Moving to Mexico from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Mexico — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 53.5% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly MX$2,120,000 in Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Mexico cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.7 times more
Groceries
pay 50.7% more
Transportation
pay 41.1% more
Housing
pay 85.1% more
Childcare
pay 61.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.8% more
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?
CN¥500,000 → MX$2,120,000
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 30% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Mexico, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Mexico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths.
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
China 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
Mexico performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
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
China 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
Mexico generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in poverty 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
China generally does better on family life, though Mexico leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Mexico vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Can you move from China to Mexico?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa Required
Mexico passport holder visiting China
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 China?
Day-to-day costs in Mexico run about 53% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around MX$530,000 in Mexico for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
With 21.7 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 China and Mexico.
Is Mexico safe for expats?
China 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 0.5 in China. About 39% of people in Mexico feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to China?
China 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 31.1 in China. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to China?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In China, the official language is Chinese.
