Last updated October 13, 2026

Quick summary

Americans can live in Mexico on a Temporary Resident Visa if they can show steady income or a healthy savings balance. There is no Mexican employer or job offer required, which makes it popular with retirees and remote workers.

• Apply before you move. You apply in person at a Mexican consulate in the US, and the visa cannot be issued inside Mexico.
• Two stages. First a visa sticker from the consulate, then after you arrive you exchange it for a resident card at an INM (National Institute of Migration) office.
• Income or savings. Each consulate publishes its own amounts. San Diego’s 2026 sheet lists $4,510 a month of income or a $75,950 savings balance, and Washington’s 2025 sheet lists amounts in pesos. The look-back period is 6 months for income and 12 months for savings.
• No automatic right to work in Mexico. The standard visa does not let you take a job with a Mexican employer, though a work permit can be added later.
• The long game. INM’s own procedure sheet allows a change to permanent residency once four years have passed with a temporary card.

Why Americans are moving to Mexico

Mexico combines proximity to the US with living costs that sit well below most American cities. These are the reasons people mention most often.

• Closeness. It is a short flight or drive from much of the US, so visiting family and friends is easy.
• Cost. Everyday expenses are lower than in most US cities, especially outside the biggest expat hubs.
• Variety. Beach towns, colonial cities, mountain lakes and a huge capital all sit within one country.
• Time zones. Much of Mexico shares US time zones, which helps remote workers with US clients.
• Established expat communities. Many towns already have large English-speaking foreign communities.
• A route to long-term status. Temporary residency can lead to permanent residency after 4 years.

Visa options: Temporary Resident

Most Americans start with the Temporary Resident Visa. You qualify through either an income test or a savings test, and you do not need both.

These figures differ by consulate and by year, and Washington’s are quoted in pesos, so the dollar value moves with the exchange rate. Check the official rate on the Diario Oficial de la Federación on your appointment day, as the Washington sheet says. Confirm the current figures with the consulate that covers your state.

Things to know

• There is no dedicated digital nomad visa. Remote workers who want to stay long term generally use the Temporary Resident Visa and qualify on income or savings.
• Work. The Denver sheet asks for a letter of intent stating you understand the visa does not allow work in Mexico. San Diego’s sheet accepts a letter from your employer agreeing that you will reside in Mexico and work remotely. Ask your consulate how it treats your situation.
• Family. Ask your consulate how it treats spouses and children, since the sheets we read do not give a family amount. Minors under 18 do not need a separate appointment in Denver and need a birth certificate and parent IDs.
• Permanent residency. See the residency section below for what INM’s procedure sheet says.

How to apply, step by step

Expect a process in two countries. Most delays come from appointments and from financial paperwork that does not match what a consulate asks for.

1. Find your consulate and book an appointment. Find your consulate in the Mexican consulates directory and book through MiConsulado (citas.sre.gob.mx). Appointments are per person. We could not find an official figure for wait times.
2. Gather your core documents. The consulate sheets list a valid passport with a photocopy of the information page, a completed visa application form, one passport-size photo with a white background, and proof of solvency. Denver also asks for an ID, a letter of intent and your printed appointment confirmation. Bring originals plus one copy.
3. Prepare proof of income or savings. The sheets ask for original bank statements, month by month. The Washington sheet says paperless statements must be stamped by the bank, and simple printouts are not accepted. If you use employment income, San Diego asks for a letter from your supervisor on company letterhead stating your position, salary and agreement to reside and work remotely in Mexico.
4. Attend your appointment and pay the fee. The sheets list $54 to $56 (San Diego 2026: $56 cash only), non-refundable even if you are refused. Washington accepts cards, so check how your consulate takes payment.
5. Receive your visa. Check the validity printed on the visa. It is not your resident card.
6. Exchange it for a resident card at INM. INM’s procedure sheet for the exchange asks for your passport, a valid FMM entry form, a basic form completed on the INM website and printed, proof of fee payment, and photos, with fingerprints taken in person. We could not confirm the arrival deadline on an official page that opened, so ask your consulate how many days you have. INM exchange sheet (PDF).
7. Know your card fee. INM’s sheet lists 3,519 pesos for a temporary resident card of up to one year, but it is undated, so confirm the current fee at INM.
8. Renew from inside Mexico. INM says the first card is valid for one year from entry. Check INM for renewal options and fees before your card expires.

