Car Rental in Mexico

Mexico is a great country for renting a car. With stunning nature, great cultural variety, and access to two oceans, it is a fun place to explore at your own pace. Travel hotspots like Mexico City, Cancun, and Cabo San Lucas are world-famous, but visiting some of the lesser-known parts can be just as rewarding.

• Mexico City Airport: Also known as Benito Juarez Airport after the former president, it is by far the busiest in the country and handled more than 46 million passengers in 2022. The airport offers flights to and from a plethora of destinations in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
• Cancun Airport: Serving the popular vacation destination, Cancun Airport has flights by more than 40 airlines connecting it to destinations all over the world.
• Guadalajara Airport: Serving the capital of the state of Jalisco and Mexico’s second-largest city, Guadalajara Airport handles about eight million travelers every year. The airport hosts tens of flights to destinations in the rest of Mexico and the United States.
• Merida Airport: Providing access to another holiday destination in the Yucatan, Merida Airport is fairly small, but offers connections with such destinations as Houston and Miami.
• Los Cabos Airport: Named after a popular vacation spot at the southern tip of Baja California peninsula, Los Cabos Airport is especially busy during the tourist season when it hosts the flights of more than 20 airlines, many of them connecting the area with cities all across the United States and Canada.

• Mexico City. When Spanish colonizers arrived in the area of modern-day Mexico City, it had already been a political and religious center for centuries. Nowadays, one of the largest cities on the planet (with a metro area population of over 22 million in 2022), it is as rich in ancient sites and colonial legacy as it is a thriving contemporary culture, which undoubtedly makes it one of the most interesting cities in all of Latin America.
• Monterrey. Located in the northwest of the country, Monterrey is considered both one of the safest and most interesting urban destinations in Mexico. Founded in the 16th century, it has long been among the country’s commercial powerhouses, but is also known for its lively cultural scene and the stunning mountain scenery that surrounds it.
• Guadalajara. A metropolis of several millions, Guadalajara nonetheless embodies a more traditional version of Mexico than its capital, one that is arguably more instantly recognizable to a foreign visitor. The city is as known for its ever-pleasant weather as it is for its colonial legacy, colorful neighborhoods, and public art.

The most popular rental car in Mexico is the Kia Rio, although many travelers also go for the Chevrolet Aveo and the Hyundai Accent. The most popular rental car types are compact, economy, and intermediate.

Both manual and automatic rental cars are available. Make sure to request an automatic if you do not know how to drive a manual car.

While a smaller car is perfectly good for traveling along the main highways or exploring the cities (and might actually be preferable in some urban areas due to the remaining historic planning), getting a 4x4 might be a necessity if you plan to explore Mexico’s nature or mountainous areas.

• Mexico recognizes foreign driver’s licenses if they are in Spanish or English. However, some rental car suppliers require you to have an International Driving Permit (IDP). Make sure to check the driver’s license requirements of the rental car supplier before booking the vehicle.
• If your driver’s license is in another language, you need to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Mexico.
• Even if you have an IDP, you still need to also provide your valid driver’s license from your country
• You must carry your driver’s license, not a copy, with you at all times. 
• You need to have had your driver’s license for at least two years. 
• Some rental car suppliers charge a young driver fee for drivers between the ages of 22 and 25 and a senior driver fee for drivers over the age of 65.
• There may be additional requirements depending on the car supplier and category, so make sure to check the rental conditions before booking.

Mexico has land borders with three countries: the United States, Guatemala, and Belize.

There are very few car rental companies that permit one-way rentals between Mexico and one of the neighboring countries. When such deals can be found, typically this will include trips from destinations that are near the border (e.g., from northern Mexico to the United States or the Yucatan to Belize). You can search for car rental companies that permit international one-way rentals by entering your car pick-up and drop-off locations on our search. 

Do keep in mind that each of the countries has its own visa policy, so you may or may not be required to have a visit. Visitors from most Western countries can visit Mexico and all three of its neighbors without a visa, but there are exceptions. If you plan to visit Mexico and one of its neighboring countries on the same trip, make sure to consult your Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance.

Mexico has an extensive system of toll roads due to a government program started in the 1980s to update the country’s road system. The Mexican toll road system is called Cuota. Toll booths are located along the highways at the end of sections of the road, therefore, on a long ride, you can pass through multiple toll booths. While credit cards used to be accepted, drivers can now only pay with either cash or an electronic tag placed on the car’s windshield. The electronic tags may be available from your rental car provider but usually comes with a fee. However, the fee is usually just a one-time fee for the tag, not a daily fee as in other places like many places in the United States. ATMs are few and far between along the highways, so be sure to keep plenty of cash to pay for the tolls. 

Compared to other countries, Mexico’s tolls can seem rather expensive. It is possible, however, to avoid most toll roads as Libre (or free) roads usually go alongside them, though they are much slower to travel on due to going through many villages along the way. This may make for more scenic travel on short trips but would certainly hinder progress on any long trips.

Make sure to check your gas tank before getting on a toll road. If you are on a long toll road, be prepared for there to be no gas stations or other services along the way. We suggest topping up with gas beforehand.

The most popular type of rental car in Mexico is an economy, followed by intermediate and compact. Manual cars are typically cheaper than automatic, and, therefore more popular.

• Jalisco. A large state in central Mexico, Jalisco has a decent stretch of a Pacific coastline, its main tourist draw, but the inland parts can be just as fun to explore. The state that is the birthplace of Mariachi music and Tequila, and the home of the aforementioned second city of Guadalajara, also has a number of well-preserved pre-Columbian sites such as the circular pyramids of Guachimontones. 
• Baja California. A long and narrow peninsula separated from the rest of Mexico by the Gulf of California, Baja California is distinct from the rest of the country both in terms of culture and nature. The region boasts some of Mexico’s nicest beaches which are dotted with resort towns and surfing hotspots, but it also offers unique desert and volcanic landscapes. 
• The Yucatán. A large peninsula physically separated from the rest of Mexico, the Yucatán is much more than just the beaches of Cancun. Made up of five states, the region has a wealth of historic Mayan sites, and is also known for national parks, ecotourism, cenotes, less popular beach towns, and a thriving indigenous culture.

You can do a number of things to get a good car rental deal in Mexico:

• Compare rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car as soon in advance as you can
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Mexico is the cheapest in June when renting a car is about 36% cheaper than the yearly average.
• Book a manual car
• Book a smaller car