How Much Does It Cost to Ship from China to Mexico? What Sets the Price
Summary: By law, Mexico charges a customs processing fee (DTA) and 16% IVA on imports. In the general case, the DTA is 8 per thousand of the value used for the import duty. The import duty (IGI) depends on the tariff fraction. None of the indexes this site cites gives a public, dated freight value for China to Mexico, as of September 23, 2026. The SCFI lists a Manzanillo route, but its public page shows no value for it.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship from China to Mexico?
The total has four parts. You pay the freight from China to Mexico, the charges in China, the charges in Mexico and the Mexican duty and taxes. Each part has its own unit and its own source.
None of the indexes this site cites prices this lane as of September 23, 2026. The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) lists a Central and South America West Coast route based on Manzanillo. Its public page for the September 18, 2026 issue shows no value for that route. None of the dated series on our ocean freight price guide lists Mexico either.
The Mexican end is easier to pin down. The customs fee and IVA rates are set by law, and the duty follows the tariff fraction. The table below lists what a complete quote for this lane should include.
| Cost line | Who publishes it | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean or air freight, China to Mexico | The carrier or forwarder, in the quote | Currency, unit, minimum, validity and the surcharges included |
| Charges in China | The origin agent or terminal, in the quote | Pickup, export clearance, terminal handling and documents |
| Customs fee (DTA) | Mexican law (section 5) | The customs value it is based on, and any fixed-fee case |
| Terminal, storage and broker fees in Mexico | The terminal and the customs broker, in the quote | Which lines are included and how storage days are counted |
| Import duty (IGI) and IVA | The Mexican tariff and tax law (section 6) | Tariff fraction, origin, customs value and entry date |
| Delivery in Mexico | The trucking provider, in the quote | Address, waiting time and any unloading needs |
Ocean Freight: Price per Container
A full container (FCL) is priced per box. Each size needs its own price, so do not scale a 40ft rate to get a 20ft one. Our FCL container guide explains sizes and the charges outside the ocean rate.
The table lists common port pairs for this lane. Manzanillo is on the Pacific coast, and Veracruz is on the Gulf of Mexico. None of the indexes this site cites gives a dated price for these pairs as of September 23, 2026. So each pair needs a quote per container type.
| Origin | Destination | Price basis |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai, ChinaQuote this route | Manzanillo, Mexico | Quote per container type |
| Shenzhen, ChinaQuote this route | Manzanillo, Mexico | Quote per container type |
| Ningbo, ChinaQuote this route | Veracruz, Mexico | Quote per container type |
Ask each quote to show the base rate, the fuel and other surcharges, and the charges in China. Then check which charges at the Mexican port are included. The two ports sit on different coasts, so compare the truck leg to your address as well.
LCL: Price per CBM and the W/M Rule
LCL means your cargo shares a container with other shipments. It is priced per unit of weight or measure, called W/M. Under a common rule, 1 CBM counts the same as 1,000 kg. The rate applies to whichever is greater, subject to a minimum and rounding.
Take a small shipment on this lane: 1.5 CBM that weighs 300 kg. The weight gives 0.3 units and the volume gives 1.5 units. So the shipment bills as 1.5 units, unless the minimum is higher. The ocean freight is 1.5 times the quoted rate.
None of the indexes this site cites gives an LCL price for China to Mexico as of September 23, 2026. The early-2026 ranges on our LCL shipping rates guide cover other routes, so do not apply them here. LCL also adds charges at the CFS, the warehouses that pack and unpack the shared container.
Measure the packed cargo before you ask for a price. The CBM calculator turns carton sizes into cubic metres. Include pallets and packing in the dimensions.
Air Freight: Price per Chargeable Kg
Air freight is billed per chargeable kilogram. IATA describes a common rule: multiply length, width and height in centimetres, then divide by 6,000. The result is the volume weight. The chargeable weight is the greater of the volume weight and the gross weight.
