Moving to Mexico from Illinois
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Illinois to Mexico — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Illinois to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 37.5% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly MX$908,024 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 63°F in Springfield, making it significantly warmer.
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 Illinois to Mexico.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → MX$908,024
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 37.2% less
Groceries
pay 22.1% less
Transportation
pay 5.8% less
Housing
pay 60.7% less
Childcare
pay 80.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.8% 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 31% less than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Illinois to Mexico, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to Mexico · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Illinois and Mexico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Mexico performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois 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
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Illinois performs better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Springfield | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa Free
Mexico passport holder visiting United States
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 Illinois?
Generally yes: Mexico runs about 31% cheaper than Illinois 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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around MX$227,006 in Mexico for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
Working remotely from Mexico's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Mexico.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to Illinois?
Mexico performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In Illinois, the official language is English.
