Houston to the Bajío, via Laredo.
Houston to León is about 875 miles: six hours to Laredo, then a long day through Monterrey and San Luis Potosí. It's close enough to drive your own load, and far enough that the menaje paperwork and the crossing deserve a plan.
Updated
- Houston → León: about 875 mi / 17.3 h of driving; Houston → Laredo: 313 mi / 6.0 h; Laredo → León: 562 mi / 11.3 h.
- Cargo crosses at Laredo (World Trade Bridge, trucks only; or the Colombia Solidarity Bridge).
- The Houston consulate takes menaje requests without an appointment, weekdays before 11 am; returning Mexicans can use the free menaje doméstico.
Key facts · as of
Distances and drive times
| Route | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Houston → Laredo | 313 mi / 504 km | 6.0 h |
| Laredo → León | 562 mi / 905 km | 11.3 h |
| Houston → León | 875 mi / 1,408 km | 17.3 h |
| Houston → Guanajuato (city) | 868 mi / 1,397 km | 17.4 h |
| Dallas → León | 989 mi / 1,591 km | 18.8 h |
Free-flow estimates; add border queues and customs inspection.
Paperwork in Houston
- The Houston consulate attends both the traditional menaje de casa and the menaje doméstico without an appointment, Monday to Friday before 11:00 am.
- For the traditional certificate: proof of Mexican nationality, ID, a signed, detailed list of the goods and proof of address; the fee follows the consular tariff (USD 146 for Mexicans in 2026).
- The menaje doméstico is free and needs no broker; its list format is on menajedomestico.gob.mx. Read the limits in menaje doméstico and generate your list with the menaje list generator.
What it costs
We don't publish a door-to-door price for this route yet: MenajeFlow will add one only once enough real quotes for it come in. Until then, the closest published ranges are below — use them to sanity-check quotes, not as prices.
| Option | Published range (USD) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Texas → Mexico, full service | $2,500–6,000 typical | Three Movers (2026) |
| Road move from a border state, 1 / 2 / 3 BR (Mexico City/Bajío at the high end) | $4,500–8,000 / $7,000–12,000 / $10,500–17,000 | Jordan River Moving (2026) |
| Shared container | $145–320 per m³ | AB Group; Jordan River |
| Cross-border LTL, per pallet | $380–720 | AB Group (2026) |
Jordan River places the Bajío at the high end of its border-state ranges. See the moving cost guide for caveats.
Driving it yourself
Many Houston families drive their own truck and trailer: U-Haul equipment can't cross, so it has to be your own vehicle or a carrier's. If you plan to keep driving a U.S.-plated vehicle in Mexico, read bringing a car first — the temporary permit is for people who reside abroad.
Tell us your route and rough volume; we'll connect you with movers who serve it. Then enter their quote to see what's worth shipping.
Questions people ask
How long is the drive from Houston to León, Guanajuato?
About 875 miles (1,408 km), roughly 17 hours of driving city to city via Laredo, before border and customs time.
Do I need an appointment for the menaje at the Houston consulate?
No. The Houston consulate attends menaje de casa and menaje doméstico requests without an appointment, Monday to Friday before 11:00 am.
How much does it cost to move from Houston to Guanajuato?
No source publishes this exact route. Published Texas-to-Mexico moves run about $2,500–6,000, and road moves from border states to the Bajío sit at the high end of $4,500–17,000 depending on home size. Get written quotes on the same inventory.
Sources
Every price and rule on this page comes from these sources, checked on the date shown. Prices change; tell us if you find a better one.
- 01OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap data) — city-center driving estimates — checked 2026-10-01
- 02Consulado de México en Houston — Menaje de casa — checked 2026-10-05
- 03DOF 17-07-2025 — Lineamientos del menaje doméstico — checked 2026-10-01
- 04Consulado de México en Atlanta — Tabla de Derechos Consulares 2026 — checked 2026-10-01
- 05Laredo World Trade Bridge (Wikipedia) — checked 2026-10-01
- 06Laredo–Colombia Solidarity International Bridge (Wikipedia) — checked 2026-10-01
- 07U-Haul — Can you take a U-Haul truck to Mexico? (2025-12-08) — checked 2026-10-01
- 08Jordan River Moving — Moving to Mexico (updated 2026-09-10) — checked 2026-10-01
- 09AB Group Shipping — Moving USA to Mexico 2026 (updated 2026-09-28) — checked 2026-10-01
- 1015 CFR Part 30 (eCFR) — §30.37(p), §30.38, §30.2 — checked 2026-10-01
- 11Three Movers — Texas to Mexico moving cost (2026-03-26) — checked 2026-10-01
MenajeFlow gives planning estimates. It is not a moving company, customs broker or legal adviser — confirm customs requirements with your Mexican consulate and a licensed customs broker.