Verified lawyers, accountants, real estate, healthcare and relocation services for expats in Mexico — plus a free, sourced guide to buying property here.
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A free, sourced guide to the process, written for a first-time foreign buyer. Every figure is dated and linked to where it came from.
Foreigners can own property anywhere in Mexico. The complication is how you hold it, and it depends entirely on where the property sits.
Mexico's constitution defines a restricted zone: land within 50 kilometres of any coastline and within 100 kilometres of any land border. Outside that zone, a foreign buyer takes direct title exactly as a Mexican national would. Inside it — which covers most of the places foreign buyers actually want, from Puerto Vallarta to Playa del Carmen — a foreigner cannot hold direct title and must use one of two structures:
A great deal of nervous folklore surrounds the fideicomiso. It is a routine, decades-old instrument, and the bank cannot sell or encumber your property — its role is custodial and it acts on your instruction.
This is the role most misunderstood by American, Canadian and British buyers, because the word "notary" means something far smaller in their own countries. A Mexican Notario Público is a government-appointed attorney, admitted in limited numbers, who holds public office. Every property transfer must pass through one. They draft and execute the deed, calculate and withhold the taxes due, and register the transfer.
Crucially, the Notario is a neutral public official, not your advocate. They confirm the transaction is lawful and properly recorded. They are not retained to negotiate for you, to hunt for problems on your behalf, or to advise you commercially. Buyers who treat the Notario as their lawyer are effectively going through the purchase unrepresented.
Separate from the Notario, and the person actually working for you. They verify the seller's title in the Public Registry of Property, check for liens, unpaid property tax (predial) and utility debts, confirm the boundaries and permits, and review the trust deed before you sign.
If you are buying in the restricted zone, a Mexican bank must act as trustee, and you should understand its setup and annual fees before choosing. A formal appraisal (avalúo) is generally required and feeds into the tax calculation.
General guidance, not legal or tax advice — sources and dates below.
Closing costs in Mexico fall mostly on the buyer. Budget 5%–8% of the price outside the restricted zone, and 7%–12% where a fideicomiso is required, as at 2026.
| Cost | Typical 2026 figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ISAI (acquisition tax) | 2%–5% | Set by state and municipality, so it varies significantly by location. |
| Notario fees | 1%–1.5% | Includes drafting, execution and registration work. |
| Fideicomiso setup | US$1,500–2,500 | One-off, paid at closing. Restricted zone only. |
| Fideicomiso annual fee | US$500–700 per year | Ongoing, paid to the trustee bank. Frequently forgotten in budgets. |
| Attorney | 0.5%–1% | Your own representation, separate from the Notario. |
| Registry and appraisal | Variable | Public registry fees plus the required avalúo. |
Annually thereafter you will pay predial — municipal property tax, which by international standards is low — plus trust fees, utilities and any HOA charges.
Owning property in Mexico does not by itself give you residency, and residency is not needed to buy. The usual routes are temporary residency (renewable, converting to permanent after four years) and permanent residency applied for directly, both assessed on income or savings.
As at 2026 the commonly cited benchmarks are roughly US$4,400 per month for temporary and US$7,400 per month for permanent residency — but these are genuinely approximate. The thresholds are defined in Mexican minimum-wage units, each consulate applies its own conversion, and the dollar figure moves with the exchange rate. Treat the numbers as a planning range and confirm with the specific consulate you will apply through, since applications are normally started outside Mexico.
Every number on this page is listed below with where it came from and when we checked it. Last reviewed: 8 August 2026. Where a figure is set annually we have said so — treat anything undated elsewhere on the internet with suspicion.
These are secondary sources. For anything that will cost you money, confirm against the official authority named in each section, or ask a qualified local professional.
If something here is wrong or out of date, please tell us and we will fix it. If you or your business are referred to anywhere on this site and you want that changed or removed, email us and we will action it — no questions asked.