A facilitator or lawyer is optional. The INM stage is conducted largely in Spanish, so many people hire help or bring a Spanish speaker.

Cost of living in Mexico

A single person living comfortably in a smaller Mexican city can expect to spend about $1,380 a month, and a couple about $2,150. These are our own estimates, built from several published sources, in US dollars for a comfortable (not luxury) lifestyle. Real costs vary with location and habits.

Living in a major city such as Mexico City raises rent, bringing the estimate to about $1,630 for a single person and $2,450 for a couple. Use our cost of living calculator to compare scenarios across all 12 countries.

Sources consulted: Wise, Expatistan and International Living cost-of-living pages, combined with our own calculations. Figures are estimates and exchange rates are approximate.

Healthcare

Medicare does not cover you in Mexico, so plan your coverage before you move. Many expats use a mix of the public system and private insurance.

• IMSS voluntary enrollment. Legal residents who are not formally employed may be able to join the public IMSS system for a premium. See IMSS: foreigners in Mexico. We could not open that page, so confirm the premium and rules with IMSS directly.
• Pre-existing conditions. IMSS can exclude certain chronic and pre-existing conditions or require waiting periods, so ask IMSS directly before relying on it.
• Private insurance and doctors. Private plans and private hospitals are widely used by foreign residents, especially in larger cities and popular expat areas where English-speaking doctors are easier to find. Compare policies and exclusions carefully, and confirm what coverage you need for any visa step.

Taxes for Americans in Mexico

Moving to Mexico does not end your US tax obligations, and you may owe Mexican tax as well. This section is general information, not tax advice, so speak to an adviser who handles US and Mexican taxes before you go.

On the US side

• You still file. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income and file a return wherever they live, according to the IRS.
• Extra time. Americans living overseas get an automatic 2-month extension, which moves the usual April 15 due date to June 15. Interest still runs on tax owed after April.
• Relief exists, but only if you file. The foreign earned income exclusion and the foreign tax credit can reduce what you owe, and you can claim them only by filing the right US return.
• Foreign account reporting. If your foreign accounts together exceeded $10,000 at any point in the year, you must file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) electronically by April 15, with an automatic extension to October 15, per the IRS FBAR page.

On the Mexican side

The points below come from a non-government guide. The rules are set by Mexico’s tax agency, the SAT, which has a page for foreigners registering for an RFC (we could not open it, so confirm there).

• Tax residency. You are generally a Mexican tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Mexico in a calendar year, or if your home, business or family ties are mainly there. Residents owe Mexican tax on worldwide income.
• Rates. Residents pay progressive rates that range from about 1.92% to 35% on personal income. Non-residents are generally taxed only on Mexican-source income.
• Tax ID and filing. Residents typically need an RFC, the Mexican tax ID, and file an annual return, usually due April 30.
• Treaty relief. A US-Mexico tax treaty is meant to prevent double taxation, including on pensions, but you still need to claim relief correctly on both sides.
• Social security. The US-Mexico totalization agreement was signed in 2004 but has not entered into force, so if you work in Mexico you may owe contributions to both systems.

Mexican-side summary adapted from Wise: Mexico expat taxes, a general guide and not professional advice. Rules and rates change, so confirm current figures with the SAT.

Where to live

The Temporary Resident Visa lets you live anywhere in Mexico, so choose by budget and lifestyle rather than by visa rules.

• Mexico City. The capital offers the most culture, food and healthcare, with the highest rents.
• Mérida and Yucatán. A colonial city with an established foreign community and lower costs than the big coastal resorts.
• Oaxaca. Known for food, craft and culture, with a slower pace.
• Beach towns. Places such as Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos have large foreign communities, and prices climb in popular areas.
• Smaller colonial and lake towns. Costs are often lower, with fewer services and fewer English speakers.

