How to Get Pesos in the US Affordably
Table of Contents
.jpg){kind=small}
Author: Frank Day
We only list companies that are trustworthy and appropriately licensed. Our aim is to give you a comprehensive view of the regulated money transfer marketplace.
DisclosureMoneyTransfers aims to help users find the best money transfer provider for their needs. To support our free service, we may earn a commission from some of the providers listed in our search results. The commission may also impact the ordering of the providers shown. Our reviews are independent from this and are based on our editorial policy, research and testing of dozens of remittance providers on the market.
Table of Contents
If you’re planning your holiday to Mexico and need to buy pesos ready for your trip, you want to make sure you avoid the high fees of the airport. Find the best way to get pesos in the US without unnecessary costs.
Search Now & Save On Your Transfer
Instantly view live exchange rates, fees & features.
Best places to get Mexican pesos in the USA in 2026
Before you transfer your dollars into pesos, you need to understand the different ways you can exchange to make sure you get the best deal. The easiest and cheapest way to purchase and use pesos is by opening a multi-currency account.
Best way to save on fees - Wise and Revolut multi-currency accounts
Best alternative - Prepaid travel cards
Most overrated - Local banks and credit unions
Best for emergencies - Banks and ATMs abroad
Our handy, modern currency app lets you:
Instantly convert 25,000+ currency pairs
Compare live transfer deals
Get reviews & insights
Our app is free for mobiles and tablets, with no intrusive ads or in-app purchases.
Open a multi-currency account
Multi-currency accounts are the best, cheapest way to buy pesos with dollars. By opening a multi-currency account, you can exchange the amount of money you need into pesos, and keep them in the same account as any other money you have stored for travel expenses.
Online banks like Wise and Revolut are ahead of the curve with multi-currency accounts. With their mobile apps, you can set up an account in minutes and transfer your dollars to pesos in less than a week. To get started, you only need to download the app.
Which is better, Wise or Revolut?
Wise
Wise is the fastest and cheapest way to open a multi-currency account and get Mexican pesos in the US.
Once you’ve opened an account, you can order a Wise card for a one-time fee of $9. The card will allow you to spend overseas in the local currency, as long as you have the currency in your multi-currency account. You can also upload your card to Google Pay or Apple Pay, for easy contactless payments on the move.
There are no charges for contactless payments overseas using your Wise card, so long as you have enough of the required currency in your account.
If you have sufficient funds, Wise will also let you withdraw up to $100 a month from an ATM free of charge. A nominal fee will apply if you exceed this amount, or withdraw more than twice a month.
Please share your experience with Wise
Would you recommend Wise?
Russell Pinkes
I can’t send money to Belize
Katsiaryna
Once trying to open sire, was automatically blocked for no reason
Alan
Unable to transfer money from Philippines to any other country. Philippines Wise does not work
Anonymous
Retiro de dinero en transferencia
Uwe
great rates and service - unfortunately for some countries not yet available
Martin Premprakash Anantharaman
On the first transfer to a hospital in NY they were already screaming that this was a sure scam and the same on my next transfer to a fried in Nigeria. They then summarily closed my account TERMINATING THE RUNNING TRANSFER TO NIGERIA, claiming that, hold on, I was being scammed🤦♂️ Sure, I could have appealed but immediately found that I would have had to provide so much intrusive detail that I desisted.
Martin Premprakash Anantharaman
Setting up is a bit unwieldy if you want to make a one-off transfer, as you have to create an account with complete identification - but it works and the process as well as charges are great.
Anonymous
My brother wants to send me money from India to Nigeria but he's finding it difficult how can he do it
Mohammed
WARNING : Wise was Great until main office decided to ruin WISE By letting the TW India office control handling Random verifications and do what ever they want by insane replies and no replies etc. If you want to waste your time and enjoy a journey into Black Hole of Insane then go ahead and try WISE !
Anonymous
Can't receive money from php to idr so far
sudheir
They don't allow transfer to Brokerage firms from India
Anonymous
Good app to transfer money
Anonymous
I didn't find Cuba on your list.
