How to Call a Mexico Number from the US

In today’s global economy, international calling is often necessary for your business. If you need to contact someone in Mexico, you’re probably wondering how to call a Mexico number. The process is different from placing a call in the United States. 

Mexico has one of the largest economies in Latin America, second only to Brazil. Because of its proximity to the United States as well as its trade policies, a business presence in Mexico can help you penetrate other markets.

Additionally, the US and Mexico have a long history of trade. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) eliminated most tariffs when trading between the US and Mexico. This means that working with a supplier in Mexico can be cost-effective for your business, more so than working with suppliers from China. Plus, the shipping costs are usually significantly less. Whether your business is small, medium, or large, working with a supplier in Mexico can be beneficial to your business. 

Whether you’re expanding your business to Mexico or trying to contact suppliers, you’ll need to make many phone calls to Mexico. Read our guide on how to call a Mexico number from the United States to learn everything you need to know. 

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How to Dial a Cell Phone in Mexico

When calling a phone number in Mexico, there used to be a different process for calling a cell phone than for calling a landline. Recent changes by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have made calling a Mexico phone number simpler. In the past, if you were dialing a cell phone, you would need to add a 1 after dialing the country code. Now, thankfully, the process is the same, and no extra 1 is needed. 

Steps To Dial A Cell Phone

Here are the steps you’ll need to follow to dial a cell phone or landline in Mexico. 

1. Make sure your phone can make international calls. If your phone plan doesn’t allow international calls, the call will not go through. 
2. Dial the exit code. In order to call a number that is outside of the US, you have to key in 011. This is the exit code for the US and will allow you to make international calls.
3. Dial the country code. The country code for Mexico is 52. This will signal to your carrier that you are calling Mexico. 
4. Dial the area code. The Mexico area code you need to key in will depend on the region you are calling. You can find a chart of area codes in Mexico below. The area code might be either two or three numbers.
5. Dial the phone number. Phone numbers in Mexico are ten digits long, including the area code. 

If the call doesn’t go through and you have international calling on your phone plan, you may need to contact your carrier for additional steps. They can help you figure out the issue or proceed as needed to place the call.

If the person you are trying to call has a US cell phone and is currently in Mexico, you can call them the same as you normally would. They just need to have cell phone coverage in Mexico. 

Area Codes in Mexico

Mexico has 31 states plus a federal district (similar to Washington D.C.). Just like the US, some of those states have one area code while others have several. If you are given a phone number without an area code, you’ll need to know what city or region the number is in. Here is a list of area codes in Mexico by region. 

Location	Area Code	Location	Area Code
Acapulco	744	Aguascalientes	449
Cabo San Lucas	624	Campeche	981
Cancun	998	Celaya	461
Cd. Juarez	656	Cd. Lazaro. Cardenas	753
Cd. Oregon	644	Cd. Sahagun	791
Cd. Valles	481	Cd. Victoria	834
Coatzacoalcos	921	Colima	312
Cuernavaca	777	Culiacan	667
Chetumal	983	Chihuahua	614
Chilpancingo	747	Durango	618
Fresnillo	493	Guadalajara	33
Guadalupe Victoria	676	Guamuchil	673
Guanajuato	473	Guasave	687
Guaymas	622	Hermosillo	662
Huatabampo	647	Iguala	733
Isla Mujeres	998	Ixtapan de la Sal	721
Jalapa	228	La Paz	612
Leon	477	Manzanillo	314
Maravatio	447	Matamoros	868
Mazatlan	669	Merida	999
Mexicali	686	Mexico City	55
Minatitlan	922	Monclova	866
Monterrey	81	Morelia	443
Nuevo Laredo	867	Oaxaca	951
Orizaba	272	Pachuca	771
Patzcuaro	434	Poza Rica	782
Puebla	222	Puerto Vallarta	322
Queretaro	442	Saltillo	844
San Felipe	686	San Luis Potosi	444
Tampico	833	Tapachula	962
Taxco	762	Tehuacan	238
Tepic	311	Tequisquiapan	414
Texcoco	595	Teziutlan	231
Tlaxcala	246	Toluca	722
Torreon	871	Tulancingo	775
Tuxpan	783	Tuxtla Gutierrez	961
Valle de Bravo	726	Veracruz City	229
Villahermosa	993	Zacatecas	492

How to Call a 722 Area Code

Now that we’ve gone over the basics steps, here is a specific example for placing a call to a Mexico number. Say you need to make a phone call to somebody in Toluca. The area code is 722. So, first, you’ll dial the exit code, 011. This signals to your carrier that you are calling outside of the US. Next, enter 52, the country code for Mexico. The country code tells your carrier that you are calling a number in Mexico. Third, type in 722, the area code for Toluca, and finally, key in the 7 digit number. It will look something like this:

011 52 722 XXXX XXX

Alternately, if you’re calling Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, the number will look like this:

011 52 55 XXXX XXXX

You can use the chart above to figure out which area code you will need to place your call to Mexico. 

How to Call the US from Mexico

If you’re visiting Mexico for work or pleasure, you may need to call the US from a Mexico phone number. As with calling Mexico from the US, you just need to know the correct codes to place the call. Here are the steps for calling the US from Mexico.

