Which Unlimited SIM Card for Mexico? (Holafly promo code)

Two very different UK travellers come to Mexico. There’s the Yucatán beach trip, Cancún, Tulum, Playa, and there’s the bigger North America run that pairs Mexico with the USA and Canada. The two behave nothing alike once you look at the SIM. Mexico is outside the EU, so your UK roaming will not save you either way, and if you are hopping between all three North American countries the wrong setup can cost you a small fortune. Let’s get it right.

Why you need data in Mexico (and how much)

Maps, translation, booking colectivos and tours, calling a verified ride, all the usual. For most travellers 8-10 GB covers two weeks comfortably; go unlimited if you tether or stream.

Three ways to connect: roam on your UK plan (expensive), buy a local Mexican SIM (cheap, great coverage), or use an eSIM. And there’s a fourth angle unique to Mexico, the North America combo, which we’ll get to. Here’s the honest rundown.

Solution 1: roaming in Mexico on your UK plan (the expensive option)

Mexico is a rest-of-world zone, so your “Europe” allowance doesn’t apply:

• EE: “Roam Further” pass around £5.91/day (covers USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, NZ).
• O2: O2 Travel about £7/day, unlimited minutes/texts/data in 75 destinations including Mexico, the USA and Canada.
• Three: Go Roam Global around £5-7/day depending on the zone.
• Vodafone: roughly £8/day (£6 on older contracts).

Over two weeks that’s £80-110 just to stay connected, and a local SIM or eSIM cuts that by three to five times. But note EE’s Roam Further and O2 Travel both span North America, which matters if you’re crossing borders (more below).

Telcel, AT&T México, Movistar: the local operators (and OXXO)

Three networks, and for coverage it’s really a one-horse race outside the cities.

Telcel is the dominant network and the only one you can rely on in remote regions, essential if you’re heading to Chiapas, Oaxaca’s backcountry or Baja. Its “Amigo Sin Límite” prepaid top-ups: 200 pesos (~£8) for ~3 GB/30 days, 500 pesos (~£20) for ~8-10 GB/30 days with unlimited social.

AT&T México is strong in cities and tourist areas (CDMX, Cancún, Guadalajara) and, crucially, ties into that North America combo.

Movistar is the cheapest, fine in cities, thinner in the countryside.

A key local tip: you buy and top up at OXXO convenience stores, they’re on every corner, far cheaper than the airport, and they take cash. Bring your passport for registration (required since 2021).

Pros and cons of SIM cards for Mexico

How much does a Mexican SIM cost in October 2026

Ballpark figures.

A Telcel SIM is around 50 pesos (~£3); the data is in the top-up: 200 pesos (~£8) for ~3 GB, 500 pesos (~£20) for ~8-10 GB a month with unlimited social. Cheap and brilliantly covered, but you’ll need your passport and ideally an OXXO rather than the airport.

Here’s an up-to-date snapshot of the local SIM options in Mexico:

Roam, buy local, or get an eSIM?

Three approaches by traveller type. The honest call.

Holafly Mexico: who it’s really for

For a long overland trip deep into Mexico, a Telcel SIM topped up at OXXO is unbeatable on coverage and price. But an eSIM is the right call when:

• you’re on a Yucatán beach trip and want to skip the Cancún airport rip-off
• you’re crossing the USA, Mexico and Canada on one road trip and want a single plan
• you want to land already online with no passport registration
• you value a fixed price and zero admin

Network coverage in Mexico: where it’s strong, where it struggles

The Yucatán is easy; the backcountry is Telcel-or-nothing.

The border your North America plan does not cross

Mexico is rarely the whole trip. It is the third leg after the States and Canada, or the warm end of a run down from Texas, and that is precisely where the connectivity goes wrong. Roaming across three countries on a UK plan can run to £200-400 over a few weeks, and buying a fresh SIM at each border is a chore you will resent by the second crossing.

The fix is one regional plan instead of three national ones. A North America eSIM covering the US, Mexico and Canada costs around £33 for 10 GB and follows you over both borders on a single setup, with no swapping and no paperwork at a counter. If you would rather go local, Telcel’s Amigo Sin Límite reaches into the US and Canada on the larger top-ups, which makes it the one Mexican plan that behaves like a regional one.

The trap worth knowing: “North America” on a plan bought in the States does not reliably include Mexico, and where it does the Mexican allowance is often a fraction of the US one. Read what the Mexican leg actually covers before you buy, not once you are at the border. And whichever way you go, sort it before you fly, because the first morning is the one where you need the map to work.

Our other guides for the Americas

Mexico rarely stands alone in an itinerary. Just north, the USA is on the same O2 Travel bolt-on, so going up costs you nothing more. South, Colombia sits in O2’s inclusive worldwide zone at around £6 to £7 a day, with Claro dominant on both sides of the map. And in the Dominican Republic, O2 is once again the only workable one, while Three drops out of Go Roam entirely.

Our honest take

In a sentence: for a Yucatán beach trip or a short stay, get the Holafly eSIM with code LAPLANETEDECARO (-5% off) and skip the Cancún airport rip-off entirely. For a long overland trip off the tourist trail, a Telcel SIM topped up at OXXO gives you the cheapest data and the only coverage that holds in Chiapas and Baja. And if you’re crossing the USA, Mexico and Canada on one road trip, use a North America plan so a single connection covers all three.

Whatever you choose, download offline maps before the backcountry, and never buy your SIM at Cancún airport.

Got a Mexico connectivity question we didn’t cover? Drop it in the comments. ¡Buen viaje! (and the tacos al pastor are worth pausing the group chat for).

PS: the Cancún airport SIM counter is the great Mexican tourist trap, $50 for what’s a tenner at the OXXO down the road. Set up an eSIM at home, or walk past the counter and top up in town. Your wallet will thank you before you’ve even left the terminal.