Anonymous
cuba not work
Nina
I made a transfer to a Canadian company 1.5 months ago, and the funds have not yet been received. After multiple emails, Wise insists that the money was paid out. However, I have received an official statement from the recipient’s bank confirming that the money has not been received. Wise's complaints department sent me a final letter stating that, according to their records, the funds were paid out. Additionally, Wise states the following in their Customer Agreement regarding their responsibility for losses: Quote from Wise's Terms: "Our Customer Agreement also explains our responsibility for losses in Section 29: 29.1 Unforeseeable loss or damage. We are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time the contract was made, both we and you knew it might happen, for example, if you discussed it with us during your sign-up process. 29.9 We are not liable for things which are outside of our control. We (and our affiliates) cannot be liable for our inability to deliver or delay because of things which are outside our control." Despite these terms, Wise has not been able to resolve this issue, and the money has still not been delivered as promised. I find it irresponsible that Wise does not conduct any investigations into the matter. The Canadian bank associated with Wise is unable to provide any information, as everything goes through Wise. Wise must be capable of tracking the funds and providing precise details about where exactly the money is, who received it, and to which bank account it was deposited. I would advise everyone to be cautious when transferring large sums of money with Wise. They are not capable of executing a secure money transfer!
Shengjie Yin
good and perfect
Tristan
Beware: Wise's Unethical Policies and Unresponsive Support Cost My Business I am sharing my experience with Wise to warn fellow business owners about the serious risks and unacceptable practices you may encounter if you choose to use their services. My business, is a legally registered travel agency in the UK, and I relied on Wise to manage payments for my photography and cultural tours, primarily in South America. Things took a turn for the worse when Wise froze my account and accused my business of violating their Acceptable Use Policy, citing my once-a-year humanitarian trip to Cuba. Despite explaining multiple times that: No Cuba-related transactions were ever processed through Wise (I use a separate European bank for this purpose), My tours comply with the “Support for Cuban People” category authorized by OFAC, designed to help Cuban citizens outside state control, Wise completely ignored the facts. Their customer support team responded with automated messages, refused to engage in any meaningful dialogue, and even lied, claiming they didn't monitor my emails—despite clear evidence to the contrary. After days of chasing them and providing thorough documentation, they chose to close my account without justification. The Consequences: Wise left my business in chaos, disrupting essential transactions and client arrangements. Their rigid policies align with sanctions widely condemned by the global community, and in doing so, they indirectly support humanitarian suffering. The Bottom Line: Wise is unreliable, unresponsive, and unethical. If your business has any complexity or humanitarian focus, beware: Wise will shut you down without notice or explanation, and customer support will abandon you. Their actions have serious real-world consequences. Avoid Wise if you value your business stability or require ethical and accountable financial services. There are far better alternatives out there that won’t put your livelihood at risk Beware: Wise's Unethical Policies and Unresponsive Support Cost My Business
Anonymous
I have been a customer for a few years. Yes I love the instant deposits as I make around $1K. However as many non US entities Wise uses a bank out of New York. Therefore the TRANSFER and DEPOSIT from an account transfer can take 4 to 6 days. What this means is that you will not able to make another ACH transfer during this time. This is frustrating if you have to make a follow up transfer in a few days. All in all don't plan to make more than 4 transfer in a month because it may not fo through, Not sure if other transfer companies operate the same way but I am about to find out as I will try Revolute. Bottom linw will require you to use ANOTHER payment method like credit card or some other method. Understand this: YOU MAY HAVE THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT but they WILL NOT TRY TO VERIFY IT WITHIN THE THE PERIOD IT WILL TAKE THEM TO DEPOSIT IT IN YOUR ACCOUNT. To add insult to injury I called in and the agent siad that they can see that they got paid but the computer takes time to update/reconcille I guess! It is a slow system!
Anonymous
There is a lot of advice on RECEIVING INHERITANCE in the UK from overseas but nothing on the rules for SENDING money gifts to grandchildren living OVERSEAS and the rules on Inheritance Tax in that case.
Anonymous
The service is decent, nothing more. I have had security issues that are not quickly resolved. Call center personnel are average. The app is not, in general, user friendly. You should definitely do research on a variety of service providers before making a choice. Do not take the reviews at face value. I chose Wise based on positive reviews but now regret not doing more research on other companies.
Anonymous
So far so good
Daniel
I checked to see if Wise even sends money to Colombia. Colombia is not even in their list of countries. Why is it even advertising for Colombia?
Bill Sanders
I have used Wise for several years. They once rejected a large transfer because it was to a coal company. Apparently, they are a woke company! But they refused to tell me why. More recently, they required verification of my identity using a smart phone. I am 69 and never owned a cell phone because I don't need one. But they forced me to buy one, which I did last week. Getting the phone updates ate up all my data, so i got 1 GB more. I took 12 different pics of my passport and another 12 of my face for them. They rejected them - and are holding up my transfer. Now my phone ate up that gig of data and I must buy another gig (thru Tracfone) just to use the phone. What a hassle. This is not a photo studio! They know who i am already. Note: This comment has been edited by the MoneyTransfers.com team to align with our content guidelines.
