Phones, Internet & Power

The short version

Mexico is one of the easiest countries in the world to stay connected in as an American. If you're on a recent unlimited plan from T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon, your phone will very likely just work when you land, with talk, text and data included at no extra charge. Calls to the US from Mexico are usually included too.

The exceptions: older or cheaper US plans, prepaid and budget carriers, long stays where your US carrier may limit roaming, and trips to remote places where any signal is weak. For those, an eSIM or a local Telcel SIM fills the gap for a few dollars. The rest of this page covers the specifics, plus Wi-Fi, power outlets, the apps everyone in Mexico uses, and how to call for help.

US phone plans that include Mexico

Carriers rename and reshuffle plans often. Before you go, open your carrier's app, find "international" or "travel" under your plan, and confirm what it says about Mexico. Here's what the big three offer as of October 2026.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile's current Experience plans treat Mexico and Canada almost like home: unlimited calls and texts, plus a monthly allowance of fast data. After you use it, data keeps working at a slow 256 kbps, which is enough for WhatsApp texts and email but painful for maps or Instagram. Wi-Fi calls to US, Mexican and Canadian numbers are free. Many older Magenta and Go5G plans also include Mexico, with smaller high-speed allowances; the current Essentials plans don't list it, so check yours. T-Mobile's terms say the benefit is for travel by people who live in the US and use their phones mainly on its US network.

AT&T

AT&T says all its domestic unlimited plans and most Mobile Share plans can use talk, text and data in Mexico and Canada without roaming charges. Its fine print warns that roaming data can be slowed, down to 2G speeds on some partner networks, and that if your plan includes video streaming limits at home, they apply in Mexico too. Advanced messaging (the RCS chat features) isn't available in Mexico, so texts to Android users go as ordinary SMS.

Verizon

All three myPlan unlimited plans include Mexico and Canada talk, text and data, with 2 GB a day of high-speed data before you drop to 3G speeds. On older plans, TravelPass charges US$6 a day in Mexico and Canada, only on days you use your phone there. For a long trip without coverage, Verizon's US$100 monthly international plan includes 20 GB. Verizon warns it may limit or remove Mexico service if more than half of your talk, text or data use over 60 days happens in Mexico or Canada.

Prepaid and budget carriers

Prepaid brands and budget carriers (Metro, Cricket, Visible, Mint and others) vary a lot. Some include Mexico on certain plans, some sell add-ons, and some include nothing. Check your plan's details before you leave, and switch off data roaming if you're not sure. A day of maps and photos on a pay-per-use rate can cost more than the trip's hotel.

eSIMs and local SIM cards

If your US plan doesn't cover Mexico, or you need more data, you have two good options. Both require an unlocked phone.

Travel eSIMs

Travel eSIM apps such as Airalo, Holafly, Nomad and Saily sell data-only plans for Mexico that you install from your phone before you leave. They roam on Mexican networks (usually Telcel or AT&T México) and are activated in a few taps. You keep your US number active for calls and texts on your own line, and use the eSIM for data. They're the easiest choice for a short trip.

• Most are data only, without a Mexican phone number. That's fine for WhatsApp, maps and ride-hail apps, but you can't receive Mexican SMS verification codes.
• Prices vary by provider and size. Compare a few apps for your trip length, and check which Mexican network the plan uses.
• Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi, but leave it switched off until you land.

A Mexican SIM or eSIM from Telcel or AT&T México

A local prepaid line gives you a Mexican number, local rates, and usually the best speeds. It's worth it for stays of more than a couple of weeks, for anyone who needs to receive Mexican texts (some banks, apps and delivery services require a Mexican number), and for travelers to remote areas.

• Telcel, owned by América Móvil, has by far the widest coverage, including small towns and highways where other networks drop out. Its prepaid service is called Amigo. The Amigo Sin Límite packages run from MX$10 to MX$500 (about $27); the MX$270 (about $15) package, for example, lasts 30 days. They bundle data with calls and texts to Mexico, the US and Canada, use of WhatsApp and social apps, and roaming in the US and Canada with data caps. Check the current data allowance for each package on telcel.com before you recharge.
• AT&T México is a separate company from US AT&T. It has good coverage in cities and tourist areas, and its prepaid packages typically include use in the US and Canada.
• Bait, Walmart's carrier, is cheap and sold at Walmart and Bodega Aurrerá stores, but coverage outside cities is weaker.

