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What it costs to import from the US to

Forwarder fees, shipping, customs duty and IVA for a phone, compared across 6 US package forwarders. Cheapest estimated total first.

Duty
One flat rate covers duty and IVA on courier imports from the US: 17% from $50 to $117 and 19% from $117 to $2,500. Phones pay 33.5%, because they must meet Mexican product standards (NOM).
IVA
IVA 16% is included in the flat rate.
Duty-free limit
Under $50 from the US, only the customs processing fee (DTA) applies. Phones pay 33.5% at any value.
Batteries
Used devices with lithium batteries cannot go by USPS, so expect DHL, FedEx or UPS.

Checked October 2026

Show totals in
$600 phone to Mexico, 0.3 kg (0.6 lb) Estimated totals include the item, US sales tax, forwarder fees, shipping, duty and IVA.
# Forwarder Courier Fees + sales tax Shipping Duty + taxes Total Link
1 MyUS UPS Expedited5-9 days · From a quote MX$0 MX$396 MX$3,766 Shipping MX$396 · Fees and sales tax MX$0 · Duty and taxes MX$3,766 MX$15,008$830 Visit
Florida charges 7% sales tax in Sarasota, but this address is on the state list of certified forwarding agents, so sellers that apply the list do not charge it. A seller that ignores the list will charge 7%. Premium membership is free for 30 days, then $9.99 a month. This estimate assumes the free month.
2 Forwardme UPS WorldWide Expedited4-8 days · From a quote MX$0 MX$565 MX$3,823 Shipping MX$565 · Fees and sales tax MX$0 · Duty and taxes MX$3,823 MX$15,235+MX$226 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free membership and free package processing. Consolidation is $3.25 per package on the free plan; Premium, $9.50 a month, promises lower shipping rates.
3 Ship To Box FedEx Economy4-8 days · From a quote MX$307 MX$380 MX$3,761 Shipping MX$380 · Fees and sales tax MX$307 · Duty and taxes MX$3,761 MX$15,295+MX$286 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free standard membership, $2 receiving fee per box, plus a $15 lithium battery fee on devices. Free consolidation.
4 Planet Express DHL Express Worldwide1-6 days · From a quote MX$36 MX$1,130 MX$4,012 Shipping MX$1,130 · Fees and sales tax MX$36 · Duty and taxes MX$4,012 MX$16,025+MX$1,016 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Planet Express also has a tax-free address in Fort Pierce, FL and one in Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Free mailbox, $2 mail-out fee per package. Consolidation needs Premium, $10 a month.
5 Shipito DHL Express2-4 days · From a quote MX$221 MX$1,082 MX$3,996 Shipping MX$1,082 · Fees and sales tax MX$221 · Duty and taxes MX$3,996 MX$16,147+MX$1,138 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Oregon is the default address for Premium members; free accounts default to Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Premium membership, $10 a month, for the tax-free Oregon address, plus a $2.25 processing fee per package.
6 Stackry DHL Worldwide Express2-5 days · From a quote MX$262 MX$1,102 MX$4,003 Shipping MX$1,102 · Fees and sales tax MX$262 · Duty and taxes MX$4,003 MX$16,214+MX$1,206 Visit
No sales tax in New Hampshire. No membership, $2 receiving fee per package, plus a $12.50 hazmat fee on phones and smartwatches. Consolidation is $3 per package.

Shipping comes from each forwarder's own calculator, quoted at 1 lb and 5 lb and interpolated in between, so it is an estimate, not a live price. Check the forwarder's calculator before you buy. Devices with lithium batteries only go by services that accept them, usually DHL, FedEx or UPS, so most postal and budget services are left out.

Buying a refurbished iPhone? Compare prices from US sellers

Before you buy a phone in the US

  • iPhone 14 and later models sold in the US have no SIM tray and work only with eSIM. Check that your carrier offers eSIM, or pick an iPhone 13 or earlier, which takes both.
  • Pick an unlocked phone. One locked to a US carrier will not work with your local SIM or eSIM.
  • Any charger in the box has a US plug, which fits most sockets in Mexico.
  • The warranty and returns are the US seller's. The return window starts when the parcel reaches your forwarder's US address, and a repair or return means paying to ship it back to the US.

How Mexico taxes this phone

Duty and taxes for the cheapest option above, in the order customs applies them.

Charge Rate Amount
Flat import rate (duty and IVA) 33.5% MX$3,766
Total duty and taxes MX$3,766

Importing to Mexico: common questions

How is a courier parcel from the US taxed in Mexico?

Under rule 3.7.35 of the RGCE, a courier import from the US pays one flat rate that includes duty and IVA: 17% from $50 to $117 and 19% from $117 to $2,500. Under $50, only the customs processing fee applies. Phones get neither the under-$50 exemption nor these rates. They must meet Mexican product standards (NOM), and goods subject to a NOM pay the general 33.5% rate.

Do I need an RFC to receive the parcel?

No. Give your RFC if you have one; otherwise the courier declares its own (rule 3.7.5).

Does it matter where the item was made?

No. Rule 3.7.35 gives the 17% and 19% rates to shipments sent from a USMCA country, so a parcel from a US forwarder qualifies. Shipments that do not meet its conditions pay 33.5% since 15 August 2025.

What happens above $2,500?

The flat courier rate stops at $2,500. Above it, the import needs a formal entry through a customs broker, and this estimate does not cover that case.

Which forwarder is cheapest to Mexico?

For a $600 phone weighing 0.3 kg (0.6 lb), MyUS comes out cheapest in our estimate at $830 delivered, using UPS Expedited. The order changes with weight and item type, and shipping prices are estimates, so check the forwarder's calculator before you buy.

Can I use a forwarder to buy from Apple's online store?

No. Apple's US online store ships only to US addresses and cancels orders sent to freight forwarder addresses. Retailers such as Amazon, Back Market or eBay sellers are the usual route, and their return and warranty terms can change once a parcel leaves the US.

The same phone, shipped elsewhere

Cheapest estimated total for a $600 phone in each country we cover. Each country has its own page.

Sources

Rules checked in October 2026. Exchange rates from 1 Oct 2026, Rates By Exchange Rate API. RefurbMe has no referral deals with these forwarders; the order is always the cheapest estimated total.