Country guide
How to Call Mexico from the US
Calling Mexico from the United States is one of the busiest international routes in the world. This guide covers the exact dialing format, the time difference, and the cheapest reliable way to reach a Mexican landline or mobile, straight from your browser, with no app to install.
Mexico's country code and dialing format
Mexico's country calling code is +52. From a US phone you dial the international format as 011 + 52 + the 10-digit Mexican number. From a browser-based service like Phonecall you simply enter + 52 and the number, the exit code is handled for you, so the same number works whether you're in the US, traveling, or abroad.
Every Mexican number is 10 digits: a 2 or 3-digit area code (55 for Mexico City, 81 for Monterrey, 33 for Guadalajara) followed by the local number. A common mistake is leaving in an old prefix. Until a few years ago you had to add 1 or 045 before a Mexican mobile, that requirement was removed. Today a mobile is dialed exactly like a landline: +52 and the 10 digits, nothing extra.
- Mexico City landline: +52 55 XXXX XXXX
- Monterrey landline: +52 81 XXXX XXXX
- Any Mexican mobile: +52 XX XXXX XXXX (no 1 or 045 prefix)
Time difference between the US and Mexico
Most of Mexico runs on Central Time, the same clock as Chicago, Dallas, and Mexico City. If it's 2 PM in New York, it's 1 PM across central Mexico. The northwestern states sit on Mountain Time, and Baja California on Pacific Time, matching their neighboring US time zones almost exactly.
Mexico largely stopped observing daylight saving time in 2022, so for part of the year the gap to the US shifts by an hour. When you're scheduling a call, the safe window for reaching family or a business is roughly 9 AM to 8 PM Central, comfortable from anywhere in the continental US.
The cheapest way to call Mexico from the US
US carriers treat Mexico as an international destination. Without an add-on, per-minute charges to Mexican mobiles add up fast, and roaming while you travel is worse. A browser-based VoIP call routes over the internet directly to the Mexican carrier, so you pay only the destination rate, a few cents a minute, shown before you dial.
Phonecall bills per second rather than rounding up to the next minute, has no monthly fee, and no minimum top-up. Your first 60-second call is free, so you can confirm a number works before spending anything. App-to-app calling (WhatsApp, FaceTime) is also free, but only reaches someone using the same app on a smartphone, it won't connect to a Mexican landline, a bank, or a hotel front desk.
See live per-minute rates
How to call Mexico from your browser, step by step
1. Open Phonecall
Go to phonecall.app in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge on any laptop, desktop, or phone. There is nothing to download.
2. Sign in and allow your microphone
Create an account with email or Google, then allow microphone access when the browser asks.
3. Enter the number as +52
Type + 52, the area code, and the local number. Spaces are fine, they are stripped automatically.
4. Check the rate and press call
The per-minute rate to that Mexican number appears before the call connects. Press call; the other person answers on their normal phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the country code for Mexico?
Mexico's country code is 52. From the US you dial 011 + 52 + the 10-digit number on a regular phone, or simply + 52 and the number from a browser-based service like Phonecall.
Do I still need to dial 1 or 045 before a Mexican mobile?
No. Mexico removed the separate mobile prefix. A Mexican mobile is now dialed identically to a landline: +52 followed by the 10-digit number, with nothing added in between.
Is it cheaper to call Mexico on WhatsApp or with Phonecall?
WhatsApp calls are free but only work when the person you're calling also has WhatsApp open on a smartphone with internet. To reach a Mexican landline, a business line, or someone who doesn't use the app, Phonecall connects to the real phone number for a few cents a minute, with the first call free.
Calling Mexican landlines vs mobiles
Rates to Mexican landlines and mobiles differ slightly, and Phonecall shows the exact figure for the number you typed before you connect. Whichever you're calling, the dialing format is the same, +52 and 10 digits, and the call quality runs over carrier-grade HD voice infrastructure.