Your tools are worth more in Mexico.
Brand-name tools are dense, durable and hold their value — and the same DeWalt, Toro and Weber models listed for more at Home Depot México than in the U.S. For most households and tradespeople, tools are an easy “bring”.
Updated
- A Toro 21" mower listed at MXN 12,499 (≈$692) vs about $390–399 in the U.S.; a Weber Spirit E-210 at MXN 11,999 (≈$664) vs $399.
- DeWalt cordless kits were close to U.S. prices (≈$315 vs $299.99), but they're small enough to carry — so bringing them costs almost nothing.
- Customs treats tools of your trade as part of a menaje, but not a complete workshop; under the 2025 menaje doméstico tools are capped at USD 5,000.
Tools and outdoor gear through the calculator
Small power tools are carried (no shipping cost); bulky outdoor gear is shipped at our $10/cu ft placeholder.
| Item | U.S. new | Est. resale | Mexico price | Cost to bring | Verdict | Ship if under |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DeWalt DCK287D2 combo kit | $300 | $165 | $315 | carry | Take | always |
DeWalt DWE575 circular saw | $169 | $93 | $199 | carry | Take | always |
Toro 21311 gas mower | $395 | $158 | $692 | $164 | Ship | $36.26/cu ft |
Weber Spirit E-210 grill | $399 | $160 | $664 | $263 | Ship | $20.59/cu ft |
Rolling tool chest with hand tools (Mexico price unknown) With no Mexican price, the U.S. price is assumed. | $900 | $360 | ≈ U.S. price | $168 | Ship | $38.4/cu ft |
Prices checked 2026-10-01 at Home Depot México, Tractor Supply, Walmart, Zoro and The Power Tool Store; MXN converted at 18.071 (Banxico FIX 2026-09-29). DeWalt resale 55% from published ranges (50–70%); outdoor gear 40% and the tool chest are our assumptions. Volumes approximate.
Resale value by brand
| Brand | Typical resale (% of new) |
|---|---|
| Festool | 60–80% |
| Milwaukee | 55–75% |
| DeWalt | 50–70% |
| Makita | 50–65% |
| Ryobi | 30–45% |
| Harbor Freight | 15–25% |
Pawn shops typically offer 30–60% of a tool's resale value (Maxferd).
High resale sounds like a reason to sell — but you'd be selling at 50–70% and rebuying at Mexican prices that are equal or higher. Selling only wins for tools you won't use in Mexico.
What Mexican customs allows
- Traditional menaje de casa: professionals' instruments and workers' or artisans' tools count, as long as they're indispensable for your trade and aren't a complete set-up for installing a lab, medical office or workshop (Reglamento de la Ley Aduanera, art. 100). Tools you used abroad for a commercial operation are excluded (Ley Aduanera art. 61-VII).
- Menaje doméstico (2025): tools for your trade up to USD 5,000, plus USD 1,000 of other goods (RGCE 2026, rule 3.2.11).
- Any traveller's baggage: one set of hand tools, which may include a drill (RGCE 2026, rule 3.2.3).
- Goods must be used — acquired at least six months before the import — to enter as menaje (RGCE 2026, rule 3.3.5). Don't buy new tools right before you move expecting them to qualify.
Check your tools
Enter what your kit cost and its Mexican price.
Bringing it costs less than selling and buying again.
5 cu ft · Send it with your mover or freight.
Bring it = shipping (volume × rate, + fragile premium) + insurance + duties. Sell & replace = Mexico replacement price − U.S. resale after fees. The cheaper net cost wins.
Duties default to 0%. Some movers may qualify for a household-goods (menaje de casa) exemption; eligibility and rules vary. Confirm with a Mexican consulate or licensed customs broker — MenajeFlow is not legal or customs advice.
Add your items in minutes and get a take / ship / sell / replace plan with every assumption visible. Free, no account.
Questions people ask
Are power tools more expensive in Mexico?
Brand-name tools were the same or more expensive in our October 2026 checks: a DeWalt DCK287D2 kit listed at about $315 at Home Depot México vs $299.99 in the U.S., a DeWalt circular saw at about $199 vs $169, and a Toro mower at about $692 vs $390–399.
Can I bring my work tools to Mexico duty-free?
Tools of your trade can be part of a menaje de casa, but not a complete workshop set-up, and not tools used abroad for a commercial operation. Under the 2025 menaje doméstico for people returning from the U.S., tools are allowed up to USD 5,000.
Should I sell my tools before moving to Mexico?
Usually only the ones you won't use. Quality brands resell for 50–75% of new, but replacing them in Mexico costs the same or more.
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.
- 01Home Depot México — DeWalt DCK287D2 (MXN 5,699) — checked 2026-10-01
- 02The Power Tool Store — DeWalt DCK287D2 ($299.99) — checked 2026-10-01
- 03Home Depot México — DeWalt DWE575 (MXN 3,599) — checked 2026-10-01
- 04Zoro — DeWalt DWE575 ($169) — checked 2026-10-01
- 05Home Depot México — Toro 21311 (MXN 12,499) — checked 2026-10-01
- 06Tractor Supply — Toro 21311 ($389.99) — checked 2026-10-01
- 07Home Depot México — Weber Spirit Fusion E-210 (MXN 11,999) — checked 2026-10-01
- 08Walmart — Weber Spirit E-210 ($399) — checked 2026-10-01
- 09Banco de México — tipo de cambio FIX — checked 2026-10-01
- 10Underpriced — Where to sell used power tools (2026-07-27) — checked 2026-10-01
- 11Maxferd — Pawning tools — checked 2026-10-01
- 12Ley Aduanera, art. 61-VII and 106 (Cámara de Diputados, last reform DOF 19-11-2025) — checked 2026-10-01
- 13Reglamento de la Ley Aduanera, arts. 100–104 (last reform DOF 23-02-2026) — checked 2026-10-01
- 14Reglas Generales de Comercio Exterior 2026 (SAT compilation) — checked 2026-10-01
- 15Consulado de México en San Antonio — Menaje de casa — checked 2026-10-01
- 16WorldStandards — Mexico plugs and voltage — 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.