CDMX is a peso city
Unlike Cancun or Tulum, Mexico City is not built for dollar-wielding tourists. Prices are in pesos, locals pay in pesos, and trying to spend USD gets you either a flat refusal or a bad exchange rate. The good news: CDMX is one of the easier big cities in Latin America to manage cash-free once you have a fee-friendly debit or credit card.
You'll need some cash for taxis, the metro, street food, markets and tips, but most of your spending can go on card.
Neighborhoods and what they cost
CDMX is enormous and prices swing sharply by neighborhood:
- Polanco, Lomas de Chapultepec — the expensive side. Dinner for two at a proper restaurant runs 1,500-3,000 pesos. Hotels start at 3,500 pesos/night.
- Roma Norte, Condesa — the expat and digital-nomad zone. Cafes charge 70-120 pesos for a flat white, lunch 200-400 pesos, dinner 400-900 pesos. Airbnbs 1,500-4,000 pesos/night.
- Centro Histórico — tourist-heavy but affordable. Lunch menus (comida corrida) 90-150 pesos. Good hotels 1,200-2,500 pesos/night.
- Coyoacán, San Ángel — charming, moderate prices. Cantina lunches 150-300 pesos, markets still working-class.
- Iztacalco, Iztapalapa — residential neighborhoods with regular local prices. Tacos 15-30 pesos each, comida corrida under 100 pesos.
ATMs in CDMX
Plenty of good options. Stick to the big four:
- Banamex (Citibanamex) — densely placed across Roma, Condesa, Polanco, Centro. Typical fee: 35-45 pesos.
- BBVA — everywhere. Reliable rates. Typical fee: 30-40 pesos.
- HSBC — accepts most foreign cards. Typical fee: 40-55 pesos.
- Scotiabank — fee-free for Scotiabank Canada account holders. Typical fee: 40-50 pesos otherwise.
Santander is also fine. Avoid Banco Azteca (affiliated with Elektra, aggressive fees and sometimes poor rates on foreign cards) and Euronet machines in hotels and tourist areas.
Many CDMX Metro stations have bank-branded ATMs inside the fare-paid area — handy if you're already travelling. Withdrawal limits are typically 6,000-9,000 pesos per transaction.
Card acceptance
In Roma, Condesa, Polanco and most of Centro, card acceptance is near-universal. Restaurants, cafes, bars, supermarkets (Chedraui, Superama, La Comer, Soriana, Walmart), OXXO, 7-Eleven, pharmacies — all take Visa and Mastercard with contactless. American Express is spottier.
Where cards won't work: traditional markets (Mercado de la Merced, Mercado San Juan, Mercado Jamaica), most street food, small neighborhood tiendas, tianguis (weekend street markets), taxi drivers who claim their terminal is broken, and cash-only cantinas in Centro. Whenever a terminal asks "USD or MXN?", always pick MXN to avoid a 5-7% merchant markup.
Uber, Didi and taxis
Uber and Didi (and occasionally Cabify) are legal, widely used and usually the cheapest way around for visitors. In-app card payment means you don't touch cash. A typical 5-10 km ride in traffic costs 80-160 pesos.
Official pink-and-gold taxis are fine too. They're metered (banderazo starts around 9-12 pesos), but for longer rides it's worth negotiating a flat fare up front. Avoid unmarked or "libre" taxis flagged on the street, especially at night.
Public transport: small cash needed
CDMX has excellent, cheap public transit:
- Metro: 5 pesos per ride, unlimited transfers within the system
- Metrobús (BRT): 6 pesos per ride
- Trolebús, RTP, Cablebús: 2-7 pesos per ride
You need a physical Mi Tarjeta (Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada), which costs 30 pesos one-time at any station kiosk. Top up with cash at vending machines or the ticket booth. A few kiosks now accept contactless card top-ups but cash still rules here. Plan to keep 50-100 pesos in 10-50 peso bills for this.
Realistic daily budgets
- Backpacker (hostel, metro, street tacos, one cantina beer): 500-800 pesos/day
- Mid-range tourist (boutique hotel in Roma/Condesa, mix of restaurants and taquerias, Ubers, one museum): 1,500-2,500 pesos/day
- Remote-working expat (Airbnb in Roma/Condesa, daily cafe, gym, dinners out): 2,000-3,500 pesos/day
- Luxury (Polanco hotel, Pujol/Quintonil-tier dinners, spa, driver): 4,000-10,000+ pesos/day
Markets where cash is king
Some of CDMX's best food and shopping happens at markets that don't take cards. Bring 200-500 pesos in small bills when you visit:
- Mercado de la Merced — massive wholesale food market in Centro
- Mercado San Juan — specialty meats, cheeses, exotic ingredients
- Mercado Jamaica — flowers and produce
- Tianguis — weekend neighborhood street markets (Roma on Sunday, Condesa on Tuesday)
- Street taco stands — best eaten with small bills and coins
Money safety in CDMX
- Don't use outdoor ATMs after dark, especially in Centro, Doctores or near Tepito.
- Split your cash. Keep 200-400 pesos in an easy-to-reach pocket, the rest somewhere harder to grab.
- Metro Line 1 (pink line) and Line 2 have an active pickpocketing problem during rush hour. Front pockets, bag in front, phone away.
- Skip Banco Azteca ATMs even when they're convenient — fees and rates are consistently worse than the big four banks.
- For any card transaction over a few hundred pesos, watch the terminal and pick MXN when it asks.