Before you go & the essentials
Read this once at home.
A short checklist and the single most useful page in the guide — money, safety, water and street food. Skim it before you fly; keep it on your phone once you land.
Move through immigration in minutes
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Passport
Must be valid for the duration of your stay and at the moment of departure. If yours expires within six months of your travel dates, renew before booking.
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Visa
Many nationalities don’t need a Mexican visa. If you do, apply at a Mexican consulate before traveling. The full list of countries and current requirements is at inm.gob.mx.
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Visa exemptions
Travelers who hold a valid visa from the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, or any Schengen Area country can enter Mexico without applying for a separate Mexican visa — even if their nationality would normally require one.
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FMM — Forma Migratoria Múltiple
Mexico’s digital tourist permit. As of 2023, the paper FMM is phased out at most air ports of entry — you typically receive only a passport entry stamp showing the days authorized. The maximum stay is 180 days, but the actual length is at the immigration officer’s discretion and may be much shorter. Check the days on your stamp before leaving the counter, and photograph the page as soon as you clear customs.
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Onward ticket, accommodation, funds
Border officers may ask for a return or onward flight, a hotel booking or address, and proof of sufficient funds. Have them ready on your phone, not buried in an email thread.
What to pack, city by city
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Mexico City
Alt. 2,240 m — warm days, cool evenings, afternoon rain. Light layers, a packable rain jacket, comfortable shoes for cobblestones.
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Guadalajara
Warm and occasionally wet. Breathable shirts, sunglasses, a light sweater for the evenings.
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Monterrey
Genuinely hot, often above 35°C / 95°F. Linen, sunscreen (SPF 50+), a refillable water bottle, a cap.
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Everywhere
Your match tickets on your phone with screenshots saved offline, a portable charger, and a power adapter only if you’re coming from Europe or Asia (Mexico uses US/Canada-style plugs).
Apps to install before takeoff
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Uber & DiDi
The safest way to get around all three host cities.
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Google Maps (offline)
Download the map of each city you’re visiting.
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WhatsApp
The default messaging app in Mexico — hotels, restaurants, and drivers will all reach you here.
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FIFA+ and the FIFA app
For live match info, transport alerts, and ticket access.
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XE Currency
For quick MXN conversions.
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OpenTable
For booking restaurants.
Money, safety & smart travel
The single most useful page in this guide. Read it twice.
Money
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Currency
The Mexican Peso (MXN). 1 USD ≈ 17–20 MXN; rates fluctuate.
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Cards
Widely accepted in restaurants, hotels, and shops in the host cities. Notify your bank you’re traveling.
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Cash
Still essential for markets, street food, taxis without an app, smaller pueblos, and tipping.
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ATMs
Use machines inside banks or hotels (not on the street). Banamex, BBVA, HSBC, Santander, Scotiabank, Banregio and Afirme are reliable. Decline the “convert to your home currency” prompt — the rate is worse. Withdrawal limits vary by bank, machine, and card issuer.
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Tipping
10–15% in restaurants, $20–$50 MXN for hotel staff and bag handlers; no tip for app-based rides (round up if you’d like).
Connectivity
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eSIM
The easiest option for short trips. Saily, Airalo, Holafly, and Nomad all work well in Mexico.
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Local SIM
Buy a Telcel or AT&T Mexico prepaid SIM at OXXO or 7-Eleven. Bring your passport.
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Wi-Fi
Free and reliable in hotels and most cafés. Avoid sensitive logins on open networks.
Stay sharp, stay relaxed
The rules that matter
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Use Uber or DiDi
Not street-hailed taxis, especially at night or from the airport.
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Keep one card for daily use
And a backup in the hotel safe. Don’t carry your passport — carry a photo and a photocopy.
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Don’t flash valuables
In markets, on public transit, or in stadium queues. Wear watches under sleeves.
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Stick to well-known neighborhoods at night
Noted in each city section. If something feels off, walk into a hotel lobby and order a ride.
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Watch your altitude in CDMX
2,240 meters. Hydrate, go easy on the first night’s mezcal, and give yourself a day before any heavy activity.
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Carry a backup contact
Your hotel’s name and address on paper, in case your phone dies.
Common scams to skip
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“Taxi swap” at airports
Use only the official airport taxi counter or an app. Never the curb.
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ATM skimming
Use indoor ATMs at banks, never standalone street machines.
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“Fake police” asking for documents
Real officers won’t ask for your passport or money on the street. Stay polite, say you’ll go to the station, and walk into the nearest hotel.
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Drink awareness
In bars and clubs, keep your drink in sight, especially in tourist-heavy zones.
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Overcharging on the menu
In tourist areas, always check the printed menu before ordering. Confirm the bill matches before paying.
Eat smart, not less
Street food in Mexico is some of the best in the world. A few simple precautions let you eat it freely — and never drink the tap water in any of the three host cities.
Water — the rule of the trip
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Bottled or filtered only
For drinking, brushing teeth, and taking medication. All hotels and reputable restaurants serve filtered or bottled water by default.
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Ice & ice cream
In good restaurants and chain cafés, ice is made from purified water and is safe. At unfamiliar street stalls, skip the ice.
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Raw vegetables & uncut fruit
Generally safe at established restaurants with good hygiene. At street stands, sensitive stomachs may prefer fruit you can peel yourself.
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Showering is fine
No special precautions needed.
Street food — eat smart
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Follow the lines
Stalls with locals queuing have high turnover — and high turnover means fresh ingredients. Empty stalls in tourist zones mean the opposite.
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Cooked-to-order beats sitting-out
Anything pulled fresh from a comal, plancha, trompo, or pot is essentially sterilized by heat. Anything sitting in the open air for hours isn’t.
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Trust the busy taquería
Over the empty restaurant — the single best heuristic in Mexican eating.
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Pack a kit, just in case
A small box of Imodium or Pepto-Bismol, electrolyte sachets (locally branded Electrolit or Suero Vida Oral), and a basic anti-nausea pill cover almost any episode.
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Moctezuma’s revenge — what to do
If it hits: stop eating for a few hours, hydrate with electrolytes (not water alone), rest, take a single dose of loperamide if you must travel. If symptoms last more than 24 hours or include fever or blood, see a doctor — Hospital Ángeles, Christus Muguerza, and ABC often have English-speaking staff.
Emergency numbers
- 911 Police, fire, medical (all-in-one).
- 078 Tourist assistance on highways, 24/7, English available.
- 800 004 6264 Immigration (INM).
- Your embassy Save the local number to your phone before you fly.
Tip — save these offline or screenshot them, in case you lose internet access.