Average Salary in Mexico (2026): IMSS Wages, Roles and Costs
The average registered wage in Mexico is MXN 673.9 a day, about MXN 20,487 a month or $1,190, according to IMSS data for July 2026, while call center agents earn MXN 6,200 to 15,900 a month and employer contributions add roughly 30 to 40 percent.
The average wage registered with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) reached MXN 673.9 a day at the end of July 2026, the highest on record, which works out to about MXN 20,487 a month or $1,190. That is the official measure of formal-sector pay in Mexico, covering the 22.76 million jobs registered with IMSS, and it is the figure the Ministry of Labor cites when it reports wage growth.
The catch is that more than half of Mexico's workers are not in that data. The informality rate was 55.1 percent in the second quarter of 2026, so the registered average describes the formal economy that a foreign employer hires into, not the country as a whole. For a call center agent in Mexico City or Monterrey, expect base pay of MXN 8,000 to 13,000 a month, and expect statutory contributions, the aguinaldo, and state payroll tax to add 30 to 40 percent on top. This guide covers the official figures, the two-tier minimum wage, market pay for remote and nearshore roles, and the full employer cost.
Exchange rate
USD figures use MXN 17.21 per dollar, the rate published by the Open Exchange Rates API on September 19, 2026. The peso strengthened from about 20 to 17 per dollar between 2022 and 2024 and has stayed near that level, which raised the USD cost of Mexican staff by roughly 15 percent. Budget in pesos.
The Official Numbers
Mexico's headline wage statistic is the salario base de cotización (SBC), the contribution base salary that employers report to IMSS for every formal employee. The Ministry of Labor (STPS) reported that the average SBC reached MXN 671.3 a day in May 2026 in its bulletin 53/2026, and IMSS data for July 2026 put it at MXN 673.9, up MXN 42.4 from July 2025, as reported by Ámbito. Multiplying by 30.4 days gives the monthly figure of MXN 20,487 that Fintualist and others quote.
Two things make the SBC different from a "salary" as a US employer would understand it. It is an integrated wage: it includes the prorated aguinaldo (Christmas bonus), vacation premium, and other regular benefits, so it runs about 5 percent above base pay. And it is capped at 25 times the UMA reference value, so very high earners are undercounted, which pulls the average down slightly.
The bigger gap is coverage. Mexico's labor force survey (ENOE) from the statistics institute INEGI found a labor informality rate of 55.1 percent in the second quarter of 2026, meaning about 33 million people work without IMSS registration, according to INEGI data reported by Quadratín. Their earnings are lower and are not in the IMSS average. That is why the OECD's figure for average annual wages in Mexico, which converts to about MXN 16,000 to 17,000 a month at purchasing-power rates, is often quoted alongside the IMSS number, and why sites such as wage.is report a median of MXN 8,000 to 9,000 a month. All three are describing different populations; the IMSS figure is the right one for a company hiring formally.
Minimum Wage in Mexico
Mexico has two general minimum wages, set each December by the National Minimum Wage Commission (CONASAMI) and effective January 1. For 2026 the general rate rose 13 percent to MXN 315.04 a day (MXN 9,582.47 a month), and the northern border free zone rate rose 5 percent to MXN 440.87 a day (MXN 13,409.80 a month), according to the Littler summary of the CONASAMI resolution published in the Official Gazette on December 9, 2025.
| Zone | Daily minimum wage 2026 | Monthly equivalent | USD per month | Increase over 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General (rest of the country) | MXN 315.04 | MXN 9,582.47 | $557 | 13 percent |
| Northern border free zone (municipalities along the US border) | MXN 440.87 | MXN 13,409.80 | $779 | 5 percent |
The general increase was built from a fixed recovery amount of MXN 17.01 plus 6.5 percent, a formula the commission has used since 2019 to lift the floor faster than inflation. The minimum wage has more than doubled in real terms since 2018. For employers the practical effect is that entry-level pay in Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, and other border cities is now MXN 13,410 a month before any premium, which has narrowed the gap between border-zone call centers and those in Mexico City.
Salaries by State
IMSS publishes the average contribution wage by state. The gap between the highest and lowest states is roughly two to one, and the three richest labor markets are also the three with the deepest bilingual talent pools.
| State | Average monthly registered wage (July 2026) | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | MXN 24,333 | $1,414 |
| Baja California | MXN 22,672 | $1,317 |
| Nuevo León (Monterrey) | MXN 22,492 | $1,307 |
| National average | MXN 20,487 | $1,190 |
Source: IMSS data for July 2026 as reported by Fintualist, September 2, 2026.
