Mexico, Playa del Carmen
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Mexico

Mature infrastructure and tax residence based on where your life is centred, not on a day count.

Tax system
Worldwide income 😟: global income taxed
Naturalisation
5 years
from the first residence, temporary counts (2 yrs for Latin Americans)
Presence required
Residence: no minimum, PR even without presence · Naturalisation: max. 6 months' absence in the 2 years before applying
CRS status
✓ CRS participant
Sources for these facts
  • Naturalisation: gob.mx, checked on 24 October 2026.
  • Presence required: gob.mx, checked on 24 October 2026.
  • CRS status: oecd.org, checked on 24 October 2026.
  • Tax system: taxsummaries.pwc.com, checked on 24 October 2026.

Why Mexico?

Mature infrastructure, the best connections in the region and tax residence based on your centre of life, not a day count.

The most mature, best-connected location in the region: first-class infrastructure, good private clinics and short direct routes to the US and Europe. A strategic Caribbean base for globally connected people. On tax, Mexico is more nuanced than many think: what decides is your centre of life, not a simple day count.

  • ✓Residency by proof of funds alone, with no investment
  • ✓Tax residence based on your centre of life, not a 183-day counter
  • ✓RESICO tax regime: around 1% to 2.5% on local revenue
  • ✓No federal wealth, inheritance or gift tax
  • ✓The best international connections in Latin America

Residence permits and residency options

Temporary residence by proof of funds

Proof of income (2026: around USD 4,400 a month) OR savings or investments (around USD 73,000 to 75,000, held for 12 months). No investment required. Up to 4 years, counts towards naturalisation.

Permanent residence

After 4 years of temporary residence. Directly from abroad, since July 2025, only for retirees and pensioners (around USD 7,400 a month or around USD 300,000 in savings). PR is indefinite and has no presence requirement.

Investor

Investment of around USD 130,000 in a business or commercial property.

Presence & Status

No minimum presence to keep your residency: permanent residency is valid for life, even if you are hardly ever there. That makes Mexico a flexible Plan B backup. Only for naturalisation do you have to be physically present (no more than around 180 days of absence in the 2 years before applying).

Tax in Mexico

Worldwide income 😟: global income taxed

Mexico does not rely on a day count but on your centre of life. If your economic centre is abroad (less than 50% of your income from Mexican sources, and Mexico is not your professional centre), foreign income stays untaxed in Mexico. If you become fully resident, worldwide income applies, progressive up to a top rate of 35%.

The plus points: no federal wealth, inheritance, gift or estate tax. If you work locally and location-independently as a resident, you can also use the simplified RESICO regime (around 1% to 2.5% on gross revenue). Moving to Mexico does not, on its own, end your tax residence at home; what your home country keeps taxing, and whether a tax treaty with Mexico helps, depends on where you come from.

Citizenship: the route to a second passport

Mexico is more direct here than most of its neighbours: after 5 continuous years of legal residence you can apply for naturalisation, and temporary and permanent residence both count. For nationals of Latin American countries and Spain: 2 years. In the 2 years before applying you must be physically present (no more than around 180 days of absence). You are tested on Spanish and on Mexican history and culture. Mexico formally requires a declaration renouncing your previous nationality; what that declaration means for your existing citizenship depends on your home country's law, and we check that for your case. The Mexican passport opens around 150 countries visa-free or with visa on arrival, including Schengen.

Our Mexico insider tip: Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is the insider tip for the Caribbean with mature infrastructure: a lively town on the Riviera Maya with turquoise sea, white beaches, the busy Quinta Avenida and first-class private clinics, plus a large international community. Comfortable flats start at around USD 1,200 a month, and Cancún international airport, with direct flights to the US and Europe, is about an hour away. If you prefer quieter and cheaper: Mérida in Yucatán is considered one of the safest cities in the country, with colonial charm; Mexico City offers full big-city and business infrastructure; Puerto Vallarta and Lake Chapala are established locations on the Pacific side. For a strategic Caribbean base, what counts in the end is short direct routes to the US and Europe, a large international community and good medical care.

Banking outside Mexico

Mexico is a CRS participant and exchanges financial account data automatically. You open your local everyday account yourself on the ground. Banking and your operating company belong outside Mexico, so that you do not create unnecessary economic substance that undermines your centre of life and your structure. We build this architecture for you.

Flag theory: why bank outside the country?

Because the country is a CRS participant and you do not want to create local economic substance or a permanent establishment, banking and your operating company belong outside Latin America. We structure this for you. More about our services →

Who is Mexico right for, and who not?

✓ A good fit for

  • ✓Anyone who values mature infrastructure and the best connections to the US and Europe
  • ✓Anyone looking for residency by proof of funds instead of an investment
  • ✓Anyone who structures their centre of life cleanly and wants to stay predictable on tax
  • ✓Anyone who wants no federal wealth or inheritance tax

✗ Less suited to

  • ✗Anyone looking for a zero-tax location (Panama or Paraguay suit that better)
  • ✗Non-retirees who want permanent residence straight away (only after 4 years of temporary residence, since July 2025)
  • ✗Anyone who cannot cleanly separate their centre of life and wants to avoid full residence

Frequently asked questions about Mexico

Do I need an investment for residency?

No. Mexico grants residency on proof of funds alone (income of around USD 4,400 a month or savings of around USD 73,000 to 75,000, 2026 figures). No investment required.

Is there a digital nomad visa?

No. Mexico has no dedicated nomad visa. Remote workers use temporary residence by proof of funds.

When do I become taxable in Mexico?

When your centre of life is in Mexico: more than 50% of your income from Mexican sources, or Mexico as your professional centre. If your centre is abroad, your foreign income stays untaxed in Mexico.

Does Mexico have a wealth or inheritance tax?

Not at federal level: Mexico levies no federal wealth, inheritance, gift or estate tax.

How long until I get a Mexican passport?

5 years of legal residence (temporary and permanent both count). For nationals of Latin American countries and Spain: 2 years.

Next steps

Is Mexico right for you?

Start with a free assessment: we look at your situation and tell you honestly whether this country fits you.