1. Make sure the phone you are dialing from allows international calls.
2. Dial the exit code. The exit code for Mexico is 00. Dialing the exit code will tell the carrier that you are making an international call.
3. Dial the country code. The country code for the US is 1. Dialing the country code will tell the carrier that you are calling the US. 
4. Enter the area code and phone number. This will add up to ten digits.

If your business will be receiving a lot of calls from Mexico, you will want to make sure you have a phone plan that allows that. Receiving international phone calls on a traditional landline can be expensive. With a commercial service plan from one of OneStop Communications’ many service providers, you can enable international calling without breaking the bank. 

If you have a lot of customers in Mexico, you’ll definitely want to set up a Mexico phone number for your business. Mexican clients much prefer calling a local number. It’s easier for them and costs them less money. You can set up a Mexico phone number for your business with a commercial phone service plan. 

 Alternate Ways to Call a Mexico Number from the US

International calling can be expensive on a traditional landline or cellphone. Even after paying a monthly fee to enable international calls, you will also probably be looking at a charge per minute. It may not be a big deal if you only have to make a few calls. If, however, you have business in Mexico, you’ll probably need to make calls back and forth. This can really add up. 

You’ll want to find an affordable way to make regular calls back and forth. Here are a couple of options:

• Buy an international calling card. You can get much lower rates with an international calling card, some starting at 2 cents a minute. You can only do this, from a landline, however. And it may not be a feasible option for regular business calls.
• Use an app like Skype or Zoom to place a video call. Both services offer video calls on their free plans. Zoom does have a 40-minute time limit in place for its free plan, but if you’re already paying for a business plan, you won’t have that limit. Skype also charges very little for calls from your computer to a landline, making it an affordable option for calling a Mexico phone number. 
• WhatsApp allows you to make free international phone calls. The only limit is that the person you are calling has to have a WhatsApp account. This may be an efficient way to communicate with an employee doing business for your company in Mexico, as well as someone you already have a business relationship with. 
• Choose a VoIP plan with international calling. Plans from VoIP carriers like Nextiva, Comcast, and Verizon will allow you to make international calls at much lower rates than from traditional landlines. 

 

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Spanish Phrases to Know when Calling Mexico

One of the most difficult parts of international business is the language barrier. English is not widely spoken in Mexico. Only around ten percent of the population speaks English, and of that number, only a small percent are truly fluent. You may need to learn some Spanish or hire fluent Spanish speakers to successfully do business in Mexico. 

Here are some common Spanish phrases you’ll probably come across when placing a phone call to Mexico:

• Hola. Hello. 

• Gracias. Thank you.

• • ¿Aló? Hello?
  • ¿Sí? Yes?
  • ¿Diga? Yes?
  • ¿Bueno? Yes?

• Hola, hablo Juan. Hello, Juan speaking. 

• ¿Está Maria? Is Maria there?
• De Sergio. It’s Sergio.
• Ahora se pone. She’s just coming.
• Al habla / Con ella habla. Speaking.
• Soy yo. It’s me.

Spanish Business-Related Phrases

Here are some business-related phrases you can use when working with a client or supplier in Mexico.

• Estoy en ello. I’m on it. 

• Pongámonos manos a la obra. Let’s get to work.

• ¿Cómo está su familia? How is your family?

•  Tiene experiencia en eso. He or she has experience in this.

• Gracias por su interés en nuestra empresa. Thank you for your interest in our business. 

• ¿Cómo debemos gestionar los pagos? How should we handle the payments

• Mantenerse a la cabeza. Stay ahead.

• Volver a foja cero. Back to square one.

• Plan de juego. Game plan.

• Echarse a perder. Go down the drain.
• En las misma página. On the same page. 

Cultural Tips for Calling Mexico

When working with Mexican clients or suppliers, it’s important to remember there are cultural differences. Here are a few cultural tips to know when making a business call to Mexico:

• Don’t be offended if your contact is a little late for the call. In Mexico, timeliness is a little bit more flexible. 
• Send reminders leading up to the call.
• Use titles like señor (Mr.), señora (Mrs), and señorita (Miss). Don’t call them by their first name unless invited to do so. 
• If you leave a voicemail, make sure to follow up with another call. In Mexico, the person who left the voicemail is expected to call back. 
• Try to use some Spanish phrases, even if your Spanish isn’t perfect. This can show your commitment to doing business in Mexico.
• In Mexico, using raised voices is a sign of engagement in the conversation. Don’t be offended if the person you are speaking with raises their voice. They are showing enthusiasm, not necessarily anger. 

Conclusion on How To Call Mexico From The US

Expanding your business to Mexico is exciting. You may feel nervous about placing an international phone call, but calling a Mexico number from the US isn’t difficult. You just have to know which codes to use and when. As long as you have international coverage, you’ll be all set to call Mexico from the US. 

The basic steps for calling a Mexico number from the US:

1. US Exit code: 011
2. Mexico country code: 52
3. Area code: based on the region you are calling
4. Phone number: will total up to 10 digits with the area code

If you need to set up international calling to Mexico for your business, give OneStop Communications a call. While we’re based in Atlanta and the surrounding areas, we also serve the entire US. We can help you find a plan that will fit your budget. Click the button below to get your free quote. 

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