Jalisco (Guadalajara) and Querétaro sit near the national average and are the usual choices for nearshore software and shared-services teams that want a lower cost than Mexico City with a large university pipeline. The southern states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero are the lowest paid and have the thinnest formal labor markets.
Salaries by Occupation
Mexico does not publish an official wage table by industry in a form that maps to remote roles, but the Ministry of Economy's Data México portal reports ENOE survey results by occupation. For call center workers and announcers in the first quarter of 2026 it shows a workforce of 95,200, an average of 39.1 hours a week, and an average monthly wage of MXN 7,060, with the largest concentrations in Mexico City (36,000), the State of Mexico (12,800), and Baja California (8,180). Data México flags that its wage figures have low statistical precision, and the average is pulled down by part-time and informal call center work, so it is a lower bound rather than a benchmark for a formal bilingual agent.
What Remote and BPO Roles Pay
The ranges below are market data from Indeed Mexico, which reports averages from job postings over the previous 36 months, accessed September 19, 2026. They are monthly gross figures and are not official statistics.
| Role | Typical monthly range (MXN) | Average (MXN) | Average (USD) | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call center agent | 6,213 to 15,914 | 9,944 | $578 | 1,600 salaries |
| Administrative assistant | 6,953 to 15,862 | 10,502 | $610 | 5,700 salaries |
| Call center supervisor | 8,181 to 18,935 | 12,446 | $723 | 1,100 salaries |
| Accountant | 10,520 to 24,245 | 15,971 | $928 | 25,100 salaries |
| Software developer | 10,286 to 26,490 | 16,507 | $959 | 4,400 salaries |
Computrabajo's figure for a contact center agent, MXN 9,427 a month, is consistent with Indeed's. Two adjustments matter for a foreign employer. Bilingual agents handling US customers earn a premium of roughly 30 to 60 percent over the Spanish-only average; MXN 13,000 to 18,000 is a realistic base for an English-speaking agent in Mexico City, Monterrey, or Guadalajara, and border-zone centers pay more because of the higher minimum wage. And the developer average of MXN 16,507 is a blend that undercounts the nearshore market: senior full-stack engineers working for US companies earn MXN 60,000 to 100,000 a month, as OCC Mundial postings in 2026 confirm.
What It Costs to Employ Someone in Mexico
Mexico is one of the more expensive Latin American countries for employer obligations. The largest item is IMSS, whose employer contributions span several branches (sickness and maternity, disability and life, retirement, childcare, and occupational risk) and depend on the employee's wage level and the company's risk class.
| Cost | Employer rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IMSS (all branches) | About 25 to 32 percent of SBC | Varies with wage level and risk class; part of the sickness branch is a fixed amount based on the UMA |
| SAR (retirement savings) | 2 percent | |
| INFONAVIT (housing fund) | 5 percent | |
| Aguinaldo | 15 days' pay a year, about 4.1 percent | Legal minimum, due by December 20 |
| Vacation premium | 25 percent of vacation pay; about 0.8 percent in year one on 12 days | Vacation entitlement rises with tenure |
| PTU (profit sharing) | 10 percent of taxable profit, capped per employee | Applies to companies with profits |
| State payroll tax (ISN) | About 2 to 3 percent of payroll | Set by each state; 3 percent in Mexico City and Nuevo León |
The rates above match the HiveDesk employer of record guide for Mexico; the ISN range is from state tax tables and should be confirmed for the state where the employee is registered.
Worked example for a call center agent in Mexico City at MXN 12,000 a month, the middle of the Indeed range and above the general minimum wage.
| Component | Monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Base salary | MXN 12,000 |
| IMSS, SAR and INFONAVIT (about 30 percent combined at this wage level) | MXN 3,600 |
| Aguinaldo accrual (15 days a year) | MXN 493 |
| Vacation premium accrual (12 days at 25 percent, year one) | MXN 100 |
| Mexico City payroll tax (3 percent) | MXN 360 |
| Total monthly employer cost | MXN 16,553 (about $962) |
That is an on-cost of 38 percent before profit sharing, which is why the EOR guide quotes 30 to 40 percent. The IMSS percentage falls somewhat at higher wages because the fixed sickness-branch component becomes a smaller share, and it rises for companies in higher occupational-risk classes. Most employers also provide a private medical plan (MXN 800 to 2,000 a month) and food vouchers (vales de despensa), which are tax-advantaged and expected in white-collar jobs.
