Making calls to Mexico (especially certain locations, including Mexico City) can be extremely expensive if you simply call from your land-line and allow your traditional carrier to bill you for international calls at the regular rate. There are dozens of plans for calling Mexico, but many have hidden charges so reading the fine print is crucial.

The overall monthly cost to call Mexico will depend on several factors, including which part of Mexico you are calling, whether you are calling a landline or mobile, how long the calls last and how often they are made. You should carefully evaluate how your time is spent on calls to Mexico and look over all your options before making a decision on the best method. With the boom in smartphone and tablets though, market trends continue to suggest that you’re better off in the app market when hunting for a great deal.

Pre-Paying for Calls to Mexico with Calling Cards

For those who may not be able to afford a landline or expensive international mobile calling plan, calling cards can allow cheap calls to Mexico and will work from almost any phone - even a pay phone. The rates posted will generally run anywhere from 0.8 to 5 cents per minute, but hidden fees can greatly increase your costs.  There are often weekly fees in the region of 80 cents, with extra add-ons like connection fees for each call made which can reach up to an extra dollar per call.

Furthermore, many calling card companies are notorious for their ‘rounding up’ policy.  This entails that each call is rounded up to the nearest minute mark.  Some are even rounded to 3, 5 or 8 minutes in total!  It’s all in the small print (at least it should be) but is a feature that continues to frustrate users regardless.  If you need to call Mexico City with a calling card, read the fine print - many calling cards charge ten times as much to call there compared to other areas of Mexico.

Home or Mobile Phone Plans for Calls to Mexico

Traditional carriers are still some of the most expensive ways to call Mexico, but for very infrequent calling they may be the most hassle free option. AT&T offers a monthly plan for calls from the United States which is favorable compared to not having a plan at all.  Other competing providers like Verizon have similar deals.  It’s worth looking into this further as and when you need the information since this bulging market seems in constant flux.  The good news is that developments in smartphone and desktop based applications are forcing prices down.  Just remember not to get caught without a special subscription of some kind.  A normal phone call to Mexico on your ‘default’ plan can result in huge costs.

Using Your Computer to Call Mexico

The most popular VoIP option is Skype, which has prepaid plans allowing cheap calls to Mexican phone numbers and free calls to other Skype users. Google Voice is a strong competitor, specializing in the US market. Again, calls to Mexico City are often more expensive than elsewhere in the country. Check rates with these providers for further information as prices and packages fluctuate.

Rebtel Offers Extremely Cheap Calls to Mexico

You can make cheap calls to Mexico using Rebtel, with rates as low as 1 cent per minute for most locations, including Mexico City. There are also monthly packages as low as 3 dollars for unlimited calls and perhaps the greatest feature is the peace of mind provided by their transparency.  No hidden costs, no connection charges and no rounding.