Mexico's Minimum Wage Hike Undermined by Peso Depreciation

Mexico has announced a 12% increase in its minimum wage, raising it to 279 pesos per day starting January 1, 2025. Despite this nominal increase, the depreciation of the Mexican peso by 18% over the past year means that the wage effectively decreases in dollar terms, now equating to about $13.75 per day compared to $14.25 last year. This adjustment, decided by a commission including government, labor, and business representatives, aims to counteract domestic inflation, which is currently around 4.75%. However, the new wage still falls short when compared to U.S. minimum wages.