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Payometer

Mexico's Paystub

What does a skilled worker cost in Mexico? Choose a state and a position. You will see the gross salary according to Senda's Ballpark, the full employer cost in Mexico, and the comparison with Germany, Switzerland, or other locations such as Czechia, the United States, China, and Morocco. A sample calculation for first orientation, not a payroll.

Let Senda run the numbers for your Mexico operation

How the estimate is made

No single source captures salaries in Mexico's manufacturing industry well. So we combine official data with market salary surveys and do the math ourselves.1

  • Operational roles such as production operators, technicians, and welders: INEGI's official labor force survey ENOE, second quarter of 2026, only formal full-time employees in manufacturing.2 The ENOE asks about income; we convert it to gross with the 2026 tax schedule and employee contributions, never below the minimum wage.4
  • Professional and management roles such as engineers and managers: salary surveys by international recruitment firms by major region, adjusted to each state's wage level according to the ENOE.1
  • Employer cost in Mexico: a Christmas bonus of at least 15 days' pay, a 25% vacation premium, IMSS and INFONAVIT contributions, retirement contributions rising until 2030, and the state payroll tax.35 Occupational risk insurance is calculated at risk class III, typical for manufacturing. You can add the 10% profit sharing at one to three months of salary.
  • Germany: average gross monthly earnings of full-time employees by qualification in April 2025, for example 4,125 euros with vocational training, plus the employer share of social security contributions in 2026.67 Bonuses, levies, and accident insurance are not included.
  • Switzerland: median wage in 2024 by education and management level, for example 6,162 francs with vocational training (EFZ), plus the 2026 employer contributions of 6.4% and the pension fund.89 Converted at the ECB reference rate.
  • Other locations: Czechia with the 2025 median by occupational group and 33.8% employer contributions;14 the United States with the May 2025 median by occupation and statutory charges;15 China with the 2025 average in the eastern region and contributions as in Shanghai;16 Morocco with 2024 averages and 21.09% employer contributions.17 The groups are broader than the positions in Mexico and work for a first comparison.
  • Miguel's notes draw on IMCO's state and city competitiveness indices, data on the skills shortage in Germany, and the dual vocational training offered by AHK Mexico.10111213

What the estimate doesn't know: company size, shift model, experience, and negotiation. We are glad to run the numbers with you for your specific role.

Sources

All figures on this page come from these sources.

  1. Senda, own estimate based on INEGI (ENOE), market salary surveys and official contribution rates: Senda-Schätzung: Gehälter und Beschäftigungskosten in der mexikanischen Industrie 2026 (Methodik). As of 2026-10. Reliability: Senda estimate (own calculation, not an official figure; ranges rather than point values).
  2. National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI): Encuesta Nacional de Ocupación y Empleo (ENOE), segundo trimestre de 2026: microdatos y resultados. As of 2026-08-25. Reliability: A (official household survey; incomes are self-reported).
  3. Senda, compiled from DOF, Chamber of Deputies, IMSS, INFONAVIT, CONASAMI, INEGI: Beschäftigungskosten in Mexiko 2026: Ley Federal del Trabajo, Ley del Seguro Social, INFONAVIT, CONASAMI, INEGI (Senda-Zusammenstellung aus Primärquellen). As of 2026-05-14. Reliability: A (statutes and official publications; some items medium, see notes).
  4. Mexican Tax Administration (SAT), DOF 28 Dec 2025; employment subsidy: decree DOF 31 Dec 2025 per IDC Online: Anexo 8 de la Resolución Miscelánea Fiscal 2026 (tarifa mensual del ISR) y subsidio para el empleo 2026. As of 2025-12-28. Reliability: A (official publication in the Diario Oficial).
  5. El Contribuyente and Praxium Consultores (compilations of state laws): Impuesto sobre nóminas 2026: tasas por estado. As of 2026-09-12. Reliability: B (specialist press, two matching compilations; check the state law in each case).
  6. Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis): Verdienste in vielen Ausbildungsberufen im Handwerk unter dem Durchschnitt (Pressemitteilung Nr. 103). As of 2026-03-25. Reliability: A (official statistics, earnings survey April 2025).
  7. Haufe (contribution rates) and DEHOGA NRW (social insurance thresholds 2026): Sozialversicherung: die Beitragssätze und Rechengrößen für 2026. As of 2025-12-09. Reliability: B (specialist publisher and association, based on the official figures).
  8. Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), Neuchâtel: Schweizerische Lohnstrukturerhebung 2024: Erste Ergebnisse (BFS-Pressekonferenz). As of 2025-11-25. Reliability: A (official statistics, median, standardized to full time, including a share of the 13th month's salary).
  9. Swissmem, Swiss tech industry association; Federal Act on Occupational Pensions (BVG): Sozialversicherungsbeiträge 2026 (Swissmem) und berufliche Vorsorge (BVG). As of 2025-12-05. Reliability: A (industry association, statutory rates).
  10. IMCO (Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, independent think tank): Índice de Competitividad Estatal 2026 (ICE 2026), presentation and results. As of 2026-09-21. Reliability: A (recognized think tank, published methodology).
  11. IMCO (Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, independent think tank): Índice de Competitividad Urbana 2026 (ICU 2026). As of 2026-06. Reliability: A (recognized think tank, published methodology).
  12. deutschland.de (on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office), with data from ZDH, Federal Employment Agency and Destatis: Recruiting Talent: Careers in the skilled crafts and trades (deutschland.de – The Magazine, November 2025). As of 2025-11. Reliability: A (official German government portal, citing primary data from ZDH, BA and Destatis).
  13. AHK Mexico / CAMEXA (German-Mexican Chamber of Commerce and Industry): Formación Dual Alemana (Cámara Mexicano-Alemana de Comercio e Industria, CAMEXA). continuously updated. Reliability: A (German chamber abroad, program description).
  14. Czech Statistical Office (CZSO); Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MPSV); PwC Tax Summaries: Struktura mezd zaměstnanců 2025 (Verdienststruktur 2025), Tabellen A1 und A22. As of 2026-05-22. Reliability: A (official statistics and ministry).
  15. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET; Social Security Administration: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026. As of 2026-05-15. Reliability: A (official statistics).
  16. National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS); Shanghai contribution rates: Kaizen CPA: 2025年城镇单位就业人员年平均工资情况 (Durchschnittslöhne 2025). As of 2026-05-15. Reliability: A for wages (official statistics); B for contribution rates (accounting firm).
  17. Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), data from HCP, ILO, Manpower; contributions: Upsilon Consulting: Marokko: Löhne und Gehälter (Ullrich Umann). As of 2025-04-09. Reliability: B (foreign trade agency with mixed 2024 data; contributions from a consultancy).