Suggested professional rates for Chinese interpreting and translation services in Mexico
In order to provide those who practise Chinese interpreting and translation in Mexico professionally (as well as their potential clients) with a reliable frame of reference for the compensation of their services, the Ibero-American Association of Chinese Translators and Interpreters (AITIC) makes available to the public its suggested professional rates for 2026 for the following services:
Interpreting
| Service | Suggested rate (per day and per interpreter) |
|---|---|
| Conference interpreting or high-level executive interpreting | 16,000 – 20,000 MXN + VAT / day |
| Business interpreting for corporate and/or technical matters, or on-site at a factory for machinery installation and commissioning | 6,000 – 12,000 MXN + VAT / day |
| Interpreting for virtual (online) meetings | 2,000 – 3,000 MXN + VAT / hour (minimum booking of 2 hours) |
Translation
| Service | Suggested rate (per word or character) |
|---|---|
| Non-certified translation Chinese<>Spanish | 1.2 – 2.00 MXN + VAT |
| Certified translation Chinese<>Spanish | At the court-certified translator’s discretion* |
*In Mexico, only court-certified translators (peritos traductores) may produce “certified” translations. Please consult the list of authorised judicial auxiliaries of the relevant Judiciary to obtain their contact details.
Recommendations for applying these rates:
- Colleagues are advised to quote within the proposed range according to the particular circumstances, such as the degree of specialisation, the mode of interpreting, the platform, their relationship with the client, colleague or agency being served, and the total duration of the project, among others.
- For in-person events, quoting full days is recommended, since it is not only the duration of the event that must be taken into account, but also travel time, prior preparation and the reservation of the interpreter’s availability on the scheduled dates. If half-day rates are offered, the upper limit of each range should be used as a reference.
- For virtual events, where the mode is simultaneous, quoting in line with conference interpreting standards is recommended. Where the mode is consecutive, and provided the interpreter can connect remotely from the location of their choice, an hourly rate within the suggested range is recommended, always requiring a minimum booking of 2 hours of service.
- It is always advisable to provide a specific and confidential quotation based on the particulars of each case, rather than sharing fixed rates directly.
- In accordance with international professional best practice, for conference interpreting it is recommended to engage two interpreters in all cases, regardless of duration.
- Travel and subsistence expenses and any other costs related to the engagement are borne by the client and are not included in the suggested rates.
- Wherever possible, it is recommended that the interpreter or translator request a 50% advance payment from the end client or from an agency with whom the relationship is new, in order to confirm the service and/or begin work. This advance shall be non-refundable under any circumstances.