Wages in Manufacturing in Mexico decreased to 3.80 USD/Hour in January from 5.10 USD/Hour in December of 2024. This dataset provides - Mexico Average Wages in Manufacturing Index - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The minimum wage per day guaranteed by law in Mexico was decreed to increase by approximately 12 percent between 2024 and 2025, reaching 278.8 Mexican pesos in 2025. The Northern Free Zone located near the northern border was the exception, where the minimum daily wage increased to 419.88 Mexican pesos. Education and income disparity The income distribution is entirely a new story than minimum wages, in fact, there are many factors that influence the level of salaries for Mexican workers. One of the main differences is by the number of schooling years, someone with more than 18 years of study earns on average double than employees with seven to nine years. Moreover, the area of study, while statistics and finance mean salaries, the highest wages by degree, are above 30,000 Mexican pesos per month, others such as performing arts and theology rank as the lowest paying degrees in Mexico.
Poverty still among the main problems
Despite one of the main reasons for minimum wage increases being moving people out from poverty conditions, poverty continues to be one of the main problems Mexican society faces. The number of people living under poverty conditions has decreased by 8.54 million inhabitants from 2014 to 2022, nonetheless, the figure is still higher than 46.5 million. The poverty rate varies among states, with Chiapas leading the ranking with 67.4 percent of the population under such conditions, while both Baja California and Baja California Sur recorded less than 14 percent.

This statistic depicts the average hourly wage in the manufacturing sector in Mexico compared to the U.S. from 2015 to 2017. As of June 2017, a manufacturing worker in Mexico earned approximately 2.3 U.S. dollars an hour, whereas the average salary in the U.S. stood at 20.8 U.S. dollars an hour.

In 2023, the average wage in Mexico achieved its highest level since 2009, amounting to around 20,090 U.S. dollars per year. Moreover, the average annual wage increased for the third consecutive year. Employment conditions In light of the crucial role that employment plays as a primary source of income, perceiving their working conditions to be poor, a sentiment held by nearly half of Mexico's workforce. Furthermore, the distribution of working hours skews towards non-monetarily compensated positions, particularly impacting the female demographic on households. This imbalance poses challenges to sustaining motivation. Informal employment also exhibits a higher prevalence among females, presenting regulatory complexities. Furthermore, a perceived gender-based disparity in employment opportunities subsists, amplifying the overarching concerns. As these factors coalesce, one out of every two individuals' harbors apprehensions about potential job loss. Salaries vs. Life expenses In 2023, the minimum wage has witnessed a considerable increase. Nevertheless, it continues to fall short of meeting essential living costs. Calculations indicate that a worker should ideally earn at least twice the amount of the latest increment to adequately cover these necessary expenses. A significant portion of the population—approximately one-third—finds itself residing beneath the threshold of basic food basket expenses. Consequently, Mexico ranks as the country where grocery expenses constitute the highest percentage of earnings. Furthermore, this predicament disproportionately impacts women, as they are often remunerated at lower wage rates.

Mexico Minimum Wage: Daily: Weighted Average of the 3 Geographic Area data was reported at 102.680 MXN in Mar 2019. This stayed constant from the previous number of 102.680 MXN for Feb 2019. Mexico Minimum Wage: Daily: Weighted Average of the 3 Geographic Area data is updated monthly, averaging 10.787 MXN from Jan 1964 (Median) to Mar 2019, with 663 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 102.680 MXN in Mar 2019 and a record low of 0.018 MXN in Dec 1965. Mexico Minimum Wage: Daily: Weighted Average of the 3 Geographic Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank of Mexico. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.G040: Minimum Wage and Wage Index.

During the time shown, the average monthly wage in the Mexican state of Jalisco has experienced a general positive trend with the highest value recorded in the second quarter of 2023 with 6.260 Mexican pesos.

During the third quarter of 2024, the average monthly wage of formal employees in Jalisco, Mexico was around 7,294 Mexican pesos, while those working in the shadow economy earned around1,700 pesos less.

