Moving to Mexico from Spain
What to Expect
Considering a move from Spain to Mexico? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Spain to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 20.9% cheaper than Spain overall. A €65,577 salary in Spain would need to be roughly MX$961,558 in Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Spain and Mexico.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → MX$961,558
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 34.8% less
Groceries
pay 2.0% more
Transportation
pay 15.2% less
Housing
pay 35.0% less
Childcare
pay 41.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.3% 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 19% less than cities in Spain.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Spain to Mexico.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Mexico compared to Spain.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain performs 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
Spain 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
Spain generally does better on environment, though Mexico leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Spain 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Spain 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Spain performs better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madrid | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.
Spain passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa Free
Mexico passport holder visiting Spain
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 Mexico than Spain?
On average Mexico is about 27% less expensive than Spain, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Mexico?
Budget about MX$240,390 for 3 months in Mexico (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
Connectivity is usually fine (Mexico: 20.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Mexico offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Mexico safe for expats?
Spain performs better than Mexico across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Mexico is 26.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 38% of people in Mexico feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to Spain?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Mexico, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
