World currencies fluctuate every day - and the rate between U.S. dollars and Mexican pesos with them. At this writing, exchange rates are around 11 pesos for 1 US Dollar and approximately 9 pesos per 1 CDN Dollar. Although the national currency is the Mexican Peso, US dollars are widely accepted throughout Los Cabos - however, Canadian funds are not.

Current Exchange Rates

Because of constant fluctuations, many local vendors will not adjust their rates accordingly. If you decide to pay US dollars at the jewelry shop or market - you may end up paying more. Banks and Casas de Cambio (exchange houses) offer the current daily rates, with banks often having the most competitive exchange rates and Casas de Cambio running a close second. You can exchange most currencies at banks and exchange houses. Look out for major banks like Bancomer, Banamex, and Bital – they all have ATMs that operate with the CIRRUS and PLUS systems and offer Spanish/ English language menus. HSBC and Scotia Bank also have locations in Los Cabos with ATMs. Most machines will dispense pesos and a few will offer the option of withdrawing cash in US$. Exercise caution while using the ATM - do not accept help from anyone and avoid using them after dark.

Credit Cards are welcomed at many locations, but not all. A surcharge may be applied for using credit cards, and some establishments will give you a better price if you pay in cash. It's a good idea to have some cash available for smaller purchases.

Traveler's checks are accepted in some places but it is easier to cash them at a bank or exchange house as you need them. When paying your bill, please note that Baja California Sur has a value-added tax of 10% (called the I.V.A.) on all goods and services.

In addition to currency, it is important to note a few other conversions as well. For example, Mexico uses the metric system. Temperatures are in Celsius, distance and mileage are in meters and kilometers, and weight is measured by grams and kilograms.