Moving to Mexico from Australia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Mexico — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Australia to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 37.1% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$107,450 salary in Australia would need to be roughly MX$863,857 in Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Australia to Mexico.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,450 → MX$863,857
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 38.3% less
Groceries
pay 18.4% less
Transportation
pay 14.7% less
Housing
pay 53.6% less
Childcare
pay 71.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 47.0% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Mexico cost about 26% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Australia to Mexico, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Australia and Mexico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs better than Mexico across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Mexico leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than Mexico across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Mexico. To live, work, or study long-term in Mexico, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Mexico's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa Free
Mexico passport holder visiting Australia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Mexico than Australia?
Generally yes: Mexico runs about 34% cheaper than Australia on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Mexico?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a A$107,450 comparable salary, that's around MX$215,964 in Mexico for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
With 20.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Mexico can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Mexico.
Is Mexico safe for expats?
Australia performs better than Mexico across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Mexico is 26.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to Australia?
Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Mexico, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In Australia, the official language is English.
