I’ve always been fascinated by how different cultures define social classes. When I first started traveling through Mexico—visiting both bustling cities like Mexico City and smaller towns along the coast—I noticed how status, income, and upward mobility were regular topics of conversation.
As someone deeply interested in the psychology behind everyday decisions, I find it compelling how “upper class” is often as much about perception and lifestyle as it is about raw numbers.
Nonetheless, there is a distinct economic threshold recognized by most Mexicans. Let’s explore this in more detail.
Understanding the income landscape
To start, let’s put things into perspective.
According to CONEVAL, an autonomous public institution responsible for measuring poverty and evaluating social development programs and policies across Mexico, the average Mexican worker earns around 7,318 ($370) pesos per month as of early 2024.
While this might cover essential daily expenses, it falls significantly short of what experts consider necessary to enter Mexico’s upper economic strata.
In contrast, a piece from Harvard’s ReVista highlights that Mexico’s average per capita monthly income (the average income per person, including income sources beyond wages, such as investments or government support) hovers around 18,218 pesos ($900), approximately four times the poverty line.
This disparity underscores the vast economic gap between what most common workers earn and the income of the top earners in Mexico.
Defining the threshold for Mexico’s upper class
So, what exactly is the financial boundary separating the wealthy from everyone else?
According to data from INEGI, households in Mexico’s top 10% earn about 208,350 pesos per quarter (over $10k), which averages out to roughly 69,000 pesos ($3500) per month. For many researchers, this figure marks the entry point into the upper class.
However, reporting by Expansión highlights that you now need approximately 77,975 ($3900) pesos per month to comfortably label yourself “clase alta,” a standard achieved by less than 1% of the population.
Either way, earning between 69,000 and 78,000 pesos per month places an individual significantly above the national average.
Who belongs to the elite 1%?
But what about the truly wealthy, the top 1%? The CEOs, oligarchs, heirs, and celebrities?
According to COLMEX, Mexico’s top 1% earn over 6 million pesos annually (over $300k), translating to about 500,000 pesos ($25k) per month—a massive leap from the upper class baseline of around 70,000 pesos.
Why is understanding the top 1% so important? This elite group wields significant influence, shaping everything from policy and economic decisions to cultural trends.
Wealth beyond the salary
It’s essential to recognize that salary is just one component of wealth. As highlighted by Gaceta UNAM, dividends and passive income significantly influence overall earnings, with about 1.1 million families earning around 280,000 pesos ($14k) per month exclusively through dividends.
The reality is that passive income streams play a significant role in the distribution of wealth in Mexico.
Moreover, total wealth for rich Mexicans tends to include assets like property, business ownership, and investments.
According to a study cited by El Financiero, Oxfam researchers discovered that the richest 0.2% in Mexico own approximately 60% of all private wealth, with nearly 294,000 Mexicans classified as dollar millionaires.
Assets, not just monthly income, sustain long-term financial security and societal influence in the country.
Is income inequality improving?
Amid these stark inequalities, one might wonder if the situation is improving.
A detailed analysis by El País indicates a slight improvement, noting the upper class’s share of national income dropped modestly from 62% to 58% between 2018 and 2024, partly due to wage increases among lower-income groups and small-business growth.
While significant inequality remains, this trend suggests that targeted economic policies can slowly narrow the gap.
However, like many developing nations, real upward mobility often depends on structural changes such as enhanced public education and easier access to financial resources.
Regional differences shape perceptions
During one of my trips to Oaxaca, I met an expat who was living on a fraction of what would be considered “upper class” in Mexico City, yet he felt like royalty in his day-to-day. The cost of living was so much lower.
Meanwhile, friends in Monterrey earning a similar amount said they often felt tight on money—daycare costs, high rents, and social gatherings that tend to be pricier all ate into their earnings. So, context is critical. Two people with identical incomes could be perceived very differently depending on their region and lifestyle choices.
That’s a key takeaway: your location in Mexico can significantly shift the local norms of what “upper class” means. It’s not just a matter of raw income but how it interacts with the local cost of living.
Final Reflections
Ultimately, being considered upper-class in Mexico typically means earning at least 70,000 to 78,000 pesos per month. To reach the elite 1%, annual earnings of around 6 million pesos are necessary, and even this doesn’t fully capture wealth from investments or inheritances.
Understanding these benchmarks encourages reflection on career paths, side businesses, and personal financial strategies. More importantly, it underscores that class status is about more than income alone—it’s about opportunities, networks, and mindset.
For the average worker earning roughly 7,318 pesos monthly, these insights can empower more informed decisions about the future.
Growth and upward mobility, while challenging, are within reach through strategic planning, dedication, and perhaps a bit of good fortune.
