Your U.S. bank account, debit card, or other accepted funding methodRecipient's full legal nameMexican bank name and 18-digit CLABE if using bank depositRecipient's phone number if requestedValid identification for cash pickupAccess to the transfer app or websiteA way to compare the final MXN amount before sending
How to Send Money from the U.S. to Mexico
Banking / Money
Living in Tulum often means managing money in two countries. You may have funds in a U.S. account but need pesos for your Mexican bank account, rent, HOA fees, local services, or everyday expenses. Mexico remains a very cash-oriented economy. INEGI's 2024 financial-inclusion survey found that cash was still the most frequently used payment method for 85.2% of purchases of MXN $500 or less and 73.5% of purchases over MXN $500. In southern Mexico, cash use was even higher for larger purchases. That makes it useful to understand both bank deposit and cash pickup. Services such as Remitly and Xoom can do both, while Wise and PayPal work differently.
How to move money from a U.S. account to Mexico using bank deposits, cash pickup, Remitly, Xoom, Wise, PayPal, or a traditional bank wire.
Applies to: Residents, property owners, long-term visitors, and anyone managing U.S.-to-Mexico payments.
What to Have Ready
How To Do It
Send Money to a Mexican Bank Account:
Best when you or the person you are paying already has a Mexican bank account. Remitly, Xoom and Wise can all be used to send money into supported Mexican bank accounts.
- Open Remitly, Xoom or Wise.
- Select Mexico as the destination and MXN as the receiving currency.
- Choose bank deposit.
- Enter the recipient's name exactly as it appears on their Mexican bank account.
- Enter the 18-digit CLABE and other requested account information.
- Select how you want to fund the transfer.
- Review the exchange rate, fees and final amount of pesos the recipient will receive.
- Confirm the transfer.
- Remitly: bank deposit plus cash-pickup options
- Xoom: bank deposit plus cash pickup and some mobile-wallet options
- Wise: useful for sending directly into an existing Mexican bank account
- The recipient normally does not need an account with the transfer company when receiving into their Mexican bank
Do not compare services only by the advertised transfer fee. Compare the final number of pesos received. Exchange rates and fees can make a bigger difference than a "$0 fee" promotion.
Option 2: Send Money for Cash Pickup
Cash pickup is particularly useful in Tulum. A local worker or service provider may not have a bank account, may prefer cash, or you may simply not have enough pesos on hand.
- Open Remitly or Xoom.
- Select Mexico and enter the amount you want to send.
- Choose cash pickup instead of bank deposit.
- Enter the recipient's information exactly as it appears on their ID.
- Choose an available cash-pickup network.
- Select your funding method and review the final MXN amount.
- Confirm the transfer.
- Send the recipient the transfer information, reference number or code provided.
- The recipient takes valid identification and the required transfer information to an eligible participating location.
- OXXO
- 7-Eleven
- Walmart
- Bodega Aurrera
- Elektra
- Banco Azteca
- BanCoppel
- Farmacias Guadalajara
- BBVA, Banorte, Santander, HSBC, Scotiabank, Other participating banks and financial institutions
- Remitly currently lists bank deposit, cash pickup and mobile wallet as Mexico delivery options.
You generally choose the pickup network, not one particular store branch. The recipient follows the transfer instructions and can use an eligible participating location within that network. Always check the specific pickup instructions before sending.
Option 3: Send Money with Xoom
Xoom is PayPal's international money-transfer service and is another useful option for Mexico. It supports bank deposits, cash pickup and mobile-wallet transfers.
- Sign in to Xoom directly or with your PayPal account.
- Select Mexico.
- Enter how much you want to send.
- Choose bank deposit, mobile wallet or cash pickup.
- Enter the recipient's information.
- Choose your payment method.
- Review the fees, exchange rate and final MXN amount.
- Confirm the transfer.
- Can be funded by bank account, debit card, credit card or eligible PayPal payment methods
- Supports major Mexican banks including BBVA
- Cash pickup includes networks such as OXXO, Elektra and BanCoppel
- Xoom also supports some Mexican mobile wallets
Xoom currently confirms bank deposits, cash pickup and mobile-wallet transfers to Mexico and lists OXXO, Elektra and BanCoppel among its cash-pickup options.
