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Money & duty free for Mexico

Currency information: 

Mexican Peso (MXN; symbol M$) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of M$1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20. Coins are in denominations of M$10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50 and 20 centavos.

Note: The M$1,000 and M$500 notes can be difficult to change and are sometimes not accepted.

Credit cards: 

MasterCard, Visa and American Express cards are generally accepted by businesses catering to tourists, such as car rental agencies, airlines, some bus lines and higher-end hotels, shops and restaurants. (Credit companies add a surcharge of around 5% for foreign transactions.) At humbler establishments you'll need pesos to make purchases.

ATM: 

ATMs on the Cirrus and Plus networks are easily found in cities and towns throughout Mexico, dispensing pesos for holders of both debit and credit cards.

Travellers cheques: 

ATMs and credit cards mean traveller's cheques are less necessary as a means of carrying money than they used to be and not necessarily recommended. However, traveller's cheques issued by well-known brands can be cashed in exchange houses. Traveller's cheques in Pounds Sterling and Euros are now as readily accepted as those in US Dollars.

Banking hours: 

Mon-Fri 0900-1600; some banks are open longer hours and others are open on Saturday mornings.

Currency restriction: 

Local currency and foreign currency may be imported and exported up to the equivalent of US$10,000; larger amounts must be declared.

Currency exchange: 

The US dollar is widely accepted; indeed in some instances it can be difficult to pay in pesos. Currency exchange houses give a preferable rate of exchange to hotels and a much quicker service than banks. The exchange rate of the Mexican peso had been relatively stable until 2008, when it took a huge tumble, reaching a record low against the US dollar in 2009.

Mexico duty free

Generally, goods for obvious personal use are acceptable. In addition, the following goods may be brought into Mexico by persons over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty:

• 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 200g of pipe tobacco.
• 3L of wine, spirits or beer.
• A reasonable amount of perfume or eau de toilette or lotions for personal use.
• Two photo, movie or video cameras for non-residents and up to 12 unexposed rolls of film or video cassettes.

Banned imports: 

Any uncanned food, pork or pork products; certain fish and fish products; plants, fruits, vegetables, flowers, seeds (except if special permit is obtained prior to arrival) and their products; insecticide. Firearms and ammunition need an import permit.

Banned exports: 

Archaeological relics may not be exported.

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