This divisor is not universal, and some express services use 5,000. Confirm the divisor, minimum charge and rounding in the quote. Our air freight cost guide explains these rules in detail.
Here is an example. A shipment weighs 200 kg and fills 1.5 m³. That is 1,500,000 cm³, and 1,500,000 ÷ 6,000 gives 250 kg. The chargeable weight is 250 kg, because it is greater than 200 kg.
None of the indexes this site cites prices China to Mexico by air as of September 23, 2026, so the rate per kg comes from the quote. The Mexican fee, duty and IVA apply to air cargo as well.
Costs at Destination
Mexico charges a customs processing fee on each import declaration, the pedimento. It is called the DTA. Article 49 of the Federal Duties Law sets it at 8 per thousand of the value used for the import duty, in the general case. The same article lists fixed-fee cases, so confirm the amount on the pedimento.
The other lines come from the terminal, the customs broker and the trucker. No public reference is used for them here, so confirm each one in the quote.
| Charge | Published amount or rule | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| DTA (customs processing fee) | 8 per thousand (0.8%) of the value used for the import duty, general case; fixed fees apply in other cases | Federal Duties Law, art. 49, fraction I (Chamber of Deputies current text, last reform DOF November 7, 2025), checked September 23, 2026 |
| Customs broker fee in Mexico | Confirm in the quote | The broker's written proposal |
| Terminal handling and CFS unpacking | No public reference used here; confirm in the quote | Terminal or CFS tariff, in the quote |
| Storage at the port | Confirm the free days and the daily basis in the quote | Terminal tariff, in the quote |
| Delivery to the final address | Confirm in the quote | The trucking provider, in the quote |
The DTA line is a published legal rate, not a Suaid Global tariff. Suaid Global coordinates the shipment through partner carriers and licensed customs brokers selected for the request.
Duties and Taxes
The import duty is the IGI. Its rate depends on the tariff fraction, the product code in Mexico's general import tariff. Goods that do not qualify for a trade agreement preference pay the general rate. The Ministry of Economy lists 14 free trade agreements with 52 countries, and China is not among them.
A decree published in the Diario Oficial on December 29, 2025 changed the general rate on a long list of fractions. It took effect on January 1, 2026. For example, it lists fraction 6109.10.03, knitted cotton T-shirts, at 35%. Check your own fraction in the current tariff; this guide gives no other product rate.
IVA is 16% on imports, under article 1 of the Value Added Tax Law. Under article 27, the base is the customs value plus the IGI and the other import charges, such as the DTA. So a higher duty also raises the IVA.
Some goods also need permits or face antidumping duties, called cuotas compensatorias. Company programs can change what an importer pays. Ask a licensed customs broker in Mexico to check your fraction for the entry date. The SIAVI tariff lookup from the Ministry of Economy shows each fraction.
Transit Time: What the Schedule Covers
Sailing time is only one part of the trip. A carrier schedule shows port-to-port days for a named service. It does not cover pickup, export steps, customs release in Mexico or delivery.
This page gives no fixed transit time, because schedules change by service and by week. Ask the quote to name the service, its port-to-port days, any transshipment port and the date of the schedule. Price and timing are confirmed in the written quote.
| Stage | Included in the sailing time? |
|---|---|
| Pickup from the supplier in China | No |
| Export clearance and the terminal cutoff | No |
| LCL packing at the origin CFS | No |
| Sea or air leg, port to port | Yes |
| Transshipment at a hub port, if the service uses one | Yes, when the schedule shows the full routing |
| Customs release in Mexico and any inspection | No |
| LCL unpacking at the Mexican CFS | No |
| Delivery to your address | No |
What Changes the Price
- Season and carrier notices — Carriers announce rate changes and surcharges by notice. Ask for the quote's validity date and which notices it already includes.
- Port and coast — Manzanillo and Veracruz sit on different coasts. The sea route and the truck leg to your address both change the total.
- Density and W/M — Light, bulky LCL cargo bills by volume. Tighter packing can cut the CBM count, but keep the protection your goods need.
