Mexico

Living in Mexico: the short version

Mexico is one of the most popular destinations for North American retirees and remote workers, thanks to a shared time zone, low costs outside tourist hot spots and a straightforward temporary residency process based on income or savings. Safety varies considerably by state.

Best for: Retirees and remote workers from the US and Canada, and anyone who wants a lower cost of living nearby.

How to move to Mexico: main visa and residency routes

Summaries only — requirements and income thresholds change. Always check the official sources below.

Temporary resident visa

Up to four years for people who meet income or savings requirements; common for remote workers.

Permanent resident visa

For retirees with qualifying pension income, or after four years of temporary residency.

Work visa

Requires a job offer from a registered Mexican employer.

Healthcare for newcomers

Private care is affordable and good in major cities; residents can also apply to the public IMSS system for a yearly fee.

How Mexico compares

Calculated from our data for all 55 countries. How we calculate this

Cost of living rank

13th cheapest of 55

Single person, core costs

$845/mo

Family of four, core costs

$1,737/mo

Take-home on $60,000

$42,859/yr

• Renting a one-bedroom home takes about 54% of the average local salary in Mexico, more than the median of 36% across the countries we cover.
• Core monthly costs for one person (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, internet and eating out) come to about $845, or 101% of the average local monthly salary.
• On a gross salary of $60,000 taxed locally, our estimate leaves $42,859 a year after income tax and employee social security (an effective rate of 29%), the 30th highest take-home pay of 55 countries. After single-person core costs, that leaves roughly $32,719 a year to save or spend.
• Countries with a similar overall cost of living: South Africa, Malaysia, Peru.

Estimates for planning, using simplified national tax brackets in US dollars; local taxes, deductions and your own spending will differ. Try your own numbers in the tax calculator or budget planner.

Sources and methodology

Figures on this page are estimates in US dollars, compiled from the international datasets below and converted at recent exchange rates. The cost of living index uses New York City as 100. Guidance was last reviewed on September 30, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.