How to Call Mexico from the US

To call Mexico from the US, dial 011 + 52 + the 10-digit Mexican number. Example for Mexico City: 011-52-55-1234-5678. From a US mobile, replace 011 with +: +52 55 1234 5678.

Since August 2019, Mexico uses a unified 10-digit numbering plan. You no longer need a separate prefix for mobile numbers — the same format works for landlines and mobiles alike.

This guide covers every variant: step-by-step dialing, area codes by city, time zones, costs, and the 2019 reform that simplified Mexican mobile calling. For the UK equivalent, see how to call the UK from the US.

How to dial Mexico from the US

Step 1 — Dial 011. This is the US international exit code. Every call from a US number to a country outside the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) starts with 011. Mexico is not in the NANP despite sharing a land border with the US, so 011 is always required. On a US mobile, you can long-press 0 to enter + instead of typing 011.

Step 2 — Dial 52. This is Mexico’s country code. It identifies the call as destined for Mexico’s national telephone network, operated under the authority of Mexico’s Comisión de Regulación de Telecomunicaciones (CRT, formerly IFT).

Step 3 — Dial the full 10-digit Mexican number. Since 2019, all Mexican numbers are exactly 10 digits: a 2- or 3-digit area code followed by a 7- or 8-digit local number. Dial all 10 digits with no spaces or separators required.

Step 4 — Press call.

The complete pattern: 011 52 [area code] [local number]

Destination	Dial from US landline	Dial from US mobile
Mexico City landline	011 52 55 XXXX XXXX	+52 55 XXXX XXXX
Guadalajara landline	011 52 33 XXXX XXXX	+52 33 XXXX XXXX
Monterrey landline	011 52 81 XXXX XXXX	+52 81 XXXX XXXX
Any Mexican mobile	011 52 [area code] XXXXXXX	+52 [area code] XXXXXXX

Mexican area codes by region

All major Mexican cities use a 2- or 3-digit area code followed by a local number. Together they always total 10 digits.

City	Area Code	Number format
Mexico City (CDMX)	55	55 XXXX XXXX
Guadalajara	33	33 XXXX XXXX
Monterrey	81	81 XXXX XXXX
Cancún	998	998 XXX XXXX
Puebla	222	222 XXX XXXX
Tijuana	664	664 XXX XXXX
Ciudad Juárez	656	656 XXX XXXX
Mérida	999	999 XXX XXXX
León	477	477 XXX XXXX
Querétaro	442	442 XXX XXXX

Area codes are administered by Mexico’s telecoms regulator. Mexico City (55) and Guadalajara (33) both use 2-digit area codes with 8-digit local numbers. Most other cities use 3-digit area codes with 7-digit local numbers. The total always adds up to 10 digits.

Why Mexico uses +52 and 011

Mexico is not part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). The NANP covers the US, Canada, and many Caribbean territories — all sharing country code +1. Despite being a direct neighbor, Mexico operates its own independent numbering plan under country code +52.

The practical implication: calling Canada from the US requires only 1 + area code + number (same country code, no exit code needed). Calling Mexico requires the full international sequence: 011 (US exit code) + 52 (Mexico’s country code) + the 10-digit national number.

Mexico’s exit code for its own outbound international calls is 00 — so a Mexican caller reaching a US number dials 00 1 [US area code] [number].

For more on how the NANP works and why it matters for call verification, see our STIR/SHAKEN explainer.

The 2019 reform — no more “1” for mobiles

Before 2019, calling a Mexican mobile required inserting a “1” after the country code: 011 + 52 + 1 + area code + number. Landlines did not use this “1.” The distinction caused constant confusion for international callers.

In August 2019, Mexico’s telecommunications regulator completed a major reform: a unified 10-digit numbering plan that eliminated the mobile “1” prefix entirely. Today, the format is identical for landlines and mobiles:

• Old mobile format (pre-2019, now incorrect): 011 52 1 33 XXXX XXXX
• Current format for all numbers: 011 52 33 XXXX XXXX

Many guides published before 2020 — and some that have not been updated since — still show the outdated “1” prefix. If your call to a Mexican mobile is not connecting, check whether you have an extra “1” in the string and remove it.

Mexico time zones — 4 zones, complex DST

Mexico spans four time zones. In October 2022, Mexico abolished daylight saving time for most of the country, making scheduling across the border significantly simpler.

Zone	States / Cities	UTC offset	vs. US Eastern
Central (CST)	Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, most of Mexico	UTC-6 (no DST)	ET +1 hour
Mountain (MST)	Chihuahua interior, Baja California Sur, Nayarit, Sinaloa, most of Sonora	UTC-7 (no DST)	ET +2 hours
Pacific (PST/PDT)	Baja California (follows US DST)	UTC-8/UTC-7	ET +3/+2 hours
Eastern (EST)	Quintana Roo (Cancún, Playa del Carmen)	UTC-5 (no DST, year-round)	Same as ET

Key points for business callers:

Mexico City is always 1 hour behind US Eastern (never changes). A 10 AM New York call lands at 9 AM in Mexico City — safe for business hours year-round.

Cancún (Quintana Roo) runs on year-round Eastern Standard Time — the same offset as New York in winter. In summer, Cancún appears to be 1 hour behind Eastern Daylight Time.

