Data in the US for Mexican travelers: Movistar, eSIM, or T-Mobile
Compare the Movistar roaming you already have against a dedicated eSIM and T-Mobile's prepaid pass — real prices, no fine print.
- Mexico
- Roaming
- United States
You've got three ways to get data on your US trip. Here's what each one actually costs.
- 1
Your operator: Movistar roaming
Pay-per-day or per-trip packages — no roaming included.
- 2
Travel eSIM (FairSIM)
A dedicated data package for your trip, installed before you leave.
- 3
US prepaid eSIM (T-Mobile)
A local plan you buy and activate once you're in the US, on WiFi.
Calculate your trip: 7 or 15 days
Pick your trip length and compare all three real prices, side by side, in pesos and dollars.
Trip length
- Best value
FairSIM eSIM
≈ $343 MXN
$19.99 USD
10GB, valid 30 days
- Pro: Easy install
- Pro: Hotspot with 100% of your data
- Pro: Best price
- Con: Limited data (10GB)
Au septembre 2026
Movistar
$490 MXN
≈ $28.53 USD
Travel Diario, $70 MXN/day.
- Pro: Already on your phone
- Con: High price
- Con: Low data volume
The 5GB USA Bono ($199 MXN, valid 30 days) may be cheaper if you only need data.
Au septembre 2026
T-Mobile US Pass
≈ $429 MXN
$25.00 USD
50GB premium data, 14GB hotspot
- Pro: Big data volume
- Con: Can only be bought and activated once in the US
You need WiFi on landing to buy and activate it.
Au septembre 2026
Movistar México: pay-per-trip roaming
Au septembre 2026Movistar doesn't include roaming in the US — it runs on traditional packages you pay for separately. The full list is on Movistar's international roaming.
| Option | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Travel Pass (Travel Diario) | $70 MXN (≈ $4.08 USD)/day | “Unlimited” data, 60 min calls/day, unlimited texts |
| Bono 5GB USA | $199 MXN (≈ $11.59 USD) | 5GB data, valid 30 days, data-only |
| Travel Plus (small) | $549 MXN (≈ $31.96 USD) | 0.5GB, 30 min, 30 texts, valid 30 days |
| Travel Plus (large) | $1,099 MXN (≈ $63.98 USD) | 1GB, 60 min, 60 texts, valid 30 days |
| No package | — | $3 MXN/MB, $3 MXN/min — the rate that runs up your bill |
Movistar México was sold to Oxio in April 2026 and is transitioning to an MVNO model on AT&T México's network. The brand stays the same, but these prices can change — we recheck them before publishing and on every monthly update.
FairSIM eSIM: dedicated data for your trip
Au septembre 2026With FairSIM, you get a data package separate from your Mexican plan, built just for your trip.
- 1GB / 7 days: $5.99 USD (≈ $103 MXN)
- 10GB / 30 days: $19.99 USD (≈ $343 MXN)
- Unlimited / 15 days: $44.99 USD (≈ $773 MXN) (1GB/day at full speed, then 1 Mbps)
Install it before you leave Mexico. When you land, you already have data — no hunting for airport WiFi, no waiting until you're physically in the US.
Activate it before you travel by following these steps — or check the full how eSIM works guide if it's your first time.
T-Mobile US Pass: the “buy it after you land” option
Au septembre 2026| Duration | Price | Premium data (5G) | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | $25.00 USD (≈ $429 MXN) | 50 GB | 14 GB |
| 10 days | $30.00 USD (≈ $515 MXN) | 50 GB | 20 GB |
| 14 days | $35.00 USD (≈ $601 MXN) | 50 GB | 28 GB |
T-Mobile US Pass includes unlimited calls and texts between the US, Mexico, and Canada, no ID or store visit needed. But here's the catch: per T-Mobile's own page, this plan can only be bought and activated once you're already in the US, on WiFi. You can't plan ahead for it — you land with no data until you find WiFi and finish activating, unlike FairSIM, which is already set up before you take off.
On paying with a Mexican card: T-Mobile says it accepts “domestic and international cards... from select countries” — we haven't confirmed Mexican cards are included, so don't assume it.
The three options at a glance
| Movistar | FairSIM | T-Mobile US Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost predictability | Variable, by daily usage | Fixed upfront | Fixed, but unknown until you're there |
| Data | “Unlimited” per day (Travel Diario) or 5GB (Bono) | 10GB, or unlimited with 1GB/day at full speed | 50GB premium data |
| Hotspot | No official information | Yes, with 100% of your data | 14 to 28GB depending on the plan |
| Who qualifies | Any Movistar line | Anyone, any carrier | Anyone in the US |
| Setup effort | Buy before or during | Install before leaving | Buy & activate once in the US |
| Ready on landing? | Only if bought ahead | Yes, always | No, needs WiFi |
| Multi-country | Only what's bought, per country | Yes, all destinations | No, US only |
- 1
Price
$44.99 USD (≈ $773 MXN) for 15 days of guaranteed data beats Movistar's pay-per-day exposure.
- 2
Install now
Set it up before you fly; your data works the moment you land — unlike T-Mobile's US Pass.
- 3
Transparent
No bill-shock risk from Movistar's per-MB rate, and no hunting for WiFi on landing like with T-Mobile.
Questions fréquentes
Does Movistar have free roaming in the US?
No. Movistar México doesn't include roaming — you pay for packages like Travel Diario ($70 MXN/day) or the 5GB USA Bono ($199 MXN), or risk the no-package rate of $3 MXN/MB.
Can I buy the T-Mobile US Pass before I travel?
No. Per T-Mobile's own page, this plan can only be bought and activated once you're already in the US, on WiFi.
Can I share FairSIM data over hotspot?
Yes. You can use 100% of your data as a hotspot for your laptop or whoever is traveling with you, with no separate cap.
Installez FairSIM sur votre iPhone
Téléchargement gratuit. Forfaits dès 4,99 $US. Suivez votre consommation en direct, rechargez en quelques secondes et gérez les eSIM de tout le groupe depuis une seule app.
iPhone XS ou plus récent · iOS 17.4+ pour l'installation en un geste
