Nearly 25% of Quintana Roo workers earn below minimum wage

Chetumal, Quintana Roo – By the third quarter of 2025, a total of 236,362 workers in Quintana Roo earn incomes below the minimum wage, representing 24.5% of the active workforce. This figure, according to data from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), reveals persistent labor precariousness despite recent advances in federal wage policy.

The universe of registered and active workers in the state amounts to 964,516 people. Of the 236,362 employees in this low-income situation, 130,670 are women and 105,692 are men, underscoring the persistence of the gender wage gap.

The statistic shows a slight increase compared to the same period in 2024, when the figure was 235,348 workers. Additionally, another 470,010 workers earn between one and two minimum wages, meaning that 73% of employees in Quintana Roo receive a maximum of 8,340 pesos monthly.

The situation worsens when considering that 135,483 of these workers are in the informal sector, even while providing services to formally constituted companies. This implies that, despite working for legal companies, they lack formal contracts, social security, benefits such as Christmas bonuses or paid vacations, and are not registered with IMSS.

While the federal government’s policy of increasing the minimum wage is acknowledged, experts point to the need to also address the leveling of earnings between men and women, as well as the eradication of informal work within registered companies. Starting in 2026, a 13% increase in the minimum wage is anticipated, setting it at 315.04 pesos daily, although it has been suggested that these increases should cease once an acceptable level of wage perception is reached.