Its own airport, fewer flights
It has an international airport and a Maya Train station, but international routes fell from 12 in 2024 to 4: run your numbers with Cancún as your guests’ gateway.
Quintana RooExpanding
Tulum
Eco-chic luxury to live in and enjoy — not to count on a quick resale.
- Airport
- TQO · 25 min
- Brand
- Global destination
- Profile
- To use, not to flip
Overview
Tulum has its own international airport and a Maya Train station, on top of its eco-chic luxury positioning, though flights are shrinking: international routes fell from 12 in 2024 to 4, and international passengers were down 34% in the first quarter of 2026. Development is low-density and jungle-integrated, with premium nightly rates. That said, let us be clear about the moment: there is oversupply and resale moves slowly. Today Tulum is bought to be used — a second home, a seasonal house, your own enjoyment — and rented while you hold it. If you need to be able to exit the asset on a short horizon, this is not your market; Cancún and Playa del Carmen serve that better.
Why this market matters
Buy it if you are going to use it. The global brand sustains the corridor’s highest nightly rate, but the exit is slow: the thesis here is your own enjoyment plus rental income while you hold, on a long horizon — not a short-term resale.
Opportunity types
Second homeJungle villasEco-chic developmentsPremium vacation rental
Who this market fits
Second homeOwn use + rentalPremium rentalLong horizon
Established
Aldea Zamá
Indicators
- USD 192
- Average nightly rate
- 26%
- Median occupancy · 12 mo
- −17.6%
- Revenue per unit · 12 mo
- USD 200k+
- Entry ticket
Rate, occupancy and revenue come from short-stay operations over the last twelve measured months (Aug 2025–Jul 2026), on one methodology across all four markets. They are gross operating figures, not a yield on price, and they vary by submarket, product and management.
The Arano thesis
Buy it to live in it: global brand, slow exit
A brand with pricing power
Tulum sustains premium nightly rates that few destinations in the Americas match: the asset earns while you use it.
The exit is slow
With today’s oversupply, reselling takes time. Buy Tulum to enjoy and rent it, not to exit quickly; if you need liquidity, Cancún or Playa del Carmen serve that better.
Market profile
Arano readingShort-stay performanceFalling
Appreciation runwayPressured by supply
Exit liquidityLimited today
Market maturityExpanding
A qualitative scale from the analysis team comparing this market with the rest of the Cancún–Tulum corridor.
Submarkets
In Tulum the submarket is everything: the rate gap between zones is the corridor’s widest — and so is the gap in how long a resale takes. Choose for where you want to be, not for where you think you will exit fastest.
Established
Aldea Zamá
The most established sector, with complete infrastructure and proven demand.
Entry ticket
Starting at USD 200,000
In this zone
Emerging
La Veleta
Bohemian and densifying, with an accessible ticket near downtown.
Entry ticket
Starting at USD 150,000
In this zone
No published assets in this zone
Emerging
Región 8 & 15
An expansion zone with the market’s lowest ticket; sewer service doesn’t always reach it, so confirm water and sewer before any deposit.
Entry ticket
Starting at USD 130,000
In this zone
No published assets in this zone
Premium
Zona Costera
Low-density beachfront; the market’s pricing ceiling.
Entry ticket
Starting at USD 500,000
In this zone
No published assets in this zone
Other assets in this market
View all exclusives
Investment guide
Tulum real estate investment guide
Tulum went from town to city in a decade: 46,721 residents in 2020, 65.3% more than in 2010. Most of what was built during that jump was designed for visitors, not residents, and today a large inventory competes for the same guests in a year with fewer direct international flights.
Here are the figures with their sources, the zones with their asking prices, and the risks specific to Tulum: oversupply, undelivered pre-construction units, projects lacking environmental permits, a land dispute on the coast, and sanitation that lags behind growth. With that, you can decide whether it fits your plan and what to ask before you sign.
Who this fits
- You will use it yourself, as a second home or seasonal residence, and rental income helps with costs.
- You can hold it for at least five years without needing to sell.
- You would rather buy finished or well-advanced construction, even at a higher price, to reduce delivery risk.
- If you buy pre-construction, it is from a developer that has delivered in Tulum, with payments tied to progress.
