Mexico is the easy case for US time zones. Your working day sits almost on top of the US one, so a call from a client in Chicago or a buyer in Houston can ring while you are at your desk, not at midnight. That suits nearshore developers on US teams, Americans who have retired or moved to Mexico, rental hosts with US guests, and real estate agents selling to US buyers. Here is how the hours line up, what each setup looks like, and what to check first.
When do Mexican and US working hours overlap?
Mexico ended daylight saving time in most of the country in 2022, and Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey are now on UTC-6 all year. Some cities on the US border still move their clocks with the US, and Cancún and the rest of Quintana Roo are on UTC-5 all year (IANA tz database). US Eastern time is UTC-5 in winter and UTC-4 in summer, Central is an hour behind Eastern and Pacific three hours behind, and US summer runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November (NIST).
Here is a US working day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Mexico City time:
| Your US contact is in | US summer, Mexico City time | US winter, Mexico City time |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (New York, Miami, Atlanta) | 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Central (Chicago, Houston, Dallas) | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Pacific (Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle) | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
In the US winter you are on the same clock as Chicago and Houston. In the US summer, Central time moves an hour ahead of you and New York two hours ahead, so the East Coast day starts at 7 a.m. your time. The simple fix is to take New York calls from 8 or 9 a.m. your time and keep the early start for days with a fixed meeting. The West Coast lines up with your late morning and afternoon all year.
US clocks go back on November 1, 2026 and forward on March 14, 2027. If you live in Cancún, add an hour to the table. In a border city that follows the US clock, check your own difference on the US time-zone clock.
How does a US number work from Mexico?
The TripoSIM US Virtual Number runs in the TripoSIM app over Wi-Fi or mobile data, on the same phone as your Mexican line. On iPhone, add the TripoSIM web app to your Home Screen. On Android, install the TripoSIM app. You need an email address, a payment card and a short ID check with a photo ID and a selfie. You do not need a US address or an SSN.
Rules on internet calling differ by country, and on your network a call on the number is an internet call. Check with your regulator or mobile operator before you rely on calls, and keep your Mexican number for calls inside Mexico.
Texts from US senders reach your number in the US and show up in the app over your connection. Verification codes from apps arrive the same way.
Which setup fits your situation?
Nearshore developers. Matching hours are a big part of why US teams work with developers in Mexico. If you contract for a US team from Guadalajara or Monterrey, most of your calls happen on the team’s video tool and use no minutes. A +1 number covers the rest: the client who wants to call you directly, a recruiter, or a US vendor you need to reach. The freelancers page and the remote job seekers page cover profiles and interview calls.
US retirees and expats. If you have moved to Ajijic, San Miguel de Allende or Mérida, the US side of your life still calls: family, a doctor’s office, an accountant, a pharmacy confirming a refill. A +1 number in the app gives them a US number to call, with voicemail for when you are out. The expats page has more on staying reachable after the move.
Vacation rental hosts. Two cases come up. A US owner living in Mexico who rents out a place in Texas or Florida needs a number that guests, cleaners and repair people in the US can call. A host in Puerto Vallarta or Tulum with mostly American guests can put a +1 number in the booking confirmation and house manual, so guests can call before they arrive. Airbnb sent codes to a TripoSIM number in TripoSIM’s tests on October 3, 2026. The vacation hosts page covers verification and replies without texting.
Real estate agents. Americans buying in Puerto Vallarta or on the Riviera Maya often start with a phone call from home. A +1 number on your listings and business card makes that an ordinary call, and because your hours match theirs, you can answer live. The real estate agents page has worked examples for busy seasons.
How many minutes does a retiree’s month use?
Take Linda, a made-up example: a retired teacher from Ohio living in Ajijic. She calls her daughter in Columbus twice a week for 20 minutes and her sister in Toronto once a week for 15 minutes. That is 55 minutes a week, or about 238 minutes a month. Calls to Canada count the same as calls to the US, so both come out of the 300 minutes a month. Add a 30-minute call with her US accountant at tax time and she is at about 268 minutes. Each outgoing call is rounded up to the next full minute; unanswered calls are free.
The easy way to stretch the minutes is to let family call her. Calls to her do not use her outgoing minutes; they come from a separate fair use of 300 minutes a month. If she talks more, extra minutes cost $5 per 100. The cost calculator works out your own month.
What should your contact page and voicemail say?
For work, give your hours in a US time zone and say where you are:
US line: +1 (your number). (Name), real estate in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I answer Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. Leave a voicemail at any time, or email (your address) for listing details.
For family calls, a short greeting with your name and “I’ll call you back today” is enough. Either way, write “call or email”, not “call or text”, and do not suggest a US office you do not have. Voicemail messages can be up to 2 minutes, up to 30 a month, kept 30 days. The voicemail guide and the business contact checklist have more.
What can’t the number do?
- No sending texts. It receives texts only. Family and guests can email you or use WhatsApp, which you can set up on the same US number.
- No calls out beyond the US and Canada. Use your Mexican line for Mexican numbers.
- No 911. It cannot call 911 or any emergency service, so keep your Mexican number for emergencies.
- No internet, no ring. If your connection drops, callers reach voicemail.
The bottom line
From Mexico, US calls fit your normal day: New York from 7 or 8 a.m., Chicago on the same clock as you in the US winter, and the West Coast in your late morning and afternoon. Give US family, clients, guests and buyers a +1 number, answer live in the shared hours, and let voicemail cover the rest. Check the rules on internet calling first, check your own city’s clock if you live near the border or in Quintana Roo, then test calls with the ten-check reliability test. The plans page has both plans: $100 a year or $12.99 a month.