Mexico's mobile networks are good — Telcel (the biggest), AT&T Mexico, and Movistar all have strong coverage in tourist zones. Coverage drops in the jungle outside Tulum and on the back side of Cozumel, but for everywhere you're realistically going, 4G/5G works fine.
**Easiest option — eSIM (no physical card):**
- **Airalo** — $5–25 USD depending on duration. App-based, activates instantly. Best for trips under 2 weeks.
- **Holafly** — slightly more expensive but truly unlimited data (no throttle). Good for video-call heavy travelers.
- **Telcel eSIM** — bought directly from Telcel's site; cheapest data per GB but harder activation flow.
To use any eSIM your phone must be: (1) eSIM-compatible (most iPhones from XS forward, most newer Pixels and Samsungs), and (2) unlocked from your carrier. Buy a few days before you fly so you have time to debug if it doesn't activate.
**Best long-stay option — physical Telcel SIM:**
1. Walk into any OXXO convenience store (they're everywhere — every other block on 5th Avenue).
2. Ask for "una SIM Telcel Amigo" — they cost ~$150 MXN ($8 USD).
3. They'll activate it for you at the counter. Bring your passport in case they ask.
4. Top up with "Amigo Sin Limite" — $200 MXN ($11 USD) gets you 30 days of unlimited calls/texts + 30GB of data.
5. Top up at any OXXO when it runs out.
The Telcel SIM works in any unlocked phone and stays active as long as you top up.
**Avoid:**
- **Airport SIM kiosks** — they charge 2–3x what an OXXO charges for the same SIM.
- **Hotel "concierge SIM services"** — same issue, plus markup.
- **"International roaming" from your home carrier** — usually $10/day; quickly more than buying a local SIM. Confirm your home carrier's plan before flying, but a local SIM is almost always cheaper.
**Coverage tips:**
- 5G works in Playa, Tulum, Cancún. Slower 4G in smaller towns.
- Coverage on the south side of Cozumel and parts of the Sian Ka'an biosphere drops to nothing — plan offline maps.
- Telcel has the broadest rural coverage; AT&T is faster in city centers.
**Hotspotting your laptop** works on all three carriers without extra fees on the Sin Limite plan — useful as wifi backup at coworking spaces or rentals.