Northern border cities in Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas still observe US DST so they align with their US counterparts across the border.

US to Mexico calling costs

Costs vary widely by carrier and plan type.

Standard per-minute rates (no plan): Major US carriers charge $0.30–$0.60 per minute for calls to Mexico. At 20 minutes of calls per week, that is $25–$50 per month before any plan.

Carrier international add-ons: Plans from $5–$15 per month unlock discounted per-minute rates or pooled international minutes for Mexico and Canada. Good for occasional callers with an existing carrier relationship.

Business VoIP: DialPhone includes competitive Mexico per-minute rates on all plans — no separate international package, no per-month surcharge. For sales teams, support teams, or any business with regular Mexico contacts, VoIP delivers the lowest cost-per-minute.

See DialPhone pricing for current Mexico calling rates included in each plan tier.

Calling Mexican mobile vs landline — what still matters

The 2019 reform removed the dialing difference between mobile and landline for international callers. But a few practical differences remain:

Caller ID presentation. Mexican mobile carriers may display US business calls differently from landline carriers. DialPhone’s STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation means your business number is cryptographically verified before it leaves the US network — improving delivery and caller ID display on the Mexican end.

Voicemail. Mexican mobile voicemail behaves like US mobile voicemail. Mexican landlines often have answering services managed by the building or business rather than a personal voicemail box.

Cost. Some US carrier plans charge slightly more per minute to Mexican mobiles than to Mexican landlines. VoIP plans from DialPhone use a flat per-minute rate regardless of mobile or landline destination.

SMS to Mexico from the US

Most US mobile carrier plans charge per-message for international SMS to Mexico ($0.05–$0.20 per message is typical). Group SMS and MMS are subject to higher rates.

For businesses, per-message carrier SMS quickly adds up. DialPhone supports SMS to Mexican numbers on all business plans — useful for appointment confirmations, customer follow-ups, and two-way messaging with Mexican contacts. See DialPhone business phone for SMS feature details.

Get a business phone with Mexico calling built in

If your business calls Mexico regularly — sales outreach, customer support, vendor communication, or cross-border operations — a standalone US carrier plan is the most expensive option.

DialPhone business phone plans include Mexico calling at competitive per-minute rates with no international package surcharges. STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation improves caller ID delivery to Mexican carriers. The optional bilingual EN/ES AI receptionist handles inbound calls from Spanish-speaking Mexican customers without live-agent staffing for routine inquiries.

Start with a free trial or explore DialPhone pricing to compare Mexico calling costs across plan tiers.

For related guides:

• How to call the UK from the US
• How to call Canada from the US
• Number porting guide
• DialPhone business phone
• DialPhone AI receptionist

Calling Mexico FAQ

Calling Mexico FAQ

What is Mexico's country code? +

Mexico's country code is +52. From a US landline or mobile, you reach it by dialing the US exit code 011 first, making the full prefix 011 52. On a US smartphone you can substitute + for 011, so +52 followed by the 10-digit Mexican number works directly from your keypad.

Do I need to dial 011 to call Mexico from the US? +

Yes, if you are calling from a US landline. The 011 is the US international exit code — every call leaving the NANP (North American Numbering Plan) to a country outside it starts with 011.

From a US mobile you can replace 011 with the + symbol (long-press 0), which your carrier resolves automatically. Either format reaches Mexico City, Guadalajara, or any other Mexican city.

Do I need to add a 1 before a Mexican mobile number? +

No. Since August 2019, Mexico uses a unified 10-digit numbering plan. The '1' that used to be dialed after the country code (+52 1 ...) for mobile numbers is no longer required.

The correct format today for both landlines and mobiles is: 011 + 52 + 10-digit number. Many older guides still show the outdated '1' — skip it or your call may fail to connect.

How much does it cost to call Mexico from the US? +

Per-minute carrier rates without an international plan typically run $0.30–$0.60 per minute. Carrier international add-on packages range from $5–$15 per month for discounted rates.

Business VoIP services like DialPhone charge a flat competitive per-minute rate to Mexico on all plans — generally well under carrier add-on pricing, with no monthly minimum and no separate international package required.

What time zone is Mexico City in? +

Mexico City observes Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6) year-round. Mexico abolished most daylight saving time in October 2022, so Mexico City no longer shifts its clocks.

This means Mexico City is always 1 hour behind US Eastern time. When it is 9 AM in New York, it is 8 AM in Mexico City.

What is the area code for Mexico City? +

Mexico City's area code is 55. A full Mexico City number looks like 55 XXXX XXXX — two digits for the area code followed by an eight-digit local number, making 10 digits total. From the US: dial 011 52 55 XXXX XXXX.

How do I save a Mexican number in my phone contacts? +

Save Mexican numbers in E.164 format: +52 followed by the 10-digit national number. Example for Mexico City: +52 55 1234 5678. This format works from any US mobile carrier, works when you travel internationally, and avoids the need to remember the 011 exit code each time.

Can I text Mexico from the US? +

Yes. Standard SMS to Mexico follows the same country code — most US mobile plans charge per-message for international SMS. Business VoIP platforms including DialPhone support SMS to Mexican numbers, which is useful for appointment reminders, customer notifications, and two-way messaging with Mexican contacts.