Moving to Mexico from New Jersey

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Jersey to Mexico — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from New Jersey to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 45.0% cheaper than New Jersey. A $75,000 salary in New Jersey would need to be roughly MX$720,813 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 Trenton, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Jersey to Mexico.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 MX$720,813

To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 44.4% less

Groceries

pay 40.0% less

Transportation

pay 12.3% less

Housing

pay 66.3% less

Childcare

pay 83.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 51.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 17.54 MXN (July 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.

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 49% less than cities in New Jersey.

New Jersey

Princeton 87%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from New Jersey to Mexico, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
7,656 ↑ 1% vs 2022

people moved from United States to Mexico · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Mexico?

Top countries of origin for Mexico's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How New Jersey and Mexico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NJ
30.0%
MX
28.9%

Mexico performs significantly better than New Jersey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NJ
91.9%
MX
76.0%

New Jersey performs better than Mexico across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NJ
4.5%
MX
2.8%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NJ
$70,788
MX
$22,400

New Jersey generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NJ
77.5 yrs
MX
72.3 yrs

New Jersey 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.

Trenton Rain: 46.5 in/yr (1180 mm)
63° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Trenton Mexico City
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 74°/45°F (23°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/51°F (22°/10°C) 79°/53°F (26°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/36°F (12°/2°C) 71°/47°F (22°/8°C)
View all months
Month Trenton Mexico City
Jan 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C) 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C)
Feb 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C) 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C)
Mar 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C) 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C)
Apr 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C) 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C)
May 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C) 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C)
Jun 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C) 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C)
Jul 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C) 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C)
Sep 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C) 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C) 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C)
Nov 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C) 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C)
Dec 43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C) 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C)

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

United States passport holder visiting Mexico

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

Mexico passport holder visiting United States

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

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 Mexico than New Jersey?

Generally yes: Mexico runs about 45% cheaper than New Jersey 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$180,203 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 New Jersey and Mexico.

How is healthcare in Mexico compared to New Jersey?

Mexico performs significantly better than New Jersey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Mexico compared to New Jersey?

The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 63°F in Trenton. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Trenton gets 46.5 in.

What language do they speak in Mexico?

The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In New Jersey, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

MX
Population 8,791,894 129,150,971
Currency United States Dollar ($) Mexican Peso (MX$)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +52
Time zones 11 3
Emergency number 911 911