If you are traveling to Mexico, we recommend that you buy a Mexico SIM card, a local one, a Holafly eSIM (with unlimited data, 5% discount with coupon RANDOMTRIP), or an Airalo eSIM (with limited data, 15% discount with coupon RANDOMTRIP15), to have internet on your smartphone at all times and enjoy the advantages of it: you can stay in touch with your friends and family, upload photos to social networks, make cheap local calls to accommodations and/or operators, use Google Maps and other apps, etc.
In this article we tell you everything you need to know to buy a sim or an eSim card in Mexico: which companies are available, what data plans and prices they have, how to recharge money and get more data, how to make local calls, etc.
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Mexico Mobile Network Companies (local sim card)
In Mexico there are 3 main mobile network companies:
- Telcel: is the main company in Mexico and the one with more coverage throughout the country (check Telcel coverage here). Average price: 3.5GB for 200 pesos (10$) for one month.
- Movistar: is Telcel’s biggest rival, with good coverage as well. In big cities they probably have equal coverage, with better prices than Telcel, although in the outskirts is where Telcel wins (check Movistar coverage here). Average price: 3.5GB for 150 pesos (8$) for one month.
- AT&T: third operator, less coverage than the two previous ones so only recommended for big cities (check AT&T coverage here, clicking on the Coverage tab). Average price: 3GB for 200 pesos (10$) for one month.
There are other companies, either smaller or virtual, but since the price difference is low we recommend focusing on the main ones.
On the other hand, if you don’t want lose time buying a local SIM and if your phone supports eSim, you can also get the Holafly eSIM with unlimited data (5% discount with coupon RANDOMTRIP), or the Airalo eSIM with 15% discount with coupon RANDOMTRIP15 (cheaper but without unlimited data) this way you will have internet on your mobile as soon as you land and you won’t have to waste time buying the local SIM in a store, recharging, etc.
In our case, traveling in Mexico for several months, we bought the holafly eSIM (5% discount with coupon RANDOMTRIP) before the trip to have internet as soon as we arrived for the first days, and then we got a local Telcel SIM card, which is the one we recommend due to its better coverage in Mexico. We had good coverage in most of the areas we visited (Chiapas, Riviera Maya and Yucatan Peninsula, Baja California Sur, CDMX, Oaxaca, etc.).
Where to buy the eSIM card (Holafly or Airalo)
In case you opt for the eSIM card from Mexico, we recommend the Holafly card. You can buy it before your trip on the Holafly website (you get a 5% discount with the coupon RANDOMTRIP). You can choose the number of days and you will have unlimited data for that number of days.
New: since May 2024, you can now share internet with Holafly (although limited to 500MB per day) in some countries, including Mexico. On the other hand, it is still not possible to make calls from your Holafly eSIM, so we recommend you to have Skype on your mobile with some credit to make calls from there at a very good price, which is what we usually do on trips.
Holafly eSIM prices vary per number of days (remember that you have a 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP). Now you can choose the specific number of days you need, depending on the duration of your trip:
- 1 day: 5,90$.
- 2 days: 9,90$.
- 3 days: 12,90$.
- 4 days: 15,90$.
- 5 days: 20,90$.
- 7 days: 28,90$.
- 10 days: 36,90$.
- 15 days: 50,90$.
- 20 days: 61,90$.
- 30 days: 74,90$.
- 60 days: 106,90$.
- 90 days: 138,90$.
You will receive a QR code in your email and Whatsapp, which you will need to scan from your mobile to add the eSIM and activate it. Once you activate it, the days will start counting, so ideally you should activate it just before entering the plane or once you land (you will need to have the QR on another device or print it to be able to scan it; Holafly will also send you data to set up the eSIM by hand if you do not have access to the QR).
Holafly’ s coverage may be more limited than Telcel, the main mobile company. Check with them that the areas you are going to visit have coverage.
Alternatively, you also have the Airalo eSIM with 15% discount with the coupon RANDOMTRIP15, cheaper but without unlimited data, so if you don’t need a lot of GB it is an excellent option to save some money.
Buy your Holafly eSIM with unlimited data and get a 5% discount with the coupon RANDOMTRIP or buy your Airalo eSIM here with 15% discount with the coupon RANDOMTRIP15.
Where to buy a local SIM card in Mexico
If you have time, the cheapest option is to buy a local SIM card at the carrier’s official store, or sometimes you can also find them at Oxxo convenience stores. In our case, we tried several Oxxo’s and they did not have Telcel SIM cards available (the one we wanted due to coverage), only Oxxo’s own, so we ended up buying it at a Telcel stand.
In principle, no identification is required to purchase the SIM card, although it is always a good idea to bring it with you in case you are asked for it.
Once you get the SIM card, just insert it, enter the pin number if it has one, and set airplane mode (or restart the phone) so that it is automatically configured.
Telcel SIM card
Telcel is the company we recommend for Mexico, as it is the one that worked best for us and has the best 4G and 5G coverage in Mexico, having coverage in most of the tourist attractions you visit.
