BajaNomad - ATM withdraw limits

ATM withdraw limits

elfbrewery - 10-20-2018 at 12:06 PM

Does anyone know how many pesos one can get from the different ATMs in Baja. I know it varies, but I wonder if anyone can give me a little help, so that I can hit them up on the way down and not get stuck with too few pesos, too late. (I don't want to suffer from ATM withdrawal...)

chippy - 10-20-2018 at 01:01 PM

It depends on your bank limit in the USA and what bank you use in Mexico.

My dailey limit is 600 usd. Banamex has a 6000 mxn per withdrawl limit so I have to make 2 withdrawls to get my dailey limit and get hit with double fees :mad:

. HSBC lets me take my dailey withdrawl in one shot so they get my biz.

Those are the only 2 choices I have. Don´t know about the rest of them.

mtgoat666 - 10-20-2018 at 01:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by elfbrewery

Does anyone know how many pesos one can get from the different ATMs in Baja. I know it varies, but I wonder if anyone can give me a little help, so that I can hit them up on the way down and not get stuck with too few pesos, too late. (I don't want to suffer from ATM withdrawal...)

I don’t trust atms in Mexico, and they don’t always work with my bank. For short trips of a few weeks or less, I just carry cash.

JZ - 10-20-2018 at 01:22 PM

Call your bank and get your limit set to what you want. Both my debit cards have $2K daily limits.

ATMs in MX vary widely. Most are set at like 5000-6000 pesos, give or take. The one I use a bunch in Sonora lets you go up to 15,000 pesos, but that is an outlier.

Banamex works the best with US cards. HBSC and Bancomer not so much.

[Edited on 10-21-2018 by JZ]

chippy - 10-20-2018 at 01:26 PM

Never had a problem with HSBC and my USAA card. Bancomer never works for me.

Lee - 10-20-2018 at 01:38 PM

Bancomer in Todos $8000 pesos per withdrawal using Schwab up North.

Always have a backup card.
__________________________

Should have mentioned that $8,000 pesos seems to be the max at the ATM I use but sometimes will make 2-3 $8,000 peso withdrawals.

[Edited on 10-21-2018 by Lee]

Slight hijack

Howard - 10-20-2018 at 01:42 PM

A friend and I went to a Santander (SIC?) bank in Ensenada yesterday to use the ATM. The limit was 6,000 pesos. We both w/d 6,000 pesos. He had an Schwab ATM card and I had one from a small bank in California.

What a surprise, he netted 18.74 pesos to the $ and I netted 17.96 without fees.

I never knew there was that big a swing between banks. Needless to say I am going to tell my bank to stick it where the sun don't shine.

Live and learn.

tbnoble - 10-20-2018 at 02:13 PM

I got to get pesos every couple of weeks since we live here and regularly withdraw $15,000 pesos at a time using HSBC and my Schwab account. Have been able to get as much as $20,000. Only time I have ever had a problem is if the atm is deficient in funds in Card##as. Huge difference in banks with Schwab I get close to the currency valuation and no fees, with US Bank I might as well bend over before I use it.

Alm - 10-20-2018 at 06:16 PM

Goat is right.

With 6,000 pesos limit, on a short trip it's easier to bring extra $US 320 along than waste time looking for ATM and dealing with it.

It may not work with your card, it may swallow the card and there will be nobody around after hours to help. Or it may charge extra even when it's an ATM of "your" bank, but installed in some grocery store rather than in a bank.

Baja ATM exchange rate is usually worse than what you would get north of the border if you shop around before the trip. If you are really savvy, and depending where you live in the US, there could be places with better rate than a bank.

[Edited on 10-21-2018 by Alm]

mtgoat666 - 10-20-2018 at 06:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm

Goat is right.

With 6,000 pesos limit, on a short trip it's easier to bring extra $US 320 along than waste time looking for ATM and dealing with it.