Ziggy Meilus
It used to be always instant, now it may come right away or it can take 5 even 7 days to get the money.
Anonymous
i've heard of people having issues with accounts being locked/restricted, but i think that was mostly for business accounts, maybe they were locked for good reason. for me, i've had no issue with my account though i've only used it for small transfers and not very often, over the past 5+ years
Revolut
Revolut is also one of the best ways to get Mexican pesos, since it lets you store 28 different currencies in one account. Simply exchange the amount of pesos you need, and they’ll be automatically added to your account.
Revolut also has a free card, which allows you to withdraw from ATMs fee-free like a local wherever you are, provided you have the right currency in your account. This can be added to Apple Pay and your Google Wallet for easy contactless payments overseas.
It’s cheapest to exchange with Revolut during the week, when they offer the mid-market exchange rate without any markup. It’s more expensive at weekends and on national holidays when the markets are closed, when Revolut adds a 1% markup on all currency conversions.
Please share your experience with Revolut
Would you recommend Revolut?
Anonymous
Family purpose
Anonymous
Our family and in-laws use revolut for when they come to the UK, when we're in Germany, France or Portugal to pay each other back for holiday expenses for our families such as shopping, meals, petrol, gifts etc. It's great.
Anonymous
not competitive
Anonymous
Yes i recommend
Malek
Does not support transactions for people resident in algeria
Gigani
Excellent service
Eric
Does not support transactions for people resident in Indonesia
Anonymous
Excellent
František
I have had Revolut for a long time and I can recommend, the best app for me Note: Translated from "Revolut už mám dlouho a můžu doporučit za mě nejlepší aplikace"
Anonymous
I haven't been able to set up. it won't resend the codes
Get a travel money card
Travel money cards have better rates than banks and airport exchanges, but they are not the cheapest way to get pesos. Multi-currency accounts are generally cheaper to set up, and often have fewer fees than travel money cards.
Travel cards like Currensea link to your bank account and deduct payments directly when you use them. The card converts the money and will often add a markup to the exchange rate each time you spend.
A slightly cheaper way to use a travel card is a prepaid currency card. Lots of global companies like Mastercard offer prepaid currency cards, and since you’re only making one exchange, you’ll pay less markup in total. This will involve extra planning for how much money you’ll need, but you can always get a top up if you need more while you’re away.
Remember, even though a travel money card may seem convenient, the exchange rates are usually high. Using this option to buy pesos will cost more than using Revolut or Wise.
Mid-market Rate:1 USD = 17.514045 MXN Mid-market rate at: 14:43 UTC
Use local banks and credit unions
You can exchange money at all major banks and credit unions, but it's pricier than using multi-currency accounts or travel money cards to buy your pesos.
Local banks and credit unions are good for a quick-fix, but they’re more expensive than some of the other options we’ve mentioned, so we don’t recommend using them to buy pesos if you don’t have to.
Use a foreign currency exchange
You can buy Mexican pesos in the US through a foreign currency exchange, but they’re not the best value. If you buy pesos at a foreign currency exchange, it will usually cost more than if you do it at your bank. In this case, it may be quicker and cheaper for you to withdraw the local currency from an ATM at your destination, but the fees will still be high.
Places to avoid when exchanging for pesos
Many people still exchange money at airports and tourist areas, but this is the most expensive way to exchange currency. This is why you shouldn't exchange currency at airport desks.
Currency Exchange at the Airport
Pre-planning is crucial to getting a good deal when it comes to exchanging foreign currency. Last minute attempts to convert buy pesos at the airport exchange offices are not cost-effective.
Condé Nast Traveler says airport currency exchanges charge fees of $5 to $15. The exchange rate is usually 7% to 15% higher than the mid-market rate.
Free exchanges at the airport? They're not really free!
Beware of airport promises of free currency exchanges. They may not charge any fees, but their markup on the exchange rate is usually 7% to 15% higher than the mid-market rate.
Foreign currency exchanges in tourist-dense areas
Exchanging currency at national landmarks and tourist destinations is another big no-no.
To protect your money, avoid using small offices to exchange currency and purchase pesos. If you compare exchange rates and fees and use a multi-currency account before you leave, you can save money by avoiding unnecessary costs.
Visiting banks abroad
It can be tempting to exchange at a local bank when you arrive at your destination. It's best to only do this in an emergency, since the fees and exchange rates are high. Some banks may also charge for helping non-account holders.
