Quintana Roo’s Tourism Boom Masks Low Wages, High Costs

Cancún, Mexico — On International Workers' Day, May 1, official rhetoric clashed with stark economic realities as Quintana Roo, Mexico’s tourism powerhouse, faces declining wage competitiveness in its core industry. Despite ranking eighth nationally with an average monthly salary of $11,148 pesos, the hospitality sector—the state’s primary employer—lags behind other regions in wages and benefits.

Stagnant Wages in the Hospitality Sector

Key tourism jobs, including housekeepers, cooks, and cleaning staff, earn between $8,000 and $13,000 pesos monthly, often without access to social security or benefits. Meanwhile, technical and specialized roles in manufacturing or technology in states like Yucatán offer salaries exceeding $20,000 pesos, coupled with lower living costs and greater job security.

The national context exacerbates the issue. According to the 2025 Big Mac Index, Mexico ranks among the lowest in Latin America for purchasing power. A minimum-wage worker requires three hours of labor to afford a Big Mac, compared to one hour in Argentina or Puerto Rico. Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Colombia also outperform Mexico in this metric.

Despite a 100% increase in the minimum wage in recent years, rising living costs and persistent informal employment have eroded these gains. Quintana Roo exemplifies this contradiction: high expenses, inadequate wages, and an economy increasingly reliant on temporary or precarious jobs.

Criticism of the "All-Inclusive" Model

Local deputy Ricardo Velazco highlighted the tourism sector’s decline, noting that wages no longer provide the stability they once did. “In the past, tourism workers could afford housing and social benefits. Today, that’s unthinkable,” he stated.

Velazco attributed part of the problem to the expansion of all-inclusive resorts, which he argued reduce direct employee income by restricting tip distribution through union-hotel agreements. “This model not only depresses wages but fosters age discrimination,” he added, citing INEGI data showing the average tourism worker is 36 years old, sidelining older employees with valuable experience.

The disparity between Quintana Roo’s economic prominence and its labor conditions underscores a growing divide, challenging the state’s reputation as a worker’s paradise.