If you plan to buy property, note that foreigners cannot hold direct title to land within 50 km of the coast or 100 km of a border. Buyers in those zones usually use a bank trust called a fideicomiso, so use a bilingual attorney.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most delays and refusals come from paperwork and timing, not from eligibility. These are the avoidable problems that come up most.

• Planning to apply from Mexico. The visa must be issued by a consulate before you move.
• Digital-only bank statements. The Washington sheet says paperless statements must carry the bank’s stamp.
• Mixing up the look-back periods. The sheets we read use 6 months for income and 12 months for savings.
• Letting your balance dip. If your savings fall below the threshold during the look-back period, the application can fail.
• Missing the INM deadline. Ask your consulate how many days you have after arrival to start the INM exchange, and do not wait.
• Assuming you can take a Mexican job. Denver’s sheet says the visa does not allow work in Mexico. Ask INM about work authorization.
• Relying on one consulate’s rules for all. Amounts and documents differ between the San Diego, Washington and Denver sheets.
• Waiting to book. Book your appointment before you finalize travel dates.
• Tackling INM alone in English. Most of the INM stage is in Spanish, so line up help.
• Skipping healthcare planning. Medicare does not cover you in Mexico.

Permanent residency and citizenship

Temporary residency can lead to a permanent card after 4 years. Citizenship rules are separate and can change, so confirm them with the Mexican government when you approach that point.

1. Year 1. INM says the first temporary card is valid for one year from entry.
2. Renewals. Confirm renewal lengths and fees with INM.
3. After four years. INM’s change-to-permanent procedure sheet says the change can be requested once four years have passed with a temporary card, and that a permanent card has no expiry. It lists a 1,124 peso application fee and a 4,289 peso fee for the permanent card, which you should confirm. It also describes a retiree route: a 12-month average balance of 25,000 times the daily minimum wage, or a pension income of 500 times the daily minimum wage over six months.
4. Citizenship. Naturalization is a separate application with its own residence and exam rules. We could not confirm them on a government page, so check with Mexico’s foreign ministry (gob.mx/sre).

Frequently asked questions

Can Americans apply for the Temporary Resident Visa from inside Mexico?

No. You apply in person at a Mexican consulate outside Mexico, and the visa sticker cannot be issued inside Mexico.

Do I need income, savings, or both?

Either one. You qualify with the income test or the savings test, not necessarily both.

Can I work on the Temporary Resident Visa?

Denver’s sheet says the visa does not allow work in Mexico, while San Diego accepts an employer letter for remote work. Ask your consulate how it treats your situation.

How long does the process take?

Consulate appointment availability and INM processing times vary, and we could not find official figures. Ask your consulate and INM office.

Do I need a lawyer?

No, it is optional, but many people use a facilitator or attorney for the INM stage.

Can I bring my family?

Ask your consulate. The sheets we read do not list a family amount.

Do I need to speak Spanish?

Not necessarily for the consulate stage, but the INM stage is largely in Spanish, so help is useful.

Will I pay tax in both countries?

You will likely file in both, and the US-Mexico treaty is meant to prevent double taxation. Get cross-border tax advice before you move.

Sources and last updated

Last updated October 13, 2026. This guide draws on Mexican and US government pages. Visa rules, fees and thresholds change often and vary by consulate, so confirm every figure with the Mexican consulate that covers your state before you apply. Where this guide says something could not be confirmed or is unclear, consult and verify it with the immigration authorities before making any major decision, such as signing a lease, buying property, moving money or booking a move. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.

• Consulate of Mexico in San Diego: Temporary Resident Visa (economic solvency), 2026
• Consulate of Mexico in Washington: Temporary Resident, 2025
• Consulate of Mexico in Denver: visa requirements, 2025
• INM: change from temporary to permanent resident (PDF)
• INM: issuance of immigration document by exchange (PDF)
• IRS: U.S. citizens and resident aliens abroad
• IRS: Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
• Wise: Mexico expat taxes (non-government, used for the Mexican tax summary only)