Moving to South Carolina from Mexico

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Mexico to South Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Mexico to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 84.6% more expensive than Mexico overall. A MX$1,400,000 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly $140,000 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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Is South Carolina cheaper than Mexico?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 59.4% more

Groceries

pay 63.3% more

Transportation

pay 10.5% more

Housing

pay 2.7 times more

Childcare

pay 4.2 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 64.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MXN = 0.0541 USD (October 2026)

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 South Carolina?

What does your salary buy?

MX$1,400,000 → $140,000

To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to South Carolina

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Mexico to South Carolina.

Moved in 2023
190,560 ↑ 37% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in South Carolina compared to Mexico.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

MX
37.4%
SC
35.4%

South Carolina performs significantly better than Mexico across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

MX
83.1%
SC
87.0%

South Carolina performs significantly better than Mexico across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MX
2.7%
SC
4.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MX
$13,889
SC
$49,914

South Carolina generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

MX
75.3 yrs
SC
74.8 yrs

Mexico performs better than South Carolina across all family life metrics.

Weather in South Carolina vs Mexico

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Mexico City Rain: 32.1 in/yr (816 mm)
74° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

Charleston Rain: 44.4 in/yr (1128 mm)
73° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Mexico City Charleston
Jan–Mar 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) 61°/47°F (16°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) 79°/67°F (26°/19°C)
Jul–Sep 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 85°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) 67°/54°F (20°/12°C)
View all months
Month Mexico City Charleston
Jan 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C)
Feb 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C)
Mar 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C)
Apr 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C)
May 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C)
Jun 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C)
Jul 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C)
Aug 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C)
Sep 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C)
Oct 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C)
Nov 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C)
Dec 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°C)

Data: Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Can you move from Mexico to South Carolina?

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

Mexico passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Mexico passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Mexico

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Mexico without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in South Carolina than Mexico?

On average South Carolina is around 85% pricier than Mexico, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to South Carolina?

Budget about $35,000 for 3 months in South Carolina (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 South Carolina?

From major South Carolina cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Mexico and South Carolina are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in South Carolina compared to Mexico?

South Carolina performs significantly better than Mexico across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to Mexico?

The average high temperature in Charleston is 73°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. Charleston receives around 44.4 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.

What language do they speak in South Carolina?

The official language in South Carolina is English. In Mexico, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

MX
Population 131,946,900 5,570,274
Currency Mexican Peso (MX$) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Spanish English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +52 +1
Time zones 3 11
Emergency number 911 911