Moving to Mexico from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Mexico — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 48.8% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly MX$717,000 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 62°F in New York City, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Mexico cheaper than United States?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 39.4% less
Groceries
pay 33.3% less
Transportation
pay 18.9% less
Housing
pay 65.7% less
Childcare
pay 80.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Mexico?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → MX$717,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
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 Mexico cost about 56% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Mexico
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Mexico, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to Mexico · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Mexico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
United States generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
United States performs better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in Mexico vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Can you move from United States to Mexico?
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 holder visiting Mexico
Visa Free
Mexico passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 United States?
Generally yes: Mexico runs about 49% cheaper than United States 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$179,250 in Mexico for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
With 21.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Mexico can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Mexico.
Is Mexico safe for expats?
United States generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Mexico is 24.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States. About 39% of people in Mexico feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to United States?
Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Mexico, compared to 36.8 in United States. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In United States, the official language is English.
