The increase in the minimum wage in Mexico for 2026 will not be uniform across all regions: in border areas, some municipalities will receive a raise of only 5%, while in the rest of the country the increase will be 13%.
The decision, announced Wednesday morning by Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, is the result of agreements reached between the business, labor, and government sectors within the National Minimum Wage Commission (Conasami).
The Conasami Board of Representatives approved an increase in the general minimum wage from 278.80 to 315.04 pesos per day, equivalent to 9,582.47 pesos per month for most states. This represents a 13% increase.
In contrast, for those working in the Northern Border Free Zone (ZLFN), the minimum wage will rise from 419.88 to 440.87 pesos per day, equivalent to 13,409.80 pesos per month, a 5 percent increase.
The decision to implement a smaller adjustment in the border region aims to prevent a wider gap with the rest of the country, but the final figure remains larger due to the higher cost of living, competition with U.S. wages, and the need to retain workers in the region.
According to authorities, this minimum wage is intended to allow Mexican families to cover the equivalent of 2.5 basic food baskets.
The Northern Border Free Zone does not encompass all border states. Only 43 municipalities distributed across six states are part of this special zone, according to official lists from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS).
In these municipalities, the minimum wage increase will be only 5%, reaching 13,409.80 pesos per month starting in January 2026. The municipalities included in the Free Trade Zone are located in:
Baja California
Ensenada
Mexicali
Playas de Rosarito
Tecate
Tijuana
Sonora
Agua Prieta
Altar
Caborca
Cananea
General Plutarco Elías Calles
Naco
Nogales
Puerto Peñasco
San Luis Río Colorado
Santa Cruz
Sáric
Chihuahua
Ascensión
Coyame del Sotol
Guadalupe
Janos
Juárez
Manuel Benavides
Ojinaga
Praxedis G. Guerrero
Coahuila
Acuña
Guerrero
Hidalgo
Jiménez
Nava
Ocampo
Piedras Negras
Zaragoza
Nuevo León León
Anáhuac
Tamaulipas
Camargo
Guerrero
Gustavo Díaz Ordaz
Matamoros
Mier
Miguel Alemán
Nuevo Laredo
Reynosa
Río Bravo
Valle Hermoso
The new minimum wage will be implemented throughout Mexico starting January 1, 2026. According to data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) and a statement by Mayor Sheinbaum, the adjustment will directly benefit more than 8.5 million workers.
Source: infobae
