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 38.7% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly MX$712,423 in Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Mexico.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → MX$712,423
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 41.7% less
Groceries
pay 29.6% less
Transportation
pay 6.2% less
Housing
pay 64.5% less
Childcare
pay 79.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.6% 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.
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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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States 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
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
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
Mexico generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in gdp per capita.
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.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
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 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 46% 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$178,106 in Mexico for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
With 20.5 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 26.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States. About 38% of people in Mexico feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to United States?
United States 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 36.1 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 66°F in Washington. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
The official language in Mexico is Spanish. In United States, the official language is English.
