How far will $100 go in Mexico?

Question

OK, so like a big dummy, I accidentally gave a cab driver in Playa del Carmen a $100 USD tip instead of the $5 I intended to. I was distracted an in a hurry...Anyway, instead of feeling like such an idiot, I'm trying to focus on the positive. This is a young man with a family. What would $100 tip mean to a family man? I've been praying that he will use the money to make a difference in his family...and not that $100 is a HUGE amount, but heck, that would be a darned good tip even in the United States. Can someone give me an idea of how far that can go for him?

Answer 1

All the answers above are right, and here is another way to look at it. I live in San Luis Potosi where people are extremly poor and have no water or electricity. The people ranch for a living. Think about this, for the families to survive the government only gives them $30 USD ever TWO months. That is all that anybody gets, for food and "camp" money. So if the family was extremly poor then you just provided the cab driver in one day what the government would give his family in 6 1/2 months.

Answer 2

That equated to about 1 weeks pay. No one could say what the man will do ( good, bad, or ugly ) with the money BUT, Its just shy of a weeks pay.

Answer 3

well $100 are about 1000 pesos in Mexico that can be useful.

He probably will help his family with that money but with all the messed up people in this world he might as well waste it all on tequila.

Answer 4

It would likely pay his rent for the month.  I did something similar when I took a bus to s cruise.  I thought I gave the guy a couple of one's and in fact I gave him a couple of 10's.  I was bummed at first and then figured I'm sure I made the guys day.