- Dangerous goods and batteries — Lithium batteries and other dangerous goods need approval and extra documents. They can add fees or limit which services accept the cargo.
- Minimum charges — Small LCL and air shipments often pay a minimum charge instead of the rate per unit. Ask for the minimum in writing.
- Incoterm and who pays what — Under FOB, the buyer books the ocean freight. Under CIF, the seller pays it to the Mexican port. Check which costs are already in the goods price with our Incoterms guide.
- Tariff fraction — The duty rate follows the fraction, and IVA is charged on top of the duty. A different fraction can change the landed cost more than the freight does.
- Free time and storage — Port storage and container time charges start after the free time in the terms. A slow customs release can add days of charges.
Worked Budget Example
This is an illustration, not a quote. The freight rate stays a variable. The customs value of MXN 100,000 is an assumed figure for the arithmetic, not a price.
- Count the chargeable units: A shipment of 1.5 CBM and 300 kg bills as 1.5 W/M units under the rule of 1 CBM per 1,000 kg. The ocean freight is 1.5 times the quoted rate, or the minimum if that is higher.
- Take the customs value: Assume a customs value of MXN 100,000. Ask your customs broker which costs enter the customs value for your entry.
- Add the duty: Say the fraction's general rate is 35%, the rate the 2026 decree lists for 6109.10.03. The IGI is then MXN 35,000.
- Add the DTA: At 8 per thousand, the DTA on MXN 100,000 is MXN 800, unless a fixed-fee case applies.
- Add the IVA: The IVA base is 100,000 + 35,000 + 800, or MXN 135,800, plus any other import charges. At 16%, the IVA is MXN 21,728.
- Add the freight and local charges: Freight, port charges, the broker fee and delivery come on top, as quoted. Compare full quotes with the same scope and dates.
What to Send for a Quote
A complete request gets a complete price. Use the CBM calculator for the volume. Our Mexico page covers ports and customs notes for the country.
- The city or port in China and the Mexican port or delivery address
- The number of packages and how they are packed: cartons, pallets or crates
- The packed size of each piece, in centimetres
- The gross weight, including packaging
- A clear description of the goods and the tariff fraction, if you know it
- The date the cargo will be ready
- The Incoterm agreed with your supplier
- Port to port or door to door
- Any dangerous goods, batteries or temperature needs
Questions About Shipping Costs from China to Mexico
Sources and References
- Shanghai Shipping Exchange — SCFI, issue of September 18, 2026 — Lists a Central/South America West Coast (Manzanillo) route; the public page shows no value for it. Checked September 23, 2026.
- Diario Oficial de la Federación — Decree amending tariff fractions of the LIGIE, December 29, 2025 — In force January 1, 2026 (first transitory article). Fraction 6109.10.03 listed at 35%. Checked September 23, 2026.
- Mexican Chamber of Deputies — Federal Duties Law, current text, art. 49 — Current text; last reform published in the DOF on November 7, 2025, amounts updated by the DOF of December 28, 2025. Fraction I: 8 per thousand of the value used for the import duty. Checked September 23, 2026.
- SAT — Value Added Tax Law, art. 1 — Imports are taxed at 16%. Checked September 23, 2026.
- SAT — Value Added Tax Law, art. 27 — Import base: customs value plus the IGI and other import charges. Checked September 23, 2026.
- SAT — Importers and the Padrón de Importadores — Registration duty under Customs Law articles 59, 59-A and 59-B. Checked September 23, 2026.
- Ministry of Economy — Countries with trade agreements with Mexico — 14 free trade agreements with 52 countries; China is not an FTA partner. Page dated June 1, 2026; checked September 23, 2026.
- Ministry of Economy — SIAVI tariff lookup — Tariff information by fraction. No product rate is quoted from it here. Checked September 23, 2026.
- IATA — Air Cargo Tariffs and Rules — Volume weight concept; confirm each service's divisor. Checked September 23, 2026.