If you don't have enough money while traveling, using your own bank card is often cheaper than exchanging at a foreign bank, but it’s still expensive. The best way you can save money on your peso exchange is to prepare in advance and open a multi-currency account before you travel. These usually offer the most competitive rates and the lowest fees on the market.
Getting pesos in the US - advanced planning will save you money
If you're going to Mexico and need some Mexican pesos, get a multi-currency account before you leave. Having a multi-currency card in your wallet and on your phone will not only save you on fees, but also reduce your risk of being a target for pickpockets by eliminating the need to carry large amounts of cash.
Explore more topics
FAQs
What’s the best place to get pesos before traveling?
If you’re planning to travel to Mexico, the best place to get pesos is through a multi-currency bank account. Companies such as Wise and Revolut provide multi-currency accounts, and as long as you have enough pesos in your account, you can make card payments in Mexico for free.
What’s the best place to get pesos after traveling?
If you’ve already traveled and you don’t have a multi-currency account or a travel money card, it may be best to stick with your usual debit card. Check your high street bank’s foreign transaction fees to make sure you’re not going to be charged too much in fees.
Should I buy pesos when I get to the airport?
No, exchanging currency at the airport is costly. If you've already traveled, it's probably cheaper to use your bank debit card instead.
Despite this, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and open a multi-currency account before you travel, to save on any additional costs when you arrive.
What else do I need to travel to Mexico?
Before you travel to Mexico, make sure you’ve thought about the following:
Check your medical insurance policy covers you overseas
Make sure your passport is valid and in-date
It’s illegal for travelers to bring electronic cigarettes and vaping devices into Mexico
Drugs, including medical marijuana, are illegal in Mexico
Tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Caribbean and Pacific Coast can cause heavy winds and rain between May and November
The legal drinking age in Mexico is 18
Can you get pesos at the US Post Office?
The US Post Office can transfer money internationally for you, but it doesn’t sell foreign currency. You’ll need to get pesos somewhere else, like a neobank with a multi-currency account, or a travel money card.
Can you get pesos from US banks?
Most US banks like Wells Fargo, JPMorgan, Chase, the Bank of America, and Citibank will exchange pesos for you, but they may charge a fee and a higher exchange rate than the mid-market rate. To get a better deal, you should open a multi-currency account, or purchase a travel money card.
How far in advance should I buy pesos for my trip?
It's generally recommended to purchase pesos 1-2 months before your trip if you’re using a multi-currency account like Wise or Revolut. This gives time for the cards to arrive. If you’re using a prepaid travel card, 1-2 weeks in advance is sufficient.
What is the best way to pay when I'm in Mexico?
Using a multi-currency debit card like Wise or Revolut to pay directly in pesos is the most cost effective way to pay. You can also withdraw pesos from an ATM using these cards. Avoid paying in US dollars if possible - you'll get a poor exchange rate.
How much cash in pesos should I take?
Take enough for the first few days before getting more from an ATM. Many places accept cards now, so cash is less necessary. It’s a good idea to take no more than a quarter of your weekly budget in cash.
For your holiday budget, work out your budget in dollars, then use our currency converter to find how many pesos you’ll need.
Should I keep receipts for currency exchanges in Mexico?
Yes, keep any receipts for currency exchanges and withdrawals. This helps you reconcile your accounts later.
Are there fees for using my card in Mexico?
With a multi-currency account, debit transactions in pesos are usually free. There may be a small fee for ATM withdrawals after a certain number. Check your card's fee schedule.
How do I check the exchange rate I'm getting for USD/MXN?
Apps like Wise and Revolut show the live exchange rate. For other exchanges, ask the teller for the rate and compare it to online sources. Avoid places that won't disclose the rate.
What's the best way to exchange any leftover pesos?
You can exchange back to US dollars and deposit them to your US account if you have a multi-currency card. Otherwise, keep the currency as a souvenir or for your next trip. Exchanging pesos back to dollars will often lose you more money in exchange rates.
Xe exchange rates
Use the tabs to switch between different amounts.
Live Exchange Rates
Best Currency Brokers in 2026
Before diving deeper into the exchange brokers, here’s a quick overview of who will benefit from using a currency broker.
How to get British Pounds in the USA
Before you buy your pounds, you should make sure you’re getting the best deal. To save money, consider using cheaper ways to exchange currencies, such as opening a multi-currency account.
How to get Japanese Yen in the US
Before exchanging your dollars for Japanese yen, you should check the different ways you can buy them to make sure you get the best deal. Multi-currency accounts are the cheapest and most convenient way to get Japanese yen and spend them overseas.
Contributors
.jpg)
Please share your experience with …