BajaNomad

ATM withdrawal question

Doug/Vamonos - 5-26-2015 at 11:25 AM

Hi. I withdraw pesos from the Mexican ATMs on my drive south in Maneadero and San Quintin. I have two separate US accounts and usually get 4000 pesos from each card. Does anyone know what the daily limit is? I can get $400 from my US banks in the US, but is it the same when withdrawing in Mexico? For example, with the exchange at 15 pesos per dollar, can I withdraw 6000 pesos? The most I've ever tried is 4000. Thanks.

woody with a view - 5-26-2015 at 11:37 AM

yes, whatever your bank allows is the number of pesos that will be dispensed.

see you there!

chippy - 5-26-2015 at 11:46 AM

Woody is right. I get 7000 at a time. My USD limit is 500 dollars.

Udo - 5-26-2015 at 12:06 PM

I use Mexican ATMs a lot and I agree with Woody & Chippy.

One plus...you get the best exchange rate.

One caveat: Check the Mexican bank's fees, and which is affiliated with your bank. ATM fees vary widely.

bill erhardt - 5-26-2015 at 12:40 PM

A Mexican bank will not dispense through an ATM more pesos than the equivalent dollar limit of your U S bank account, but the Mexican bank may have a lower limit. I have pushed withdrawals in Loreto to 12,000 pesos, but hit a ceiling although my U S bank limit is higher.

msteve1014 - 5-26-2015 at 12:54 PM

And just like ATMs in the states, when the machine gets low on cash it will cut back on how much it will dispense in a single transaction.

motoged - 5-26-2015 at 12:58 PM

I also "hit the Mex bank's ceiling" in Vizcaino .....several smaller withdrawals at a time allowed me to get my $$$$ required....

Some Mex banks wouldn't recognize my bank debit card, despite card "symbols" posted at ATM....

Best advice....don't wait until the last minute to see if Mex bank /ATM withdrawals work....nothing worse than $10.00 in your pocket with expenses in front of you and an uncooperative ATM.

Plan ahead.

Doug/Vamonos - 5-26-2015 at 02:46 PM

Exactly the info I needed. Thanks everyone.

Lee - 5-26-2015 at 03:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by msteve1014  
And just like ATMs in the states, when the machine gets low on cash it will cut back on how much it will dispense in a single transaction.


Wells Fargo/Bancomer gives me 7,000 pesos at a time. Sometimes, at the ATM, I get a notice that Bancomer doesn't have the funds, so I make 2 withdrawals at 3,500 pesos each. My WF account waives all fees as well.

Bajahowodd - 5-26-2015 at 04:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged  
I also "hit the Mex bank's ceiling" in Vizcaino .....several smaller withdrawals at a time allowed me to get my $$$$ required....

Some Mex banks wouldn't recognize my bank debit card, despite card "symbols" posted at ATM....

Best advice....don't wait until the last minute to see if Mex bank /ATM withdrawals work....nothing worse than $10.00 in your pocket with expenses in front of you and an uncooperative ATM.

Plan ahead.


I'm guessing that you had to pay a transaction fee foe each withdrawal. Not so good.

We have, for many years gotten our pesos by the turnoff to Maneadero. Try to only make a single withdrawal on the trip.

That said, unlike years ago, many Pemex stations and most hotels now take credit cards. And unless you're making a big purchase, you can use dollars without worrying about the exchange rate. Chump change.

Ateo - 5-26-2015 at 05:14 PM

Never, until this last trip have I had a problem with an ATM in Mex.

My new card with the new chip didn't work in TJ or Ensenada.

Both transaction I requested a withdrawal but no $$$ came out.

Everything looked exactly like it should be, with the card popping back out, but no $$$.

Any ideas?

Fortunately I had US dollars.

woody with a view - 5-26-2015 at 05:21 PM

how many pin #'s?

tripledigitken - 5-26-2015 at 05:31 PM

Did you let your bank know of your travel plans prior to leaving for Baja?

AKgringo - 5-26-2015 at 05:53 PM

I had a problem trying to withdraw cash in Tecate last October. Two different bank branch ATMs charged me for balance inquiries, but I got no cash out.
When a convenience store ATM declined me as well, I took some greenbacks to a money changer and got on the road, sure that I would be spending some time in a bank, or on the phone in San Felipe.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that in S.F., taking no further action, there was no problem! Never had another issue over the six weeks I was in country.
Wells Fargo sent me one of the new 'chip' card recently, I can hardly wait to see if I will have problems next time.

Ateo - 5-26-2015 at 06:36 PM

Ken: I never let my bank know that I'm traveling and have never had an issue in the last 20 years. Good question though. I hope something hasn't changed. I guess I could call my bank.

Woody: The pin is a decent amount of digits. I ain't saying on here! More than 6 though.

woody with a view - 5-26-2015 at 06:40 PM

that is your problem right there! I'm almost certain that anything over 4 is not accepted SOB.

Ateo - 5-26-2015 at 06:42 PM

That's a great joke. :biggrin:

motoged - 5-26-2015 at 06:43 PM

What Woody said....El Correctomundo

Doug/Vamonos - 5-26-2015 at 10:17 PM

I log onto my accounts (credit unions) before leaving and leave a vacation note with my dates SOB just in case there is an issue. Such as multiple withdrawals in one day. Last week I bought a fishing license online and my first card choice denied it because I was on the mex website and the transaction was in pesos. They emailed me later asking if it was a legit charge, while my other card was approved with no problem. And I've previously had charges denied after multiple uses at gas stations with my motorcycle (three gallons at a time over 700 mile trips). So it is worth notifying them if you have travel plans, especially SOB.

cliffh - 5-27-2015 at 02:51 PM

We have wells fargo atm with new chip, no problem san jose or la paz, we let them now when we are in baja.

Bob and Susan - 5-27-2015 at 02:58 PM

my suggestion is just buy pesos before you cross...and
turn them into dollars when you return

taking 600 dollars on vacation isn't a lot of money if you break down

only use ATM's if you run out

chippy - 5-27-2015 at 04:35 PM

I think most of us were talking about multiple withdrawls during living/vacationing in Mexico:light:.

Bajahowodd - 5-27-2015 at 04:53 PM

I don't know if it has changed in the past several years, but about 10 years ago, I was embarrassed when my Chase card would not work while checking out of the Tropicana in San Jose. Luckily, I had a B of A card that worked. Since then, B of A also requires travel notification in advance.

That said, several years later, I had my Chase card cloned when paying for a meal at El Rey Sol in Ensenada. Found out about that when I got a call from Chase security people advising me that some female was trying to buy a load of stuff at South Coast Plaza.

I got all kinds of apologies from Jean Luc Bitterlin, owner of Rey Sol.

No free meal, however.