Rio Rico, Arizona is only about 12–13 miles (roughly 19–21 km) north of the Mexican border at Nogales, making it just a short drive away from the international line.

Quick Scoop

  • Straight‑line idea: In practical terms, people treat Rio Rico as being “about 12 miles from the border,” since it sits just north of Nogales, the major border town in that area.
  • By road: Driving distance from Rio Rico to Nogales, AZ is about 13 miles, and Nogales itself is directly on the U.S.–Mexico border.
  • Travel time: That usually works out to roughly a 15–20 minute drive, depending on exactly where in Rio Rico you start and traffic conditions.
  • Border context: Nogales, AZ and Nogales, Sonora are twin cities split by the border wall, so once you reach Nogales from Rio Rico, you’re essentially at the border itself.

So if you’re in Rio Rico and wondering “how far is Rio Rico from the Mexican border?” the everyday answer is: it’s just over a dozen miles away, close enough to feel like a border‑area community.

TL;DR: Rio Rico is roughly 12–13 miles from the Mexican border at Nogales, only a short drive south.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.