Americas · Spanish · updated 2026-10

Moving to Mexico: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $1,650 a month to live in Mexico City, and a family of four about $3,600, including rent. Mexico usually lets you apply for permanent residence after 4 yrs, with citizenship after 5 yrs, and dual citizenship is allowed. You can move here without a job offer through the Temporary resident (financial solvency) and the Permanent resident for retirees.

Monthly budget

$1,650

Very low cost

Safety

High risk

Stability

Unstable

Family

Fair

Main city: Mexico City
Language: Spanish
Permanent residence: 4 yrs
Citizenship: 5 yrs
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Digital nomad visa: No

What can your passport do in Mexico?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.

Open the interactive index →

Cost of living in Mexico, per month in US$

One person

$1,650

Family of four

$3,600

RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther

1-bed flat, Mexico City centre

$750

Estimate

3-bed family flat

$1,400

Estimate

Price level

US = 100

Income per person

$1,144

GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score

High risk

Homicides per 100k

24.86

US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability

−0.61

Rule of law

−1.17

Control of corruption

−0.94

Government effectiveness

−0.18

−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Unstable overall (23/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score

Fair

Child outcomes (HCI)

0.613

Health & schooling, 0–1

Under-5 mortality

13.1

per 1,000 births

Life expectancy

75.3 yrs

at birth

Health spending

$761

per person / year

Education spending

4.1%

of GDP

Each dependant adds about $1,400/month to the solvency requirement.

Visa & residence routes

Passive income

Temporary resident (financial solvency)About $4,300–4,500/month net income over 6 months, or about $73,000 average savings over 12 months (2026 UMA-based figures; varies by consulate).

Passive income

Permanent resident for retireesPensioners with roughly $7,200/month can get permanent residence directly.

Job offer

Work-based temporary residenceYour employer registers with the National Migration Institute and requests the visa.

Who gets easier access to Mexico

Mexico is not part of a free-movement area in the index.

Visiting: 63 passports can visit visa-free, 3 with an electronic travel authorisation, 0 get a visa on arrival, 0 can apply for an eVisa and 132 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs

Permanent residence: 4 yrs
Citizenship: 5 yrs; 2 years for Latin American and Iberian nationals
Dual citizenship: Allowed

Last checked 2026-10. Official source: www.gob.mx/inm

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Mexico?

About $1,650 a month for one person and $3,600 for a family of four in Mexico City, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $750 a month and a 3-bedroom around $1,400. Prices are 59% of US levels. Mexico is the 35th cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is Mexico safe to live in?

Mexico scores 11/100 for safety (high risk), ranking 73rd of 76. The homicide rate is 24.86 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is Mexico politically stable?

Mexico scores 23/100 for stability (unstable), ranking 76th of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is Mexico good for families?

Mexico scores 35/100 for family-friendliness (fair), ranking 66th of 76. Life expectancy is 75.3 years and under-5 mortality is 13.1 per 1,000 births. Each dependant adds about $1,400/month to the solvency requirement.

How long does it take to get permanent residence in Mexico?

Usually 4 yrs of legal residence.

How long until I can become a citizen of Mexico?

Usually 5 yrs of residence. 2 years for Latin American and Iberian nationals. Dual citizenship: allowed.

Can I move to Mexico without a job offer?

Yes. Temporary resident (financial solvency): About $4,300–4,500/month net income over 6 months, or about $73,000 average savings over 12 months (2026 UMA-based figures; varies by consulate). Permanent resident for retirees: Pensioners with roughly $7,200/month can get permanent residence directly.