Moving to New York from Mexico
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Mexico to New York — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Mexico to New York, you would find that New York is 2.5 times more expensive than Mexico overall. A MX$1,310,130 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly $126,903 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Albany averages 58°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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Mexico to New York.
What does your salary buy?
MX$1,310,130 → $126,903
To maintain the same standard of living in New York
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 74.5% more
Groceries
pay 73.5% more
Transportation
pay 60.8% more
Housing
pay 2.9 times more
Childcare
pay 6.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.3 times 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.
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 New York cost about 69% more than cities in Mexico.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to New York
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Mexico to New York, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Mexico to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
-
1.10,853,105
Mexico
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
Key Indicator Comparison
How Mexico and New York stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Mexico performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New York 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
share of people below the poverty line
New York generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New York performs significantly better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Mexico City | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Mexico City | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) |
| Feb | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) |
| Mar | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) |
| Apr | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) |
| May | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) |
| Jun | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) |
| Oct | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) |
| Nov | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C) |
Data:
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mexico and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Mexico passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 New York than Mexico?
Day-to-day costs in New York run about 69% higher than Mexico on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to New York?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a MX$1,310,130 comparable salary, that's around $31,726 in New York for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New York?
Working remotely from New York's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Mexico and New York.
How is healthcare in New York compared to Mexico?
Mexico performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in New York compared to Mexico?
The average high temperature in Albany is 58°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. Albany receives around 39.4 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.
What language do they speak in New York?
The official language in New York is English. In Mexico, the official language is Spanish.
