South Africa to Mexico City
-8hSouth Africa
SASTSOURCEMexico City
CSTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
SAST and CST on the World Map
The map below highlights the SAST (South Africa Standard Time) and CST (Central Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
SAST – South Africa Standard Time
UTC+02:00South Africa Standard Time (SAST) is the time zone for South Africa and neighboring countries, 2 hours ahead of UTC.
- •South Africa does not observe daylight saving time.
- •SAST is the same offset as EET and Israel Standard Time.
- •The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is Africa's largest.
CST – Central Standard Time
UTC-06:00Central Standard Time (CST) is the time zone for the central United States, Canada, and Mexico, 6 hours behind UTC.
- •CST covers 20 US states fully or partially.
- •Chicago and Houston are the two largest cities in the Central Time Zone.
- •Mexico City, one of the world's most populous cities, operates on CST.
- •CST is 1 hour behind EST and 2 hours ahead of PST.
About Mexico City
WikipediaMexico City operates on Central Time (CST/CDT), same as Chicago. As North America's largest city, Mexico City bridges US and Latin American business hours.
Mexico City is the oldest capital city in the Americas.
Everything You Need to Know About South Africa and Mexico City Time
South Africa runs on South Africa Standard Time (SAST) at UTC+02:00. Mexico City runs on Central Standard Time (CST) at UTC-06:00. That puts South Africa 8 hours behind Mexico City — a difference of -8h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in South Africa it is 1:00 AM in Mexico City. Midnight in South Africa is 4:00 PM in Mexico City. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
South Africa to Mexico City time conversion table
| South Africa (SAST) | Mexico City (CST) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 4:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 10:00 PM | previous day |
| 7:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 8:00 AM | 12:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 4:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 9:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert South Africa to Mexico City time
- Scheduling a call from South Africa to Mexico City: a 10:00 AM start in South Africa lands at 2:00 AM in Mexico City, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Handling a -8h gap: South Africa and Mexico City have no overlap inside a normal 9-to-5 day, so real-time meetings need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side. 9:00 AM in Mexico City is 1:00 AM in South Africa.
- Booking travel or deliveries: tracking Mexico City local time against South Africa keeps pickup windows and arrival estimates honest across the -8h offset.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM SAST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -8h gap is not.
- With a -8h gap there is no shared 9-to-5 window, so alternate the early start: one week South Africa takes the early slot, the next week Mexico City does.
About SAST (South Africa Standard Time)
South Africa Standard Time (SAST) is used in South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. SAST does not observe daylight saving time. Johannesburg and Cape Town are major economic hubs in Africa.
About CST (Central Standard Time)
Central Standard Time (CST) covers the central region of North America. It is the second most populous time zone in the US, including major cities like Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. CST is also used in Mexico City and much of Central America including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. During summer, most of the US and Canada switch to Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC-05:00), while Mexico and Central American countries generally remain on CST.
Best time to call between South Africa and Mexico City
With a -8h offset there is no overlap inside a normal 9 AM – 5 PM day. Mexico City opens at 9:00 AM CST, which is 1:00 AM in South Africa, so real-time calls need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side.
Business hours overlap
South Africa and Mexico City have no shared working hours because of the -8h gap. Teams need to alternate early starts or rely on asynchronous handovers.
South Africa is 8 hours behind Mexico City (SAST UTC+02:00 → CST UTC-06:00). There is no shared 9-to-5 window, so plan around an early or late slot. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
Learn More About Time
Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between South Africa and Mexico City?
South Africa (SAST, UTC+02:00) is 8 hours behind Mexico City (CST, UTC-06:00). The gap is currently -8h.
How do I convert South Africa time to Mexico City time?
Add -8h to South Africa local time. For example, 9:00 AM in South Africa is 1:00 AM in Mexico City.
What time is it in Mexico City right now?
Mexico City uses CST at UTC-06:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -8h offset from South Africa.
What is the best time to call Mexico City from South Africa?
There is no shared working-hours window because of the -8h gap. The closest option is 1:00 PM in South Africa, which is 5:00 AM in Mexico City.
Which is behind, South Africa or Mexico City?
South Africa is 8 hours behind Mexico City. When it is 12:00 PM in South Africa it is 4:00 AM in Mexico City.
Do South Africa and Mexico City use different time zones?
South Africa (South Africa) uses SAST at UTC+02:00, while Mexico City (Mexico) uses CST at UTC-06:00. The IANA identifiers are Africa/Johannesburg and America/Mexico_City.
Does daylight saving time affect the South Africa–Mexico City difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -8h offset between South Africa and Mexico City is fixed all year.
Which other cities share South Africa's time zone?
SAST also covers Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth.
Which countries use SAST, South Africa's zone?
SAST is used in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini.
Is there a day difference between South Africa and Mexico City?
Not normally. The -8h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between South Africa and Mexico City?
Mexico City is -8h from South Africa.
What timezone is South Africa in?
South Africa operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is Mexico City in?
Mexico City operates on Central Time (CST/CDT), same as Chicago. As North America's largest city, Mexico City bridges US and Latin American business hours.
What are the business hours in Mexico City?
Standard business hours in Mexico City are 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM CST.
Which countries use SAST (South Africa Standard Time)?
SAST is used in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini.
Does SAST observe daylight saving time?
No, SAST does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+02:00 year-round.
What are some interesting facts about SAST?
South Africa does not observe daylight saving time. SAST is the same offset as EET and Israel Standard Time.
Which cities are in the CST timezone?
Major cities in the CST timezone include Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Mexico City, Austin, Winnipeg, Memphis.
What is the UTC offset for CST?
Central Standard Time (CST) is at UTC-06:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to CDT.
What should I know about the CST timezone?
CST covers 20 US states fully or partially. Chicago and Houston are the two largest cities in the Central Time Zone.
When is it midnight in South Africa, what time is it in Mexico City?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in South Africa (SAST), it is -8h later in Mexico City (CST).
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