Prices adjusted for relative purchasing power parity (PPP) at 2021 exchange rates
Supplementary notes
The World Bank officially stopped using the 3.65 U.S. dollars a day poverty line (based on 2017 PPPs) and switched to the 4.20 U.S. dollars a day line (based on 2021 PPPs) in June 2025.
Citation formats
Mexico: poverty headcount ratio at 4.20 U.S. dollars a day 1984-2022
In 2022, approximately 5.68 percent of the Mexican population was living on less than 4.20 U.S. dollars per day, a considerable decrease in comparison to the previous year. Furthermore, the unemployment rate in this Latin American country during this period was 3.2 percent.
Poverty is considerably higher in the South
In 2022, the three states with the highest poverty rate in the Aztec country were Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca, all in the southern region. In contrast, the top eight federal entities with the lowest were all in the North. The clear division is further accentuated by the Northern Border Free Zone, which encompasses 43 municipalities in the Mexico-U.S. border with higher minimum wages and lower taxes. Poverty in states such as Chiapas reaches over 67 percent, which means two out of three residents are under the poverty line and almost one out of three are under extreme poverty conditions. Â
A country troubled by inequality
Poverty and inequality are no news in Mexico. In the most recent data, around 80 percent of the total wealth of the country was concentrated in the top 10 percent of the population. Moreover, the bottom 50 percent had a negative share, meaning that half of the Mexican population had more debts than assets. But inequality does not only encompass wealth distribution, but Mexico also has a problem regarding gender inequality. The government has failed to achieve many of its goals to reduce the gap between genders.Â
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OWID. (January 26, 2026). Share of population living on less than 4.20 U.S. dollars per day in Mexico from 1984 to 2022 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 15, 2026, from /statistics/788970/poverty-rate-mexico/
OWID. "Share of population living on less than 4.20 U.S. dollars per day in Mexico from 1984 to 2022." Chart. January 26, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 15, 2026. /statistics/788970/poverty-rate-mexico/
OWID. (2026). Share of population living on less than 4.20 U.S. dollars per day in Mexico from 1984 to 2022. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 15, 2026. /statistics/788970/poverty-rate-mexico/
OWID. "Share of Population Living on Less than 4.20 U.S. Dollars per Day in Mexico from 1984 to 2022." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 26 Jan 2026, /statistics/788970/poverty-rate-mexico/
OWID, Share of population living on less than 4.20 U.S. dollars per day in Mexico from 1984 to 2022 ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/788970/poverty-rate-mexico/ (last visited July 15, 2026)
Share of population living on less than 4.20 U.S. dollars per day in Mexico from 1984 to 2022 [Graph], OWID, January 26, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/788970/poverty-rate-mexico/