Mexico women's healthcare spending exceeds men's by 77%

Data from INEGI’s first National Expenditure Survey reveals a significant gender gap in healthcare spending in Mexico. Single-person households led by women spend an average of 892 pesos per month on medicines, consultations, and essential health services, which is 77% more than the 503 pesos spent monthly by men in similar situations.

Analysts attribute this disparity to a combination of biological needs and structural failures in the public health system. Women face recurring costs related to menstrual management, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and the detection of conditions such as endometriosis—services that are often not fully covered by public prevention schemes.

Sofía Ramírez Aguilar, director general of the organization ‘México, ¿cómo vamos?’, noted that the lack of public coverage for biological needs creates a heavy financial burden. She also highlighted that insurance premiums for women are often higher due to pregnancy risks, and that the current system lacks sufficient preventive care, such as hormonal profiling. This economic pressure may ultimately impact women’s labor participation and reproductive choices.