The Telcel SIM cost us 100 pesos (5$) and came by default with the Amigo sin Límite prepaid plan, with 450MB and unlimited use of Whatsapp and social networks (Instagram, Facebook…) for 7 days.
If you need more data you can ask at the Telcel booth for a recharge. At the time of our trip, these were the data packages available (sometimes there are promotions and they give more GB for the same prices)
Internet Packages for your Amigo prepaid plan (all include social networks and unlimited whatsapp):
- 500MB 7 days: 50 pesos
- 700 MB 13 days: 80 pesos
- 1.6 GB 15 days: 100 pesos
- 3.5 GB 30 days: 200 pesos
- 5GB 30 days: 300 pesos
- 8 GB 30 days: 500 pesos
To activate the packages, it is easier using the Telcel app (Apple and Android), although at least on iPhone you will have to change the country to Mexico to let you install it. Otherwise, you can also activate the package by typing *133#, pressing call and following the steps.
Mexico country code
In case you need it, the Mexico country code is +52, keep this in mind when adding local numbers (of accommodations, tour agencies, etc.) in your address book that you want to contact by Whatsapp.
How to recharge your Telcel SIM card
You can recharge and get more data from your cell phone. To recharge, you can do it in person at any Oxxo or Telcel stand. If you can’t or don’t have time, you have the option of doing it online at Telcel’s official website or in the Telcel app (if you have an iPhone, you will have to change the country to Mexico to install it). Sometimes it fails, so as an alternative you can do it with Paypal’s Xoom (no commission), with Mexico Undostres website (no commission) or at Recharge.com (with commission).
You will receive an SMS confirming the recharge.
How to get more data packages on Telcel
Once you have enough credit, it is very easy to get a new data package from your own cell phone.
The available packages are:
- 500MB 7 days: 50 pesos
- 700 MB 13 days: 80 pesos
- 1.6 GB 15 days: 100 pesos
- 3.5 GB 30 days: 200 pesos
- 5GB 30 days: 300 pesos
- 8 GB 30 days: 500 pesos
You have the option to go to a store and have it done there, on your own from the Telcel app (Apple and Android) or with the following instructions (may vary in the future):
- Dial *133# on your phone.
- You will get a menu, choose the option “Internet Amigo” (2)
- Choose the package you want (if available) or the option “+Opciones” (5)
- Once you have chosen the package, you will be asked the payment method, if you have recharged it will be “Saldo” (1).
And that’s it, you will receive an SMS confirming that the package has been contracted and that you now have extra data to surf the Internet.
If you want to check your balance (credit) you can do it with the same number ( *133# ) , it appears on the first screen.
If you want to check how many megabytes or gigabytes you have left, you have to dial the same number (*133#), select the option “Detalle Saldo” (3) and the corresponding option (“Paq Amigo Sin Límite” (2) for the default package, or “Paq. Internet Amigo” (3) if you contract another package following the instructions included above.
Telcel’s internet speed and coverage in Mexico
We had 4G/5G and good connection in most areas we visited in Mexico (Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Campeche, Chiapas, Baja California Sur, Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca). In general, we always had good coverage and connection speed in all the places we visited, although in some areas the connection and speed are more limited.
Here are the screenshots of some of the speed tests we did in different locations in Mexico:
Mexico City: it worked very well:
Puerto Morelos (Riviera Maya, Yucatan Peninsula): worked well during our stay.
Tulum (Riviera Maya, Yucatan Peninsula): worked well during our stay, although in some areas better than others:
Bacalar (Mexican Caribbean, Yucatan Peninsula): it worked perfectly during our stay, although it depended on the area (in the center it works better):
Playa del Carmen (Riviera Maya, Yucatan Peninsula): it worked perfectly during our stay, although it depended on the area (on the fifth avenue and surroundings it worked perfectly, although in our accommodation for example we had less coverage and it did not work as fast):
Valladolid (Yucatan, Yucatan Peninsula): it worked perfectly during our stay although slower than in other areas, luckily we had good wifi in our accommodation:
Merida (Yucatan, Yucatan Peninsula): it worked perfectly during our stay:
City of Campeche (Campeche, Yucatan Peninsula): worked perfectly.
San Cristobal de las Casas (Chiapas): bad signal, 4G came and went, high ping (bad for calls), although it seems common in the area (luckily, most establishments have good wifi).
Oaxaca: worked well, although in the city center sometimes despite having coverage and 4G/5G it did not work well:
Loreto (Baja California Sur): worked perfectly:
Remember that with the local Telcel SIM card you can tether from your smartphone to share internet with other smartphones, tablets, laptops… If you do so, remember to take a good powerbank with you as it consumes much more battery. We travel with these two:
- This 10000mAh ANKER, which is enough to charge the battery a couple of times.
- This one from Xiaomi, 20000mAh, which gives you to charge the smartphone about 4-5 times.
If you prefer, it is also a good option to buy a portable router and take it with you to every country you go to, for example this one.
We hope you find it helpful, and that you enjoy your trip to Mexico!