President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Wednesday a 13% increase in Mexico’s minimum wage for 2026, the second increase since she became president in October 2024.
Sheinbaum has promised that by 2030, the basic wage will be enough to purchase 2.5 canastas básicas — a “basket” of the 24 most essential pantry items — per month.
The increase will lift the minimum wage from the current 278.8 pesos (US $15.30) per day to 315.04 pesos ($17.20) per day starting on Jan. 1, 2026. In the Northern Border Free Zone, the increase will be 5%, with an increase from 419.88 pesos ($23) to 440.87 pesos ($24.10) per day.
Anunciamos el histórico incremento de 12 por ciento al salario mínimo mensual para 2025; nuestro objetivo en el sexenio es que alcance para 2.5 canastas básicas. El humanismo mexicano da resultados: disminuye la pobreza y mejora la calidad de vida de las personas. pic.twitter.com/vcHbZu5Mts
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) December 5, 2024
“Very good news, an agreement between the business sector and the workers of Mexico,” Sheinbaum said during her Wednesday morning press conference.
The president said that the move had the support of all sectors involved, including the government, unions and employers.
The minimum salary for 61 professions, trades and specialized jobs listed by the government will increase at the same rate as the general minimum wage in their respective geographic areas.
The new general minimum wage calculation is based on the minimum wage in effect in 2025, plus an Independent Recovery Amount (MIR) of 17.01 pesos (90 cents), and a 6.5% adjustment. The MIR was first applied to set the minimum wage in 2017.
In addition to increasing the minimum wage, Sheinbaum’s government has introduced a wide range of welfare programs to help alleviate poverty nationwide.
In August, President Sheinbaum said that the social programs and increases to the minimum wage in recent years were the principal reasons why more than 13 million Mexicans were lifted out of poverty between 2018 and 2024. The U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) also credits minimum wage hikes for Mexico’s leadership in reducing poverty in the region.
With reports from lopezdoriga.com