As of December 2024, among the surveyed jobs in the automotive manufacturing industry in Mexico, the position of Manufacturing engineering manager presented an average salary of around 635,000 Mexican pesos a year. Meanwhile, that year, mechanical and project engineers earned on average around 560,000 pesos a year.

Costa Rica is the country with the highest minimum monthly wage in Latin America. According to the minimum salary established by law as of January 2024, workers in the Central American country enjoy a basic monthly wage of over 687 U.S. dollars, an increase of 1.83 percent compared to the previous year and over 100 U.S. dollars more than the second place, Uruguay. On the other side of the spectrum is Venezuela, where employees are only guaranteed by law a minimum salary of 130 bolívares or little more than three dollars per month. Can Latin Americans survive on a minimum wage? Even if most countries in Latin America have instated laws to guarantee citizens a basic income, these minimum standards are often not enough to meet household needs. For instance, it was estimated that almost 25 million people in Mexico lacked basic housing services. Salary levels also vary greatly among Latin American economies. In 2020, the average net monthly salary in Mexico was barely higher than Chile's minimum wage in 2021. What can a minimum wage afford in Latin America? Latin American real wages have generally risen in the past decade. However, consumers in this region still struggle to afford non-basic goods, such as tech products. Recent estimates reveal that, in order to buy an iPhone, Brazilian residents would have to work at least two months to be able to pay for it. A gaming console, on the other hand, could easily cost a Latin American worker several minimum wages.

Among the surveyed job positions in the Mexican service sector, the activities requiring more theoretical knowledge such as the position of graphic journalist and reporters in printed newspapers presented the highest wages in the list, with an average of 248.09 Mexican pesos a day in 2019. On the other hand, manual laborers such as maids and employees working in gondolas had the lowest wages, with an average of 104.64 Mexican pesos a day.

Among the surveyed manufacturing and industry job positions in Mexico, activities within the textile and clothing industry presented the lowest salaries. Sewing in garment factories or workshops presented an average wage of 101.8 Mexican pesos a day. On the other hand, the position of dredge operator was the one with the highest salaries of 128.45 Mexican pesos a day.

最低工资：每日：3个地理区域的加权平均数在03-01-2019达102.680墨西哥比索，相较于02-01-2019的102.680墨西哥比索保持不变。最低工资：每日：3个地理区域的加权平均数数据按月更新，01-01-1964至03-01-2019期间平均值为10.787墨西哥比索，共663份观测结果。该数据的历史最高值出现于03-01-2019，达102.680墨西哥比索，而历史最低值则出现于12-01-1965，为0.018墨西哥比索。CEIC提供的最低工资：每日：3个地理区域的加权平均数数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于Banco de México，数据归类于全球数据库的墨西哥 – 表 MX.G040：最低工资和工资指数。

In June 2024, the highest standard minimum daily wage insured employees in Mexico was registered by the electrical industry and water supply sector with over a thousand Mexican pesos. Followed by the extractive industries with 1147.52 Mexican pesos for the average minimum wage. In contrast, the lowest sector counts with an average daily wage of 401.11 Mexican pesos for agriculture.

Real Average Compensation per Hour Index (RC)：工资：制造业在02-01-2019达108.9002008=100，相较于01-01-2019的105.2002008=100有所增长。Real Average Compensation per Hour Index (RC)：工资：制造业数据按月更新，01-01-2007至02-01-2019期间平均值为98.1502008=100，共146份观测结果。该数据的历史最高值出现于12-01-2018，达140.4002008=100，而历史最低值则出现于01-01-2011，为92.7002008=100。CEIC提供的Real Average Compensation per Hour Index (RC)：工资：制造业数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geographica，数据归类于全球数据库的墨西哥 – 表 MX.G058：实际平均薪酬指数：工资：制造业：2008年=100。

This statistic depicts the average wage levels in the manufacturing sector in North America as of March 2018, by country. As of March 2018, a manufacturing worker in Mexico earned approximately 2.3 U.S. dollars an hour, whereas the average salary in Canada stood at 35.96 U.S. dollars an hour.

In 2018, manufacturing labor costs in China were estimated to be 5.51 U.S. dollars per hour. This is compared to an estimated 4.45 U.S. dollars per hour in Mexico, and 2.73 U.S. dollars in Vietnam.

