Destinations
Roaming in Mexico: how you are billed and what to do on landing
Mexico is an international zone on most European plans. How the billing works, what to switch off before boarding and what the alternatives are.
Tomás Berruezo 6 min Photo by Andrés Sanz on Unsplash Mexico is outside the European Union, so included roaming does not travel with you. What you pay is decided by your plan, and on European plans it usually falls into an international zone with terms of its own.
The same three schemes as always
| Scheme | What it means |
|---|---|
| Daily pass | A flat fee for each day you use the phone |
| Data bundle | A fixed volume for a few days in that zone |
| Pay-as-you-go | By the megabyte, and where the big bills come from |
With pay-as-you-go you do not have to do anything unusual: simply switching the phone on when you land and letting mail, photos and updates catch up is enough.
The stopover detail
Many flights to Mexico stop over in the United States, and that is two different zones on your plan. If you leave the terminal, or if the phone connects during the wait, you can spend money in a country that is not your destination.
With data roaming off, neither of those things happens.
What to do, in order
- Look up which zone Mexico is in on your plan and what it includes.
- Turn off data roaming on your line before boarding.
- Leave the line switched on for calls and texts: that is what brings in your bank's alerts when you pay by card over there.
- Decide how you are going to have data before you fly, not in the passport queue.
The local alternative
Buying a Mexican SIM is straightforward and there are prepaid options in shops and airports. In exchange you have to take your own card out of the phone and do the paperwork on arrival, which after an eleven-hour flight is nobody's idea of fun.
Which plan fits depending on where you are heading is in how to choose the best eSIM for Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
Is roaming free in Mexico?
No. Mexico is an international zone on European plans, so it depends entirely on what yours includes.
How much does roaming in Mexico cost?
It depends on the operator and the plan: it may be a daily pass, a data bundle or pay-as-you-go. You check it in your operator's app.
What if I stop over in the United States?
That is a different zone on your plan, and the phone can connect during the wait. With data roaming off there is no usage.
How do I avoid the bill?
By turning off data roaming on your line and leaving it on for calls and texts only. Data comes in wherever you decide.
Is it easy to buy a local SIM?
Yes, there is prepaid in shops and airports. In exchange you have to do the paperwork on arrival and take your own card out of the phone.
