<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-04-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000863900</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MEXICO EQUITY &amp; INCOME FUND INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MXE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001067621</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GOLDSTEIN PHILLIP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MEXICO EQUITY AND INCOME FUND, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>615 EAST MICHIGAN STREET, 4TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MILWAUKEE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>53202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-04-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8946</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.2234</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12357</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-04-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3537</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.2234</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4886</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-04-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10988</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.2234</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>15176</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-04-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2629</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.2234</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3631</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reported securities are held by Full Value Partners, LP (&quot;Full Value&quot;).  The Reporting Person is a limited partner of Full Value.  The Reporting Person is also a managing member of Bulldog Holdings, LLC, the sole member of Full Value Advisors, LLC, which is the general partner of Full Value.  In addition, the Reporting Person is a managing member of Brooklyn Capital Management, LLC, the investment adviser to Full Value (&quot;BCM&quot;).  BCM has sole voting and dispositive power over the reported securities.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reported securities are held by Calapasas West Partners, LP (&quot;Calapasas West&quot;).  The Reporting Person is a managing member of Bulldog Holdings, LLC, the sole member of Full Value Advisors, LLC, which is the general partner of Calapasas West.  In addition, the Reporting Person is a managing member of BCM, the investment adviser to Calapasas West.  BCM has sole voting and dispositive power over the reported securities.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The reported securities are held by Opportunity Partners, LP (&quot;Opportunity Partners&quot;).  The Reporting Person is a limited partner of Opportunity Partners.  The Reporting Person is also a managing member of Bulldog Holdings, LLC, the sole member of Kimball &amp; Winthrop, LLC, which is the general partner of Opportunity Partners.  In addition, the Reporting Person is a managing member of BCM, the investment adviser to Opportunity Partners.  BCM has sole voting and dispositive power over the reported securities.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The reported securities are held by Steady Gain Partners, LP (&quot;Steady Gain&quot;).  The Reporting Person is a managing member of BCM, the investment adviser to Steady Gain.  BCM has sole voting and dispositive power over the reported securities.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Stephanie L. Darling, as attorney-in-fact for Phillip Goldstein</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-04-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