Who this doesn’t fit
- You need cash flow from year one to pay for the property or a loan.
- You plan to sell within two or three years, or are counting on that resale for another investment.
- You cannot tolerate a delayed project or money tied up in a stalled build.
- Your plan relies solely on short-term rentals to guests flying directly into Tulum.
Key figures
Where to invest
Aldea Zamá
The most established sector, between town and the beach, with more complete roads and utilities.
One- to three-bedroom condos, finished or well advanced, to use and rent with less uncertainty about utilities.
Zone risk The priciest area in the urban core, with plenty of similar one- and two-bedroom supply. Benchmark against resales in the same building first.
USD 3,000–4,500[7]Asking price, not closing price. February 2026.
La Veleta
A neighborhood near downtown, densifying fast, with many small buildings.
Studios and small condos at a lower ticket than Aldea Zamá, for occasional use.
Zone risk The glut of repetitive product shows most here. Check sewer, paving and power on the exact block, not in the rendering.
USD 2,000–3,500[7]Asking price, not closing price. February 2026.
Región 15
A recent expansion zone next to Región 8, dominated by pre-construction and land.
Lots and pre-construction at the market’s lowest ticket, for long horizons.
Zone risk Less established infrastructure; local press reports that Tulum keeps approving projects where sewer infrastructure falls short. Get the water and sewer feasibility letter before any deposit.[8]
USD 1,200–2,000[7]Asking price, not closing price. February 2026.
Zona Costera
Low-density beachfront: villas, homes and boutique hotels. The market’s price ceiling.
Villas and land for buyers paying for location who can carry an expensive, illiquid asset.
Zone risk Tulum’s most serious legal risk: a decades-long agrarian dispute over the coastal strip and projects sanctioned for lacking federal environmental authorization. The seller’s deed is not enough: review the full chain of title.[9][10]
USD 4,000–8,000[7]Asking price, not closing price. February 2026.
Tulum Centro
The original town, mixed residential and commercial, and less tourist-oriented.
Houses and condos to live in or rent long-term.
Zone risk For vacation rental, you compete with areas tourists prefer, and value depends heavily on the street and the building’s condition.
USD 1,500–2,500[7]Asking price, not closing price. February 2026.
Local costs and rules
Transfer tax (ISAI): 4% of property value[11]
In Tulum the acquisition tax (ISAI) is 4% of the property’s value, under Article 50 of the municipal Revenue Law (last amended December 10, 2025). It is paid within 15 days of the transaction, and the notary calculates it.
Other publications quote 2% and 3%. The rate that applies is the one in the law: if a closing estimate uses another, ask for it to be corrected.
Property tax: no confirmed rate
We found no Tulum-specific property tax rate in a citable source, so we won’t quote one. Ask the seller for the latest paid receipt and a certificate of no outstanding balance before closing.
Urban development plan and density[12][13]
The current Urban Development Plan was approved on September 19, 2024, published on the 22nd, and took effect six months later. It allows up to 60 homes per hectare in mixed-use zones around the Maya Train station. Tulum’s College of Engineers challenged its approval, citing a two-business-day public consultation and changes to about 70% of land-use designations.
What to check: that the project’s land-use and building permits match the current plan and the density you are being sold.
Jaguar Park[14]
The area known as Jaguar is decreed a protected natural area for flora and fauna: 2,249.71 hectares, with 1,967.04 in the core zone and 282.67 in the buffer zone.
If a project borders the park, ask for the survey plan showing the lot lies outside the decreed boundary.
Short-term rentals: what the municipality can decide[15]
The update to state tourism regulations (August 2025) gives each municipality room to allow or limit platform supply. We have not yet confirmed a Tulum rule: if your plan depends on short-term rentals, assume it may change.
What applies across Quintana Roo
Buying as a foreigner on the coast[16][17][18]
The Constitution bars foreigners from direct land ownership within 50 km of the coast and 100 km of the border — practically all of Quintana Roo’s coastline. The legal route is the bank trust (fideicomiso): an authorized Mexican bank holds title in your favor for 50 years, renewable, with prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE). You keep the rights to use, rent, sell and bequeath; it is not a lease — you are the beneficiary with full control. A Mexican corporation with a foreigner-exclusion clause is an alternative, but only for NON-residential use — offices, commercial space, a development; for housing, the trust remains the only path.
