Internet Usage in Mexico Surpasses 100 Million Users
According to the National Survey on Availability and Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Households (ENDUTIH) conducted by INEGI, more than 100.2 million Mexicans, or 83.1% of the population, are now using internet services.
Internet Usage Growth
From 2023 to 2024, the number of internet users in Mexico increased from 97 million to 100.2 million, with the percentage of the population using internet rising from 81.2% to 83.1%. Since its first edition in 2015, the number of internet users has grown nearly 40 million, from 61.4 million to 100.2 million.
The survey was conducted between June and August 2024 among 65,000 households across the country. It measures responses regarding internet access, mobile phone usage, and electronic devices among individuals aged six or older.
Digital Divide: Urban vs Rural
Despite the overall progress, a significant difference persists between urban and rural areas. In 2024, 86.9% of the urban population used internet, compared to 68.5% in rural areas. Although the gap has been gradually narrowing—partly due to mobile connectivity expansion—the difference remains over 18 percentage points.
Both areas have seen substantial increases compared to the previous year: 1.4 percentage points in urban areas and 2.5 percentage points in rural areas, indicating that efforts to improve mobile phone coverage and usage are having positive effects.
Mobile phones remain the dominant device for internet access, with 97.2% of users accessing the network via smartphones in 2024. Other connection methods included smart TVs (43.6%), computers (35.9%), and video game consoles (8.1%).
Notably, the use of computers for internet access decreased by 8.1 percentage points in one year, while smart TV connections increased by 5.8%. This trend highlights the central role mobile devices and entertainment systems have taken in Mexico’s digital consumption.
Where is Internet Used in Mexico?
Communication remains the primary use of internet, with 93% of users employing it for sending and receiving messages. Following this are social networks (90.4%), entertainment activities (89%), and information search (88.2%).
Other significant uses include educational support (81.3%), general browsing (79.6%), and consumption of audiovisual content, such as movies or series (74.3%).
Digital commerce and finance activities have also increased: online shopping grew by 2.4 percentage points; online payments, by 3.3 percentage points; and banking operations, by 3 percentage points. However, cloud services use (-1.4 percentage points) and software or app downloads (-3.2 percentage points) have decreased.
In 2024, 35.8% of Mexico’s internet users reported making online purchases. The most acquired items were personal hygiene and beauty products (77.9%), home goods (45.8%), and food or beverages (33%).
The urban-rural divide is evident, with 39.2% of urban users and only 19.1% of rural users making online purchases. This 20-percentage-point difference is also observed in other services like online payments and banking operations.
Home Internet Access in Mexico
Home internet access reached 28.8 million households in 2024, or 73.6% of the national total. Compared to 2021, this represents an increase of 4.5 million connected households.
The Ciudad de México, Sonora, and Nuevo León entities have the highest percentages of households with internet access, all above 83%. Chiapas (50.7%), Oaxaca (55.5%), and Guerrero (58.9%) lag behind.
There has also been an increase in households with smart devices connected to the internet or local networks, rising from 7.7 million in 2023 to 10.2 million in 2024. Ciudad de México leads this category, with 38% of households owning at least one such device.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the current internet usage in Mexico? Over 100.2 million Mexicans, or 83.1% of the population, are using internet services.
- How has internet usage grown in Mexico? From 2023 to 2024, internet users increased from 97 million to 100.2 million, with the percentage of the population using internet rising from 81.2% to 83.1%.
- What is the digital divide between urban and rural areas in Mexico? While 86.9% of urban residents use the internet, only 68.5% of rural residents do. The gap is over 18 percentage points, though it has been narrowing due to mobile connectivity expansion.
- What are the primary uses of internet in Mexico? Communication, social networks, entertainment, and information search are the most common uses.
- How has online shopping evolved in Mexico? 35.8% of internet users made online purchases in 2024, with personal hygiene and beauty products, home goods, and food or beverages being the most acquired items.
- What is the home internet access situation in Mexico? Home internet access reached 28.8 million households in 2024, or 73.6% of the national total. The Ciudad de México, Sonora, and Nuevo León entities have the highest percentages of households with internet access.