It may not work with your card, it may swallow the card and there will be nobody around after hours to help. Or it may charge extra even when it's the ATM of "your" bank, but the ATM is installed in some grocery store rather than in a bank. Exchange rate will always be worse than what you would get north of the border if you take time to shop around before the trip.

[Edited on 10-21-2018 by Alm]

Yes, The goat is always right :bounce:

I stick to credit cards and cash. I hate atms. Much easier to reject fraud on a cc, not easy to reject fraud on an atm. I only withdraw money maybe once every month or 2, and I usually walk into teller, the teller never has a line, and I like to get 100s and 50s instead of 20s (also not a fan of andrew Jackson)

Alm - 10-20-2018 at 06:43 PM

I dislike not only ATM that charge fees, but also banks when they are getting too greedy. Found 2 local exchange places with rate more than 2% better than a bank, and buy pesos there before going South. Always a choice of 100s, 50s, 500s - whatever I want.

Credit cards suck in a different way. With few exceptions they all charge 2.5% conversion fee. Those that don't charge, either come with an annual fee or belong to marginal companies with tons of limitations and poor support.

mtgoat666 - 10-20-2018 at 07:21 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm

I dislike not only ATM that charge fees, but also banks when they are getting too greedy. Found 2 local exchange places with rate more than 2% better than a bank, and buy pesos there before going South. Always a choice of 100s, 50s, 500s - whatever I want.

Credit cards suck in a different way. With few exceptions they all charge 2.5% conversion fee. Those that don't charge, either come with an annual fee or belong to marginal companies with tons of limitations and poor support.

Schwartz and fidelity reimburse atm fees, so free atm. If you keep some money in the bank or investment house, cc easily had with no fee. My fidelity visa card is no fee and gives me 2% cash back. Can’t complain about 2%, way better than miles or other non-cash bs.

JZ - 10-20-2018 at 11:30 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Yes, The goat is always right :bounce:

You are never right about anything.

No one on here believes anything you say.

Skipjack Joe - 10-21-2018 at 09:47 AM

Quote: Originally posted by elfbrewery

I don't want to suffer from ATM withdrawal...)

Alm - 10-21-2018 at 12:26 PM

I know people who don't believe that 2*2=4. Or, more likely, they just don't know this.

elfbrewery - 10-21-2018 at 05:29 PM

I think Fidelity, like USAA, still passes on a 1% foreign transaction fee. So even though you get your ATM fee back, the 1% could do the same damage, depending on your withdrawal.

RFClark - 10-22-2018 at 08:25 AM

Banknorte in Todo Santos allows $7000 N.M. In withdrawals for just under $48 N.M. Bancomer charges about double that in fees.

BajaBlanca - 10-23-2018 at 02:25 AM

Might I suggest, as a last resort, have someone back at home ready and able to wire cash via western union. Being stuck with no cash no card is not fun.

I am astounded at the number of stores that accept western union wires.

elfbrewery - 10-23-2018 at 07:23 PM

As a final note, I was able to withdraw $15,000MXN from the HSBC in Vicente Guerrero today. I hit it up as many times as I could until my card was rejected... The fraud squad interrupted my fun, but no harm done. I have plenty of pesos for now.
Thanks for everyone's help and advice!

JZ - 10-23-2018 at 08:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by elfbrewery

As a final note, I was able to withdraw $15,000MXN from the HSBC in Vicente Guerrero today. I hit it up as many times as I could until my card was rejected... The fraud squad interrupted my fun, but no harm done. I have plenty of pesos for now.
Thanks for everyone's help and advice!

5,000 per transaction? Seems about right.

With Wells Fargo and other banks you can go on the mobile app and set a travel plan. Takes about 30 secs. Then you can do it 6 times at the bank.

It's better to find a MX ATM that give more cash in one transaction, but they are rare in Baja.

Even with the $5-10 or whatever per transaction, it's better than using dollars. Easy thing is to load up on pesos before your trip by getting them at a US bank before you leave.