🚽Public bathrooms in Mexico City: Costs, toilet paper rules, and tips

Bathrooms may not be the most glamorous topic, but we bet you’ll be happy to know how they work in Mexico City before you need them.

Odds are good that when you’re out exploring Mexico City, nature will call. If you’re ready to stop for a snack or a drink, you’re probably covered.

Restaurants and bars have bathrooms customers can use. Same with museums and other attractions. In a bigger place, an attendant might be working in the bathroom. It’s polite to tip a few pesos.

Tip: If you’re in a tiny restaurant and you don’t see signs for a bathroom, ask. The simplest way is just to say, “Banos?” They probably have one in the back, or share one with a neighboring business.

But there are times you might need to use a public restroom. Here’s what to know.

An 💜 Eternal Spring subscription is a smart investment in your Mexico City experience. For just $7/month or $49/year, you get access to all of our paid content, plus our archive of more than 100 articles covering neighborhood walks, what to pack, safety considerations, and more.

How can I find public bathrooms in Mexico City?

You’ll probably understand the bathroom signage even if you don’t know a word of Spanish.

Look for a sign that says “Banos,” “WC,” or “Sanitarios.” You’ll probably see that illustration of a man and a woman that’s usually the sign for a bathroom. Sometimes, you’ll see the word “limpias,” which means clean.

Most of the time, public bathrooms in Mexico City are in fact pretty clean. They may even have a full-time attendant taking care of them.

Do you have to pay to use a public bathroom?

This public bathroom in the Mexico City subway charges 7 pesos, but you don’t need exact change.

Usually, yes. If you’re headed out for the day and you think you might need a public bathroom, make sure you have change.

Five pesos is a typical amount. Mexico uses the same symbol for the peso that Americans use for the dollar, so look for a sign that says $5 (or another amount). That’s about 25 cents USD. We’ve seen public bathrooms that charge up to 9 pesos.

You might drop your coin in a slot and enter through a turnstile, or pay an attendant. You’ll want to have the right amount or at least be close. An attendant won’t want to give you change for $20, $50, or $100 pesos.

Where do you get toilet paper in Mexico City bathrooms?

Pay a peso for some toilet paper.

Usually, the toilet paper is inside the stall, where you probably expect it to be.

But sometimes it’s not, and you don’t want to figure that out too late.

There might be a toilet paper dispenser in the central area of the bathroom, so you can take (or buy) the amount you think you need and bring it into the stall with you. So, look for that, or check inside the stall before you get started doing what you need to do.

☑️Mexico City: Do these 15 (mostly) easy things before you go

Sometimes, the attendant hands some toilet paper to you.

If you’ve been to Mexico City restaurants, you might have noticed that Mexico doesn’t supply the nearly endless number of napkins you’re used to in the US.

That can be true for toilet paper, too. You might get an amount of toilet paper that feels wildly insufficient, especially if Mexican food isn’t agreeing with you.

You can ask for more: “Mas, por favor?”

Why is there a trash basket next to the toilet?

“Don’t throw toilet paper in the toilet.”

If you’re in a building with old plumbing, the basket is there for the toilet paper. Older places weren’t designed to handle anything other than human waste.

Good luck remembering to use it—a lifetime of muscle memory will probably have you throwing the paper in the toilet, even if you know to use the basket. Or maybe that’s just me.

What’s the most important thing for English speakers to know?

When you need to go, you’re going to want to find the bathroom that’s right for you.

“M” stands for “Mujeres,” which is Spanish for women. “H,” for “Hombres,” is the men’s room.

Tip: If you’re taking a guided tour, ask if they will, or can, have bathroom breaks. We took a sunrise canal tour that lasted a few hours, and then we had an hour-plus drive back. We should have asked about using the bathroom before we started the drive.

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably the type of person who likes to be prepared. You may also like these articles:

⛰️Mexico City: How to prepare for the altitude

👎Mexico City: Don't be "that" tourist

⚠️Mexico City: Is it safe to visit?