Option 4: Send Cash to Yourself
You can also make yourself the recipient of an eligible cash-pickup transfer. This can be useful when you need pesos but do not have enough cash on hand.
- Start a Remitly or Xoom transfer to Mexico.
- Enter yourself as the recipient.
- Choose cash pickup.
- Enter your name exactly as it appears on your identification.
- Select an available pickup network.
- Fund and confirm the transfer.
- Follow the pickup instructions and take the required ID with you.
- You need pesos
- Your Mexican bank balance is low
- An ATM is unavailable or not working
- You want another option besides repeated ATM withdrawals
- Your card is lost or stolen or damaged
- You need access to funds held in the United States
If you fund a transfer with a U.S. credit card, your card issuer may classify the transaction as a cash advance. Cash-advance fees, higher interest rates and immediate interest can apply. Check your card terms before using this as a regular way to obtain cash.
Option 5: Wise — Useful, But Different in Mexico
Wise can be useful for sending money from the United States directly into an existing Mexican bank account, but a Mexico-based Wise account should not be treated as a replacement for a normal Mexican bank account.
- Wise can send MXN to many existing Mexican bank accounts
- The recipient needs an eligible Mexican bank account and CLABE
- Simply opening Wise in Mexico does not give a local worker a normal Mexican Wise bank account for receiving pesos
- Mexico does not currently have the same Wise account-detail functionality available in some other countries
- Wise does not currently offer its Wise debit card to Mexico residents
- Asking someone without a bank account to "just open Wise" therefore does not solve the cash-payment problem
- Wise's own Mexico information explains that international money can be sent through Wise to the recipient's Mexican bank account using their CLABE.
Think of Wise as the transfer route to an existing Mexican bank account, not as the answer for a local provider who doesn't have a bank account. For that situation, Remitly or Xoom cash pickup may be more practical.
Option 6: PayPal
PayPal can be useful when the person or business you are paying already uses PayPal, particularly for invoices, online services or professional payments.
- Ask whether the recipient accepts PayPal.
- Send the payment to their PayPal account or email address.
- Review international-payment and currency-conversion charges before confirming.
- The recipient manages the payment through their PayPal account.
- Convenient when both parties already use PayPal
- Useful for invoices and online services
- Not the same as a cash-pickup service
- A person without a bank account may find Remitly or Xoom more useful
In Mexico, PayPal says received funds are automatically transferred to the CLABE-linked bank account, and currency-conversion fees can apply.
Option 7: Traditional International Bank Wire
A direct international bank wire can still be appropriate for large, formal or institution-required transactions.
- Large transfers
- Property transactions
- Legal or notarial transactions
- Payments where the recipient specifically requires a wire
- Situations requiring formal SWIFT instructions
International wires may involve outgoing fees, intermediary-bank fees, receiving-bank charges and SWIFT information. For ordinary personal transfers, compare Remitly, Xoom and Wise first.
Spanish You May Need
- Transferencia bancaria — Bank Transfer
- CLABE interbancaria — The 18-digit number used to identify a Mexican bank account for transfers
- Pago en efectivo — Cash payment
- Retiro en efectivo — Cash withdrawal / cash pickup
- ¿Aceptas transferencia? — Do you accept a bank transfer?
- ¿Prefieres transferencia o efectivo? — Do you prefer a bank transfer or cash?
Good to Know
Mexico is still very cash-oriented, particularly in southern Mexico. Do not assume every local worker or service provider has a bank account.
If someone prefers cash, Remitly or Xoom cash pickup can be a practical alternative to searching for an ATM or asking the recipient to create an account they may not need.
If the recipient already has a Mexican bank account, compare Remitly, Xoom and Wise based on the final amount of MXN received, not just the transfer fee.
If the recipient already uses PayPal, that may also be convenient, but PayPal should not be confused with a cash-pickup service.
Tulum Sorted Note
Before paying someone locally, simply ask: “Bank transfer or cash?” If they do not have a bank account or prefer cash, ask whether they can receive a Remitly or Xoom cash pickup. And when moving your own money from the U.S. to Mexico, keep more than one option available. Your U.S. bank, Mexican bank account, cash-pickup service and transfer app each solve a different problem. Always compare the final pesos received before pressing Send.