Each year more and more shops and services accept credit cards in Baja. Even though the acceptance of credit cards is improving, they are not accepted nearly as much in Baja as they are in the United States. Cash is still king in Baja.
As a general rule the larger the merchant or service provider is in Baja the greater the liklihood is that they will accept credit cards. While larger stores and hotels may accept your Visa or Master Card with no problem, snaller vendors and hotels often run on a cash-only basis.
CREDIT CARDS IN BAJA
When credit cards are accepted in Baja, the charge on the card is almost always made in pesos. Dollars may also be part of the invoice you receive as a reference, but the charge itself will be made in pesos. This being the case, it is somewhat important to be able to understand the exchange rate between the Mexican peso and the US dollar.
Fortunately the exchange rate between pesos and dollars is fairly simple. For some time now the approximate value of 10 Mexican pesos has been very close to 1 US dollar. This "10 to 1" ratio makes it easy for even the most math-challenged tourist to figure out the approximate dollar amount of a bill quoted in pesos.
As an example, a billing of 100 pesos will run you about 10 bucks US and an invoice of 550 pesos will be about $55.00 in US dollars. Want to make converting pesos to dollars really simple? Just drop off the last digit of the amount in question and call it a dollar!
Don't be surprised if it takes a little longer than normal for your credit card statement reflecting the charges you made in Baja to show up in your mailbox back home. In Baja everything can be a little slow...including invoicing!
When using a credit card in Baja try your best to keep copies of your receipts in one place. Keeping your credit card receipts in a specific part of your wallet or passport will make it much easier to tally the fun once you get home.
Once you do receive your credit card statement in the mail at home, take a look at the charges to make sure they are all legitimate. Just like the US and the rest of the world, there are a few bad eggs in Baja that can make unauthorized charges on your card.