Moving to Canada from Mexico
What to Expect
Considering a move from Mexico to Canada? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Mexico to Canada, you would find that Canada is 59.3% more expensive than Mexico overall. A MX$1,400,000 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly CA$171,000 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Toronto averages 55°F vs 74°F in Mexico City, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Canada cheaper than Mexico?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 41.1% more
Groceries
pay 31.8% more
Transportation
pay 17.0% more
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 2.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 56.4% 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 Canada?
What does your salary buy?
MX$1,400,000 → CA$171,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
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 Canada cost about 44% more than cities in Mexico.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Mexico to Canada.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
23.86,780
Mexico
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Canada compared to Mexico.
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 significantly 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
Mexico generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.
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 significantly 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 significantly better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this
Weather in Canada vs Mexico
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Mexico City | Toronto |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) | 34°/23°F (1°/-5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 64°/49°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 46°/35°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Mexico City | Toronto |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) | 30°/19°F (-1.1°/-7.3°C) |
| Feb | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) | 32°/21°F (-0.2°/-6.3°C) |
| Mar | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) | 40°/28°F (4.6°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) | 52°/39°F (11.3°/3.8°C) |
| May | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) | 65°/50°F (18.5°/9.9°C) |
| Jun | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.8°C) |
| Jul | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) | 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.9°C) |
| Aug | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) | 78°/63°F (25.3°/17.3°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) | 69°/56°F (20.7°/13.2°C) |
| Oct | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 45°/36°F (7.4°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) | 35°/25°F (1.8°/-3.7°C) |
Data:
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Can you move from Mexico to Canada?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mexico and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
Mexico passport holder visiting Canada
Visa Required
Canada passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Canada than Mexico?
On average Canada is around 59% pricier than Mexico, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Budget about CA$42,750 for 3 months in Canada (based on a MX$1,400,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Connectivity is usually fine (Canada: 42.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Canada offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Canada safe for expats?
Canada performs significantly better than Mexico across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 24.9 in Mexico. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Mexico?
Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 28.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 25.9 in Mexico. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mexico: 75).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Mexico?
The average high temperature in Toronto is 55°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. Toronto receives around 32.8 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Mexico, the official language is Spanish.