Salary Trends
The average registered wage rose MXN 42.4 a day between July 2025 and July 2026, about 6.7 percent in nominal terms. Inflation was 3.26 percent in August 2026, up from 3.12 percent in July, per INEGI's consumer price index, so real wages grew about 3 percent. The STPS bulletin noted that the average wage rose 15.6 percent in real terms over the first two years of the current administration.
The minimum wage has been the main driver. A 13 percent increase in January 2026 followed increases of 12 percent in 2025 and 20 percent in 2024, and each one pushes up the bottom of the pay scale in call centers, retail, and manufacturing. Expect salary reviews of 6 to 8 percent for skilled staff in 2026 and larger jumps at the entry level in any year the minimum wage moves by double digits.
How US and UK Companies Pay Workers in Mexico
Employer of record. A provider registers the employee with IMSS, INFONAVIT, and the state, runs payroll, and handles the aguinaldo, PTU, and terminations. Fees run $400 to $600 a month per employee. The Mexico EOR guide and the EOR cost comparison cover providers and pricing.
Independent contractor. Legal for genuine freelancers who invoice through the tax authority's system, but the 2021 outsourcing reform sharply narrowed the space for using contractors in place of employees, and a contractor who works your hours with your tools is an employee under Mexican law. Severance for misclassified employees is expensive: three months' pay plus 20 days per year of service.
Local entity. An S.A. de C.V. or S. de R.L. de C.V. makes sense at scale or when you need to lease space and sign local contracts. Registration with IMSS and the state payroll tax authority follows incorporation.
The Mexico labor law guide covers hours, overtime, vacation, and termination, and the nearshore outsourcing culture guide covers the management side.
Tracking Time and Attendance for a Team in Mexico
Mexican overtime rules are strict (double pay for the first nine hours a week, triple beyond that), and a 2023 reform expanded vacation entitlements, so accurate time and leave records protect you in a dispute. HiveDesk tracks time automatically from a desktop app, captures periodic screenshots, and produces timesheets for approval, and it handles scheduling, attendance, and leave for the same team. It costs $5 per user per month on a single plan and has served distributed teams since 2011.
Automatic time tracking, screenshots, scheduling and timesheets for nearshore teams, $5 per user per month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is $1,000 USD a month a good salary in Mexico?
$1,000 is about MXN 17,200 a month, which is below the IMSS registered average of MXN 20,487 but above the median, and roughly what an administrative assistant or an experienced Spanish-only call center agent earns. It is a modest full-time salary in Mexico City and a comfortable one in smaller cities.
What is a good monthly salary in Mexico?
For an individual in Mexico City, Monterrey, or Guadalajara, MXN 25,000 to 35,000 a month ($1,450 to $2,030) covers a one-bedroom apartment, transport, and savings. That is the range of a bilingual team leader, an accountant, or a mid-level developer. A family generally needs MXN 45,000 or more in the capital.
Is $2,000 a month good in Mexico?
Yes. $2,000 is about MXN 34,400, more than 1.6 times the registered average wage and above the Mexico City average. It is the pay of a senior professional or a nearshore software engineer.
What is the minimum wage in Mexico in 2026?
MXN 315.04 a day in most of the country and MXN 440.87 a day in the northern border free zone, effective January 1, 2026. Those are about MXN 9,582 and MXN 13,410 a month respectively.
What is the average salary in Mexico in USD?
About $1,190 a month for a formally registered worker, based on the IMSS average of MXN 20,487 at September 2026 rates. Because 55 percent of workers are informal and earn less, the all-worker average is lower, closer to $900.
Sources
- STPS, bulletin 53/2026 on the average IMSS wage, June 9, 2026.
- Ámbito, IMSS average daily wage July 2026, August 11, 2026, citing IMSS.
- Fintualist, average wage by state, September 2, 2026, citing IMSS.
- Littler, 2026 minimum wage resolution, citing the CONASAMI resolution published December 9, 2025.
- Quadratín, ENOE informality rate Q2 2026, citing INEGI.
- Data México, call center workers occupation profile, Q1 2026.
- Indeed Mexico salary pages, accessed September 19, 2026.
- El Contribuyente, August 2026 INPC, citing INEGI.
- Open Exchange Rates API, September 19, 2026.
This page is part of HiveDesk's salary guides by country for companies hiring in BPO and remote-work destinations.