How to Call Mexico From the US: Complete Guide (+52)
Table of Contents
- How to Dial Mexico From the US
- Step by Step
- Mexico City Codes
- Cheapest Ways to Call Mexico From the US
- Special Case: T-Mobile Mexico Calling
- Best Option by Situation
- You have T-Mobile
- You have AT&T or Verizon
- Calling Mexican businesses
- Calling family with smartphones
- Common Mistakes
- 1. Adding "1" before the number
- 2. Dialling 044 or 045
- 3. Not checking your carrier plan
- Best Times to Call Mexico
- Summary
- Keep Reading
Mexico is the #1 most-called country from the US. With over 36 million Mexican Americans and the US-Mexico border being the most-crossed international boundary in the world, the demand for cheap US-to-Mexico calling is massive.
Good news: calling Mexico is one of the cheapest international routes. But you still need to dial correctly and avoid carrier markups that charge 10-50x more than necessary.
How to Dial Mexico From the US
Step by Step
- Dial + (or 011 from a landline)
- Dial 52 (Mexico country code)
- Dial the 10-digit number (area code + local number)
Since 2019: Mexico eliminated the need to dial "1" before mobile numbers. All Mexican numbers (landline and mobile) are now 10 digits. Just dial +52 followed by the 10 digits.
Mexico City Codes
Major cities (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey) have 2-digit area codes. Smaller cities have 3-digit area codes. The total is always 10 digits.
Cheapest Ways to Call Mexico From the US
Special Case: T-Mobile Mexico Calling
T-Mobile includes Mexico calling in several plans:
- Magenta and Magenta MAX: Unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada included
- Essentials: Unlimited calls to Mexico included
- Go5G and Go5G Plus: Unlimited calls to Mexico included
If you are on one of these plans, you can call Mexico at no extra charge. Just dial +52 followed by the number. However, call quality over the carrier network can be inconsistent for long calls. BubblyPhone over WiFi often sounds better.
Best Option by Situation
You have T-Mobile
Use your included Mexico calling. Switch to BubblyPhone only if call quality is poor.
You have AT&T or Verizon
BubblyPhone at $0.01-0.03/min. A 30-minute daily call to Mexico costs about $27/month on BubblyPhone vs $900/month on Verizon.
Calling Mexican businesses
BubblyPhone — works from your browser, no app to install. Ideal for calling hotels, restaurants, or offices in Mexico from your computer.
Calling family with smartphones
WhatsApp — extremely popular in Mexico. Nearly everyone has it. Free for voice and video calls. Use BubblyPhone when they cannot pick up WhatsApp.
Common Mistakes
1. Adding "1" before the number
This was required before 2019 for mobile numbers. It is no longer needed. Just dial +52 + 10 digits.
2. Dialling 044 or 045
These prefixes were used for domestic calls to mobiles within Mexico. Never include them when calling from the US.
3. Not checking your carrier plan
T-Mobile includes Mexico calling for free. AT&T has a $10/month Mexico add-on. Check before paying third-party rates.
Best Times to Call Mexico
Mexico spans 4 time zones, but most of the population lives in Central Time (CT), which is the same as US Central Time.
Business hours in Mexico are generally 9 AM to 6 PM. Lunch breaks (2-4 PM) are sacred — businesses may be less responsive.
Summary
Mexico is the cheapest major country to call from the US, with rates as low as $0.01/min on landlines. Check if your T-Mobile plan includes it for free. Otherwise, BubblyPhone at $0.01-0.03/min makes every other option look expensive. Always dial +52 + 10 digits — no extra prefixes needed.
