Meet Mexican pesos before you land. Get comfortable with the notes, keep some cash for the moments that need it and let cards carry the larger payments.
Travel guidance with links to Banco de México and other official Mexican sources.
A card is useful, but a working reserve of pesos makes everyday travel smoother when the bill is small, the stall is local or change matters.
Many hotels, larger restaurants and city businesses take cards. Cash still earns its place for street food, markets, independent shops, tips and the occasional taxi or small service. Think of your wallet as a mix: card for the big picture, pesos for the details.
Mexico's current notes are easy to recognize by color. The 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 peso notes tell stories of history and ecosystems across Mexico.
Mexico's banknotes pair turning points in national history with ecosystems and native wildlife, from the axolotl at Xochimilco and monarch butterflies to the gray whale and Calakmul jaguar. Cash by Country artwork is an original, simplified interpretation and is not legal tender.
Choose your currency. MXN stays locked to this guide.
Take the question you actually have, from recognizing the purple 50-peso note to choosing the right balance of card and cash.
Colors, materials, the axolotl note and the coins you will keep reaching for.
Open guide 02 Pay with confidenceBuild a flexible wallet, use official location tools and keep exchange choices in context.
Open guide 03 Plan your walletUse a practical reserve between ATM visits instead of carrying the whole trip in notes.
Open guide 04 Read the billLearn the common 10-15% custom, where a few pesos help and why no business can force a tip onto the bill.
Open guideOfficial sources cover Mexican notes and coins, ATM locations and cash declarations.
