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BajaNomad
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La Paz - peso/dollar exchange?
So, let's just say one is in La Paz, and they find that they didn't exchange enough USA dollars for MX pesos.....
Where in La Paz would there be the best exchange rate to get more pesos - again, assuming USA cash in hand, and preferring to not pull pesos through
an ATM.
And if the best place is a bank.... what would the second-best option be then?
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David K
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How about a big super market Doug?
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gnukid
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it's true big stores give great excange rates such as chedraui but they may only accept bills up to $100 over the cost of the sale. So one can only
get change for about $1200 pesos. This is likley the best option if you have cash you must use.
Simply make a series of purchases for small items using $100 dollars bills. If you only have twenty dollar bills this system won't work. On the other
hand most stores do take dollars they just don't provide more than 12:1 so you are losing a fare percentage of about 5%-75 which isn't too bad.
The best option I have found is to use the ATM at Santendar if you have BOA, in any case ATMs such Banorte, Bancomer and Santendar give a high
exchange rate and you deduct from your bank account. Get up to 6000 pesos. There may be a $5 intl fee so its best to take the largest amount possible
per transaction to reduce the number of transactions required.
A less optimum choice is a cambio in el centro on the street back from the malecon next to the Callejon which is a promenade with restaurants next to
Perla. There you will get an exchange rate less far than the best but they will exchange some amount, so will banks such as Santendar on most
occasions but you need to bring your passport and perhaps a copy of it too and they may feel restricted to the amount.
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Marla Daily
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Bank of America has a 3% transaction fee on foreign currency exchanges. Every time you use a BofA visa (Alaska Airlines) this
additional charge will appear.
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Mula
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Use a Schwab visa card at the ATMs and Schwab reimburses your fees every month or 3.
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ligui
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Gas station , loves dollars , last is saw was 12.6 to 1 us
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coconaco
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The easiest place the change money is across the street
from the old La Perla Dept Store ruins. Small window, easy to miss. They have been there for years.
THE MINNOW must be lost!!!!!
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mula
Use a Schwab visa card at the ATMs and Schwab reimburses your fees every month or 3. |
Fidelity has same free atm too.
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coconaco
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| Quote: | Originally posted by gnukid
A less optimum choice is a cambio in el centro on the street back from the malecon next to the Callejon which is a promenade with restaurants next to
Perla. There you will get an exchange rate less far than the best but they will exchange some amount, so will banks such as Santendar on most
occasions but you need to bring your passport and perhaps a copy of it too and they may feel restricted to the amount. |
Same place, no words spoken, just pass your money through the window. we stay in town and can walk by there in our travels.
Atm is preferrred.
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BajaNomad
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Thank you.
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
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karenintx
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Marla Daily
Bank of America has a 3% transaction fee on foreign currency exchanges. Every time you use a BofA visa (Alaska Airlines) this
additional charge will appear. |
This may be true for the "BOA Visa" as it is considered a credit card transaction however using a BOA ATM card @ Scotia or Santander banks has never
charged an ATM fee...at least in the Los Cabos area. We withdraw 6,000 pesos a couple of times a month without a fee attached.
Also USAA Bank will reimburse $14 usd (monthly) to your account for any international ATM fees.
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David K
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For noobies, dollars are accepted everywhere specially at gas stations and hotels where most money might be spent.
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DENNIS
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Sounds like he's on a quest for the most popular "Casa de Cambio" since he mentined he'd rather not use an ATM or go to a bank.
I didn't know grocery stores would make currency exchanges other than when used for purchases.
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Alm
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
Sounds like he's on a quest for the most popular "Casa de Cambio" since he mentined he'd rather not use an ATM or go to a bank.
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Puzzles me too.
"...if the best place is a bank..." - not always true. Bank or ATM of same bank could be a good place if it's affiliated with Mex banks and therefore
attach lower service fees and/or better rate. Scotia and HSBC for us canucks, for you it's probably B of A. And it's pretty similar with ATM, i.e. at
the "right" ATM you won't get ripped off. Reluctance to pull stacks of cash out of ATM in Mexico is understandable, but Cambios are usually lacking
privacy same as ATM.
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captkw
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do not us dollars at the pemex !!
Yes they Love them..and the exchange rates Is lower then that days rate.!!!! La paz just off the malacon where the banks are on the one way road
heading into the "zone" is 2 casa de cambios that I use if the bank is not opened...You must go very early if you want to park any where around there
and beware the trafficos are fast with there infractions..K&T ps Hi
ligui
[Edited on 1-3-2013 by captkw]
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gnukid
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Marla Daily
Bank of America has a 3% transaction fee on foreign currency exchanges. Every time you use a BofA visa (Alaska Airlines) this
additional charge will appear. |
Not me, BOA refunds my intl charges, I think they will for most clients, you might have to ask your bank manager. I promise.
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Sweetwater
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| Quote: | Originally posted by ligui
Gas station , loves dollars , last is saw was 12.6 to 1 us |
My 'limited' experiences suggest this is the worst place to exchange USdollars. Very bad rate and abuse by the attendants.
Wherever you get a fair exchange is directly related to reliability in my experience. I'd rather pay a small charge for an accurate exchange rate and
a lack of drama....YMMV.....
Everbody\'s preachin\' at me that we all wanna git to heaven, trouble is, nobody wants to die to git there.-BB King
Reality is what does not go away when you stop believing in it. -Philip K Dick
Nothing is worse than active ignorance. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(1749-1832, German writer, artist and politician)
When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I\'ve never tried before. - Mae West
Experience is what keeps a man who makes the same mistake twice from admitting it the third time around.
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David K
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Pemex stations post the exchange rate typically. The pump reads in pesos. Take your calculator and divide the pesos shown by the exchange rate. Give
the attendant that much plus tip. Easy. If the exchange rate is far different than the bank rate, find another, if no other, oh well.
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captkw
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cambio
Pemix stations post daily There own daily rate which always lower than the real rate for a given date !!! not what is the current bank rate...I'm
surprized DK...paying for gas in dls is a losing game....A very old "Gringo" game..always pay in pesos like us locals do.........K&T
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David K
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I get pesos for our annual big trip to Sur. Not for norte trips.
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