- Currency
- Mexican Peso (MXN, symbol $ — sometimes written MEX$ or Mex$ to tell it apart from US dollars). Cards are widely accepted in cities and resort towns, but keep small peso notes and coins on hand for markets, taxis, and tips.
- Language
- Spanish is what you'll hear everywhere, spoken with all the regional flavor and slang that makes Mexican Spanish its own thing. Over 60 recognized Indigenous languages are still spoken across the country too — Nahuatl, Yucatec Maya, and Mixtec among the most common — especially in Oaxaca, Chiapas, and the Yucatán. English gets you by in Mexico City and major resort areas, but a few Spanish phrases go a long way everywhere else.
- Visa
- Good news for Swedish and other EU passport holders: current rules let you enter Mexico visa-free for tourism, filling out an FMM tourist card (often handed out on the plane or at immigration) that typically grants up to 180 days — though the exact number is at the immigration officer's discretion and can depend on your return ticket and stated plans. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your trip. As always with entry rules, double-check current requirements with the Mexican embassy or an official source shortly before you fly, since these things do change.
- Power
- Mexico uses plug types A and B — the same flat two- or three-pin plugs as the US and Canada. Coming from Sweden's round two-pin Europlug, you'll need an adapter; bring a universal one, since older buildings and smaller-town spots sometimes only have ungrounded two-prong outlets. · 127V at 60Hz. Most modern phone, laptop, and camera chargers are dual-voltage (look for "100–240V" printed near the plug), so a simple adapter is usually enough — just double check anything older or higher-wattage, like hair tools, before you pack it.
- Best time
- The sweet spot is the dry season, roughly November through April, when skies are clearest and the coasts are at their sunniest — though it's also peak season, so book ahead and expect higher prices around the December and Easter holidays. If you don't mind the odd afternoon shower, shoulder months like May, June, and November bring thinner crowds and better rates; just avoid the coasts during peak hurricane season in September and October.
- Safety
- Mexico is huge and safety varies a lot by region, so it's worth checking current advice for the specific area you're headed to rather than judging the whole country at once — well-trodden spots like the Yucatán, central Mexico City, and Oaxaca welcome millions of visitors safely every year. Ordinary city sense applies: use licensed taxis or ride apps, don't flash valuables, and keep an eye on your drink at bars. Most trips go entirely smoothly with normal awareness — it's a warm and genuinely welcoming country to travel in.
Cash still rules for tips, market stalls, and smaller towns, so carry pesos in small bills — card machines and ATMs are common in cities but less reliable off the beaten path. Around 10–15% is standard for restaurant tips (check your bill first, since a service charge is sometimes already added for larger groups), and a few pesos for grocery baggers or gas station attendants is customary and appreciated. Stick to bottled or filtered water rather than tap water, and a warm "buenos días" before getting down to business goes a long way with Mexico's famously warm, hospitable culture.
