Ciudad Juarez, Mexico – For many families in Ciudad Juarez, making it to the end of the month with money left over for savings is a significant challenge. The escalating costs of food, housing, transportation, utilities, and education often absorb a substantial portion of household incomes, particularly for larger families.
Minimum Wage vs. Cost of Living
In 2026, the minimum wage in the Northern Border Free Zone, which includes Ciudad Juarez, is 440.87 pesos per day, amounting to 13,409.80 pesos monthly. While household incomes vary based on the number of working individuals, dependents, and homeownership status, basic expenses frequently push savings to the back burner.
Food: A Major Expenditure
For a family of five, weekly food expenses can easily run into thousands of pesos. This depends on the types of products purchased, brands, and whether groceries are bought at supermarkets, wholesale clubs, or local shops. One father, who works in a maquiladora, shared that both he and his wife work to support their three children.
“We both work to support the children. I work in the maquiladora, and my wife also works and helps with expenses,” he stated. Their weekly grocery bill is around 1,500 pesos, with an additional 1,000 pesos spent at Sam’s Club for diapers and formula. Throughout the week, they make extra purchases for milk, tortillas, and other essentials.
Furthermore, school transportation adds to their burden. One child in secondary school requires approximately 250 pesos per week for commuting, plus about 50 pesos daily for school expenses. For another child, the family prepares packed lunches to cut down on daily costs.
Fuel Costs: A Growing Burden
Automobile expenses are another significant drain on finances for those who rely on vehicles for commuting, school runs, or errands. On Sunday, September 6, the price of Magna gasoline in Ciudad Juarez was approximately 19.19 pesos per liter, though some stations offered prices closer to 18.29 pesos. Premium gasoline was around 23.43 pesos, and diesel was about 25.48 pesos per liter.
Filling a 40-liter tank costs about 768 pesos, while a 50-liter tank costs approximately 960 pesos. For families using their vehicles daily, monthly fuel expenses can easily exceed 3,000 pesos, depending on travel distances and fuel consumption.
Utilities and Services: Hidden Costs
Monthly utility bills, often overlooked in budgeting, collectively represent a substantial expense. The domestic water tariff from JMAS for up to 10 cubic meters reached 351.05 pesos per month in March 2026, a nearly 25 percent increase from 281 pesos in January 2025.
Electricity, internet, telephone, and gas bills further add to these costs. For the week of September 6-12, 2026, the maximum price for LP gas in Ciudad Juarez was 18.94 pesos per kilogram. At this price, a 30-kilogram cylinder costs around 568 pesos, while a 20-kilogram cylinder is approximately 379 pesos. In households where gas is used for cooking and water heating, these cylinders become a significant recurring expense.
The Impact on a Family of Five
In the interviewed family’s case, beyond food, fuel, and utilities, they also pay 5,000 pesos monthly for rent and approximately 500 pesos weekly to a relative for childcare while both parents work. This amounts to an additional 2,000 pesos per month solely for childcare. When factoring in rent, food, transportation, fuel, utilities, gas, and childcare, family income quickly diminishes, leaving little room for medical expenses, clothing, repairs, debt, or emergencies.
Challenges for Couples
Another household, consisting of two adults where only the man works, also faces financial constraints. They spend about 1,000 pesos on groceries but have other financial commitments.
“We spend about a thousand pesos on groceries because there are only two of us, but we have loans to pay, like for the living room furniture,” they explained. These loans, combined with food, fuel, and utility costs, severely limit their ability to save a fixed amount each month.
Cross-Border Work: A Double-Edged Sword
For some border families, working in the United States offers a way to boost income. Maria, a mother of five, works in El Paso and receives her salary in dollars. She noted that she does some of her shopping in the U.S. because she works there, allocating about 2,000 pesos to food and other purchases.
“Here in Juarez, working in a maquiladora, they pay very little. My money goes further because I get paid in dollars, and we make our purchases here,” she said. However, the exchange rate also impacts her finances. On Sunday, the dollar was trading at approximately 16.30 pesos for purchase, meaning each dollar converted to national currency yielded fewer pesos than when the exchange rate was higher. Despite this reduction, Maria believes her income still provides greater purchasing power than a maquiladora salary in Ciudad Juarez.
Larger Families, Greater Strain
When a family grows to six or seven members, food expenses increase substantially. This isn’t just about buying more food; it also means higher consumption of water, gas, electricity, transportation, hygiene products, clothing, and school-related costs. In an illustrative scenario for a household of seven, weekly expenses for food and basic necessities could range from 3,500 to 4,500 pesos, translating to 14,000 to 18,000 pesos monthly for groceries and essential items alone. On top of this, there are housing, fuel, utilities, education, medicine, and any debts.
Estimated Household Budget
An approximate family budget might include:
- Food: 10,000 to 14,000 pesos monthly, depending on household size.
- Fuel: Around 3,000 pesos or more per month for daily vehicle users.
- Rent: 5,000 pesos, as in the interviewed family’s case.
- Water: Starting from 351 pesos for domestic consumption up to 10 cubic meters.
- LP Gas: Approximately 568 pesos for a 30-kilogram cylinder at this week’s maximum price.
- Electricity, Internet, and Other Services: Several thousand pesos, depending on consumption and contracts.
- School, Transportation, and Children’s Expenses: Variable amounts based on age and needs.
- Debts and Credits: Another commitment that can significantly reduce disposable income.
Given this outlook, even two incomes can quickly be depleted when there are multiple children, rent, and a car.
Saving Becomes a Luxury
For many families, the problem isn’t a single expense but the cumulative effect of all of them: weekly groceries, fuel, water bills, gas, electricity, rent, school supplies, transportation, and debts. After covering basic needs, the money available for savings can be minimal or even non-existent.
In a border city where many households rely on maquiladora jobs and two incomes are often necessary to meet needs, the difference between just making ends meet and having a small margin for emergencies can come down to a few hundred pesos.
Source: https://netnoticias.mx/juarez/ahorrar-se-vuelve-un-reto-para-las-familias-de-ciudad-juarez