Manufacturing jobs in the United States

Many people in the United States believe manufacturing jobs to be the backbone of the U.S. economy, despite employment in the manufacturing sector decreasing since 1997, and the monthly change in manufacturing employment being highly variable. Although manufacturing added a value of about 10 percent to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018, employment in the United States has been moving away from manufacturing to other means of employment.

A difference in earnings

Part of this steering away from manufacturing could be due to a difference in labor costs. While hourly wages in Vietnam were less than three U.S. dollars in 2018, hourly wages in the U.S. manufacturing sector hovered around 27 U.S. dollars in 2018. The labor costs in the U.S. could simply be too high for companies, who look to countries such as China, Mexico, and Vietnam for cheaper labor.

Uruguay was the Latin American country with the highest average monthly salary as of 2024, with a net value of around 1,088 U.S. dollars per month, followed by Costa Rica, with 947 U.S. dollars per month. Employment development areas in Latin America Following the recuperation in this sector after the job losses endured throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate persists in its endeavor to stabilize. Informal employment remains as the predominant actor across most Latin American countries, serving as a primary avenue for economic sustenance. Notably, the construction sector has experienced substantial growth, outpacing other relevant industries like tourism and hospitality. Poverty Throughout the past two decades, poverty levels in Latin America remain unchanged. Honduras takes the lead as the country bearing the highest poverty rate, with nearly half of its population dwelling in these circumstances. Across the region, the prevalent delineation is that of individuals classified within the non-extreme and lower-middle poverty strata, characterized by modest income levels.

In 2022, about 40 percent of adults in Mexico held a net worth under 10,000 U.S. dollars. In contrast, merely 393,000 Mexicans (that is, 0.4 percent of the total) had a net worth of over one million U.S. dollars. Mexico is one of the most unequal countries in Latin America regarding wealth distribution, with 78.7 percent of the national wealth held by the richest ten percent of the population.

The minimum salaryThe minimum wage per day guaranteed by law in Mexico was decreed to increase by 22 percent between 2021 and 2022, reaching 172.87 Mexican pesos in 2022. In the Free Zone located near the northern border the minimum daily wage was raised to 260.34 Mexican pesos.This represented the fourth consecutive incrase since 2019, but could prove to be insufficient to maintain the wellbeing of Mexican workers after the soaring inflation rate registered in 2022 and the economic impact of the COVID-19 in Mexican households. The legal minimum salary has a long history in the North American country, it was first implemented with the approval of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States in 1917. Income inequality in Latin AmericaLatin America, as other developing regions in the world, generally records high rates of inequality, with a Gini coefficient ranging between 38 and 54 among the region’s countries. Moreover, many of the countries with the biggest inequality in income distribution worldwide are found in Latin America. According to the Human Development Report 2019, wealth redistribution by means of tax transfers improves Latin America's Gini coefficient to a lesser degree than it does in advanced economies. Wider access to education and health services, on the other hand, have been proven to have a greater direct effect in improving Gini coefficient measurements in the region.

According to a recent study, Colombia had the lowest monthly cost of living in Latin America with 546 U.S. dollars needed for basic living. In contrast, four countries had a cost of living above one thousand dollars, Costa Rica, Chile, Panama and Uruguay. In 2022, the highest minimum wage in the region was recorded by Ecuador with 425 dollars per month.

Can Latin Americans survive on a minimum wage? Even if most countries in Latin America have instated laws to guarantee citizens a basic income, these minimum standards are often not enough to meet household needs. For instance, it was estimated that almost 22 million people in Mexico lacked basic housing services. Salary levels also vary greatly among Latin American economies. In 2022, the average net monthly salary in Brazil was lower than Ecuador's minimum wage.

What can a minimum wage afford in Latin America? Latin American real wages have generally risen in the past decade. However, consumers in this region still struggle to afford non-basic goods, such as tech products. Recent estimates reveal that, in order to buy an iPhone, Brazilian residents would have to work more than two months to be able to pay for it. A gaming console, on the other hand, could easily cost a Latin American worker several minimum wages.