Moving to Mexico from Brazil

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Brazil to Mexico? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Brazil to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 31.4% more expensive than Brazil overall. A R$370,000 salary in Brazil would need to be roughly MX$1,800,000 in Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Brazil and Mexico.

What does your salary buy?

R$370,000 → MX$1,800,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 38.9% more

Groceries

pay 42.1% more

Transportation

pay 0.2% more

Housing

pay 58.6% more

Childcare

pay 26.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 29.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BRL = 3.69 MXN (October 2026)

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 17% more than cities in Brazil.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Brazil to Mexico.

Moved in 2023
931 ↓ 22% vs 2022

people moved from Brazil to Mexico · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Mexico?

Top countries of origin for Mexico's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Mexico compared to Brazil.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BR
19.3
MX
24.9
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

BR
48%
MX
39%

Brazil generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BR
$2,070
MX
$1,368
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

BR
23.6
MX
25.9

Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brazil leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BR
23.0
MX
30.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BR
2.3t
MX
3.6t

Brazil performs better than Mexico across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BR
24.1
MX
21.7
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BR
1.5%
MX
45.0%

Brazil performs better than Mexico across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BR
6.0%
MX
2.7%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BR
$10,713
MX
$13,889

Brazil generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BR
76.0 yrs
MX
75.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BR
12.3
MX
12.1

Brazil generally does better on family life, though Mexico leads in infant mortality.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Secretaria da Receita Federal do Brasil (2016), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016), The World Factbook (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brasilia Rain: 61.1 in/yr (1552 mm)
80° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Mexico City Rain: 32.1 in/yr (816 mm)
74° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brasilia Mexico City
Jan–Mar 80°/63°F (27°/17°C) 74°/45°F (23°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) 79°/53°F (26°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 80°/58°F (27°/14°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/64°F (27°/17°C) 71°/47°F (22°/8°C)
View all months
Month Brasilia Mexico City
Jan 80°/63°F (26.9°/17.4°C) 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C)
Feb 80°/63°F (26.7°/17.4°C) 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C)
Mar 81°/64°F (27.1°/17.5°C) 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C)
Apr 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C)
May 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.0°C) 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C)
Jun 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.3°C) 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C)
Jul 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.9°C) 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C)
Aug 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.6°C) 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C)
Sep 83°/61°F (28.3°/16.0°C) 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C)
Oct 82°/63°F (27.5°/17.4°C) 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C)
Nov 80°/64°F (26.6°/17.5°C) 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C)
Dec 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.5°C) 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia, Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brazil 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.

Brazil passport

Brazil passport holder visiting Mexico

Visa Required
Brazil passport holders need a visa to enter Mexico.
Mexico passport

Mexico passport holder visiting Brazil

Visa Free
Mexico passport holders can enter Brazil without a visa.

Data: 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 Brazil?

On average Mexico is around 31% pricier than Brazil, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Mexico?

Budget about MX$450,000 for 3 months in Mexico (based on a R$370,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Mexico?

Connectivity is usually fine (Mexico: 21.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Mexico offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Mexico safe for expats?

Brazil generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Mexico is 24.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 19.3 in Brazil. About 39% of people in Mexico feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Mexico compared to Brazil?

Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brazil leads in health coverage index. There are 25.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Mexico, compared to 23.6 in Brazil. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brazil: 80).

What's the weather like in Mexico compared to Brazil?

The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 80°F in Brasilia. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Brasilia gets 61.1 in.

What language do they speak in Mexico?

The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In Brazil, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

BR MX
Population 212,812,405 131,946,900
Currency Brazilian Real (R$) Mexican Peso (MX$)
Languages Portuguese Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +55 +52
Time zones 4 3
Emergency number 190 911