Current Time in Mexico City
Mexico — America/Mexico_City
About Time in Mexico City
Mexico City operates on Central Standard Time (IANA: America/Mexico_City) at UTC-6. As of 2022, Mexico abolished daylight saving time for most of the country, so Mexico City now remains on UTC-6 year-round. This means that during the US DST period (March-November), Mexico City is on the same time as Chicago, but during the US standard time period, it is also aligned with Chicago since both are at UTC-6.
Mexico City is 1 hour behind New York during EST and 2 hours behind during EDT. It is 7 hours behind Paris during European winter and 8 hours behind during European summer, since Mexico no longer shifts its clocks. The city is 15 hours behind Tokyo year-round. The abolition of DST was a significant change, ending a practice Mexico had observed since 1996.
Mexico City's permanent UTC-6 has simplified timekeeping for the city's 21 million metropolitan residents but created a new wrinkle for cross-border business with the United States. During the US DST period, the time difference between Mexico City and New York changes from 1 hour to 2 hours, requiring businesses to adjust their coordination schedules twice a year despite Mexico itself not changing clocks.
Time Facts
Mexico officially abolished daylight saving time (known locally as 'horario de verano') on October 26, 2022, after President Lopez Obrador signed legislation ending the practice for most of the country.
Mexico City's Zocalo plaza hosts a massive Independence Day celebration every September 15 at 11:00 PM CST, when the president reenacts the 'Grito de Dolores' — the call to arms that launched Mexico's war of independence in 1810.
Despite being at roughly the same longitude as Chicago, Mexico City's tropical latitude (19.4 N) means its day length varies far less across seasons — from about 11 hours in December to 13 hours in June, compared to Chicago's range of 9 to 15 hours.
The Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) in Mexico City trades from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM CST, closing two hours before the NYSE — a schedule designed to maximize overlap with US markets.
Business Hours
Standard business hours in Mexico City are 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM CST (15:00-00:00 UTC), with many businesses taking a later lunch break between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.