Mexico isn't an expensive country, but not dirt cheap either. Prices for food, drinks and transport in the Yucatan, particularly along the Riviera Mayan (Caribbean coast) are roughly the same as at home. It's a lot cheaper the further away from the coast you are.  

The Mexican currency is the Peso, the exchange rate is roughly £1 = 21 pesos (October 2009). Cash US Dollars are accepted at most hotels and some restaurants, Visa and MasterCard are also widely accepted. If your bank card has a Cirrus or Maestro-logo you should also be able to use most of the cash machines in Mexico, but make sure you always have some spare cash as the machines can be empty or the network go down.

A tip: You'll probably be spending the first few days of your holiday in Cancun or Playa del Carmen. Make sure you quickly get used to the peso: when you order a drink and don't ask how much it costs you'll often be charged more than the regular price. Also check you get the correct amount of change.

The Guatemalan currency is the Quetzal, after named after the indigenous tropical bird. Current exchange rate roughly £1 = 12 Quetzal (October 2008). The Belizean currency is the Belizean Dollar, the value is roughly £1 = $3.5, or about 2:1 to the US dollar, so Bzd$2 = US$1. US dollars are also widely accepted, but you'll only find  cash machines (ATM's) in the major towns. There's a bank on Caye Caulker, but the cash machines are often empty.
 

Tips:
Where there's tourists, there's pickpockets and petty crime, which is why we'd like to give you the following tips:
- Leave unnecessary valuable items (like jewellery) at home in the UK. Leave valuable documents (passport, tickets etc) in the hotel safe - don't forget them when you leave! Scan your passport, driver's licence and ticket and send a copy by email to your own address. That way you can download and print a copy wherever you are.

-Don't carry too much cash around, or keep your valuable camera in plain sight. Keep a close eye on your money, camera and backpack and stow your money in a money belt or carry it round your neck. On the beach, don't leave your bag lying behind you but use it as a pillow.

- When travelling by car, on your stops take any visible bags (e.g. on the back seat) out of the car and make sure you lock the car. Be wary of anyone approaching you the moment you're parking the car or if you've broken down. When travelling by bus, keep an eye on your bags.  

Time zone: Mexico is -6 hours GMT, so at midday UK time it's 6am in Mexico, on the same day. 
Language: Spanish. You'll be able to manage with English in most coastal tourist towns but less so further inland. If you're not too fluent in Spanish a small pocket dictionary could come in handy, making a little effort will be appreciated.
Voltage: Voltage is 110V and plug sockets are two flat prongs (the same as the USA and Canada). 
Food/drink: Tap water is not suitable for drinking, but bottled water is widely available. Be careful with raw or unwashed fruit and vegetables as they can give you traveller's diarrhoea. For more information check our health page.