The Basic Food Basket in Mexico has finally seen a price reduction by the end of February 2025, according to the report from the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (Coneval). During this period, the cost of the basket of essential foods for nutrition dropped from two thousand 366.33 to two thousand 364.01 pesos per person in urban areas. This adjustment represented a saving of two pesos and 32 cents in the monthly purchase of products such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, beans, tortillas, and bread, crucial for overcoming the poverty line.
In rural areas, the price of the basic food basket also decreased, this time by 8.41 pesos, reaching a total of one thousand 787.36 pesos per person. In relation to this data, Coneval presented figures on the thresholds of extreme poverty by income in Mexico. To enjoy a decent life without being in poverty, an estimated cost of four thousand 666.65 pesos in urban areas and three thousand 340.21 pesos in rural areas is needed per individual. This amount considers the minimum necessary expenses to cover the food basket and basic services such as water, electricity, gas, transportation, and, ideally, entertainment.
Thus, referring to a typical family of four members (two adults and two children) living in an urban environment, it is estimated that 18 thousand 666.6 pesos are required monthly to escape poverty. Meanwhile, in rural areas, the amount decreases to 13 thousand 360 pesos monthly per household to access essential food and basic services necessary to improve their quality of life. However, the current reality in Mexico shows that more than 70% of the population earns precarious wages, ranging from one to two minimum wages, which amounts to a maximum of 16 thousand 728 pesos monthly and is insufficient to overcome the poverty line in urban environments.
