Martin, for example) will take cash or personal US$ checks, but will not accept credit cards.
Having heard various horror stories of fraudulent credit card charges; for restaurant and other miscellaneous charges I used a card other than my main one. That way, if I had to cancel a credit card I wouldn't have to go through the hassle of restarting all of the auto-pay arrangements already setup on my main credit card.
Charlie
R
redacted
Guest
I bought 2 x 10 dive packages from Dive Palancar which listed at $290.00 (USD) each. Put it on my credit card which they converted to pesos at the simple 10 to 1 rated. Bill just came in with amount charged of $531.87 which worked out quite nice 10.9 for 1 exchange rate.
I normally carry USD, credit card, and a small amount of pesos.
I normally carry USD, credit card, and a small amount of pesos.
I am not sure what that hotel's policy is but some hotels like rental car agencies put a temporary hold on some amount but do not actually charge it even if you pay by cash if that makes any sense. This covers them for any damages and the money is released once everything is square. In other words, it could translate into you having less available credit than anticipated and could lead to an embarrassing moment. Also, I have several credit card accounts and only use each one once. I had an instance of credit card fraud several years ago. To prevent that again, I record the amouint spent and where it was. This way I can narrow down the culprit. Getting back to your main question, the exchange rate when I was there about 2 weeks ago was 10.8 and both USD and pesos were equally welcome. However, they seemed less willing or able to make change than in previous trips so make sure whatever bills you bring are smaller ones.
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