Moving to Mexico from Canada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Canada to Mexico? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Canada to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 37.2% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$110,000 salary in Canada would need to be roughly MX$902,000 in Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Mexico City averages 74°F vs 55°F in Toronto, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Mexico cheaper than Canada?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 29.1% less
Groceries
pay 24.1% less
Transportation
pay 14.5% less
Housing
pay 53.7% less
Childcare
pay 62.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 36.1% 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.
What salary do you need in Mexico?
What does your salary buy?
CA$110,000 → MX$902,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
Calculate with your salary →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 31% less than cities in Canada.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Mexico
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Canada to Mexico.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Mexico compared to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Canada 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
Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada performs better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this
Weather in Mexico vs Canada
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Toronto | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 34°/23°F (1°/-5°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/49°F (18°/10°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/35°F (8°/2°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Toronto | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°/19°F (-1.1°/-7.3°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 32°/21°F (-0.2°/-6.3°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 40°/28°F (4.6°/-2.0°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 52°/39°F (11.3°/3.8°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 65°/50°F (18.5°/9.9°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.8°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.9°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 78°/63°F (25.3°/17.3°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 69°/56°F (20.7°/13.2°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.3°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.4°/2.2°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 35°/25°F (1.8°/-3.7°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Can you move from Canada to Mexico?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa Free
Mexico passport holder visiting Canada
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 Canada?
On average Mexico is about 37% less expensive than Canada, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Mexico?
Budget about MX$225,500 for 3 months in Mexico (based on a CA$110,000 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?
Canada performs better than Mexico across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Mexico is 24.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.0 in Canada. About 39% of people in Mexico feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to Canada?
Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Mexico, compared to 28.2 in Canada. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 55°F in Toronto. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Toronto gets 32.8 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