Buy at an official Telcel or AT&T store (Centro de Atención) rather than a street kiosk, so staff can activate and register the line for you. Recharges (recargas) are sold at OXXO convenience stores, pharmacies and supermarkets, and online.

Wi-Fi reality

Wi-Fi is almost universal in Mexican hotels, from hostels to all-inclusive resorts, and it's usually free. Quality varies a lot.

• Big resorts in Cancún, the Riviera Maya, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta: Wi-Fi covers rooms and common areas, but speeds can crawl in the evening when every guest is streaming. Some resorts sell a faster "premium" tier. Beach and pool coverage is often patchy.
• City hotels, Airbnbs and cafés in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Mérida, Oaxaca and San Miguel: generally fast fiber, good enough for video calls. Coworking spaces are common in the cities that attract remote workers.
• Remote and island places such as Holbox, the Tulum beach road, Bacalar, the Oaxaca coast, Baja's East Cape and the Copper Canyon: slower and less reliable, and power cuts take the Wi-Fi with them. More and more remote hotels use Starlink satellite internet, which helps.
• Restaurants and cafés almost always have Wi-Fi. The password is often on a table card or the menu; otherwise, ask for "la contraseña del Wi-Fi."

Working remotely from Mexico? Ask the hotel or host for a speed test screenshot before you book, and have a phone hotspot as backup. Our long stays guide covers remote work.

Plugs, voltage and power

Good news: Mexico uses the same plugs as the US (Types A and B) and essentially the same electricity, 127 volts at 60 Hz. Your chargers, hair dryer and electric toothbrush will work without converters.

The catches are small but real:

• Two-prong outlets. Many older buildings, rentals and small hotels have only two-slot outlets with no ground hole. A three-prong plug, such as some laptop chargers, won't fit. Pack a cheap three-to-two prong adapter.
• Non-polarized outlets. Some older outlets have two slots of the same size, so US plugs with one wider blade won't go in. The same adapter usually solves it.
• Few outlets. Older rooms may have one or two outlets, sometimes in awkward places. A small travel power strip with USB ports is the most useful thing you can pack.
• Power surges and outages. Brief outages and voltage spikes happen, especially during summer storms and in rural areas. A surge protector helps protect a laptop.

See our packing list for the rest.

Apps worth having

Calling: Mexican numbers, US numbers and 911

Emergency numbers

• 911 works nationwide for police, ambulance and fire, from any phone. Operators in tourist areas often have English speakers, but be ready to give your location in simple Spanish or share it.
• 078 reaches the Green Angels (Ángeles Verdes), the government's free roadside assistance service on federal highways, and tourist assistance.
• 089 is for anonymous reports of crimes.
• US Embassy in Mexico City: +52 55 2579 2000, around the clock for emergencies involving US citizens. From the US, call 1-888-407-4747.

How Mexican phone numbers work

Since 2019, every Mexican phone number, landline or mobile, has 10 digits, and the old prefixes (01, 044, 045) are gone. Within Mexico, you dial the 10 digits. From a US phone, in the US or in Mexico, dial +52 and then the 10 digits. Mexican toll-free numbers start with 800 and usually work only from Mexican phones.

Calling home

• On a US plan that includes Mexico, calls to US numbers are typically included. Dial +1 and the number as usual.
• On Wi-Fi, use Wi-Fi calling, WhatsApp, FaceTime or another internet calling app. T-Mobile, for example, doesn't charge for Wi-Fi calls to US numbers.
• US toll-free numbers (1-800, 1-888 and so on), such as airline and bank help lines, often don't connect from abroad. Look for the "calling from outside the US" number on the company's website, or use the airline's chat or WhatsApp.
• On a Mexican SIM, many Telcel and AT&T México packages include calls to the US and Canada. Check the package before you recharge.

Before-you-go checklist

• Confirm your US plan's Mexico coverage in your carrier's app, including how much high-speed data you get.
• If it isn't included: buy a travel eSIM, add your carrier's day pass, or plan to buy and register a Telcel line with your passport.
• Check that your phone is unlocked if you'll use another SIM or eSIM.
• Set up WhatsApp and download offline Google Maps and the Spanish pack for Google Translate.
• Install Uber or DiDi, and your airline, bank and ADO apps, and log in once at home.
• Pack a three-to-two prong adapter and a small power strip.
• Save 911, your hotel's number, your transfer company's WhatsApp and the US Embassy number in your contacts.
• Turn off data roaming on any line that doesn't include Mexico.