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Mexico Publishes Purchasing-Power Math as 2026 Minimum Wage Takes Effect Jan. 1

Using Mexico City market prices, the federal government argues purchasing power has strengthened 154% since 2018.

Overview

  • Conasami, with employers and workers, set a 13% general increase to 315.04 pesos per day and a 5% rise in the northern border zone to 440.87 pesos, effective January 1, 2026.
  • The government released tables asserting that one day of the 2026 minimum wage buys 14.8 kg of tortilla, 6.5 kg of eggs, and 7.1 kg of beans.
  • The purchasing-power examples are based on Mexico City canasta básica monitoring and public market price lists, meaning they reflect CDMX prices rather than national averages.
  • Officials present the adjustment as part of a claimed 154% cumulative gain in purchasing power since 2018 and reiterate a goal of a 440‑peso daily minimum nationwide by 2030.
  • Coverage notes that comparisons with China highlight how local prices and service costs shape real living standards, so higher nominal wages may not yield equivalent gains.