Closing costs[19][20][21]
The acquisition tax (ISAI) is municipal: each municipality sets its rate in its own revenue law, so this market’s rate, with its article, is under its local costs. Besides the ISAI you pay public-registry fees and the lien-free certificate, both billed in UMA units per recorded act. Setting up the trust, its annual fee and the SRE permit vary by trust bank and property value — there is no single official figure, so get a direct quote before closing. Notary fees have no uniform public tariff in the state either; they are also quoted case by case. A valuation with mortgage validity can only be issued by a certified appraiser or Valuation Unit accredited by the Federal Mortgage Society (SHF).
Vacation rental[22][23][24][25]
The state lodging tax charges 6% on renting houses, apartments and private villas — the typical Airbnb/Vrbo category — versus the general 5% for hotels. Every host, including anyone operating through a digital platform, must register with the State Tourism Registry (RETUR-Q). If you are a Mexican tax resident with business activity, the platform withholds 4% income tax and a share of VAT on the lodging fee; if you are a foreign tax resident renting in Mexico, income tax is 25% of gross income, no deductions, withheld by whoever pays you. These are two different regimes by tax residency, not nationality — settle which one applies before you operate.
Taxes on selling[26][27][28]
If you sell as a foreign tax resident, income tax defaults to 25% of the total operation amount, no deductions; with a representative in Mexico and before a notary public, you can instead elect to pay on the gain at the top marginal rate of the annual tax schedule. If you are a Mexican tax resident, you pay on the actual gain (price minus updated cost, improvements and expenses) under a progressive table the notary withholds. There is an exemption for your primary residence — tax residency, not nationality, decides who can use it — if the consideration does not exceed 700,000 UDIS and you have not claimed it in the prior three years.
State infrastructure[29]
The Maya Train has connected the state since December 2023, when the Cancún station opened; the full corridor to Tulum did not come online until September 2024, nearly a year later. The Cancún and Tulum airports handled fewer passengers in 2026 than a year earlier; their figures are in each of those markets’ guides. The corridor’s infrastructure keeps growing, but unevenly across markets: always check a submarket’s real connectivity, not just the state project’s announcement.
Cross-market risks[30][31][32]
Hurricane season in the Mexican Caribbean runs June 1 to November 30; Conagua forecast 11 to 15 Atlantic cyclones for 2026. Sargassum is tracked through official bulletins from Quintana Roo’s Sargassum Monitoring Network, with the heaviest impact typically between spring and summer — check the live bulletin, not a fixed month. On ejido land, an ejidatario can only sell once full ownership (dominio pleno) is recorded with the National Agrarian Registry (RAN); always verify the RAN file number and never take the seller’s word for the parcel’s status.
Risks
Oversupply[6][33]
Habitaria counted 4,874 homes for sale that could take up to five years to sell. In short-term rentals, over the twelve months to July 2026, AirROI measured 17.7% more supply and 17.6% less revenue per unit.
What to check: compare against resales and finished units nearby, and run your numbers without a sale in the first five years.
Pre-construction delivery[34]
Lawyers interviewed by Bloomberg in 2025 counted more than 70 properties sold pre-construction in Tulum that were never delivered; many buyers never received title. The pattern: money collected up front on projects that never got past the rendering or stalled midway.
What to check: that the seller owns the land or holds it in trust, a valid building permit, past projects actually delivered, and payments tied to verifiable progress.
Environmental permits[10]
In 2025, PROFEPA, the federal environmental enforcement agency, said it will favor restoring damage, including demolition, over fines for construction without federal environmental authorization. The first case it pointed to is on Tulum’s coast: 30 condos with municipal permits but no federal environmental review, whose permits a court ordered revoked in May 2025.
What to check: the SEMARNAT environmental impact authorization. Municipal permits do not replace it.
Title certainty on the coast[9][35]
Members of the José María Pino Suárez ejido (communal landholding) claimed for years that their land reached the sea and sold coastal lots. Agrarian courts ruled the ejido does not include the coastal strip; the ruling was upheld in 2021 and the National Agrarian Registry canceled 706 titles and 1,092 parcel certificates. In 2023 the dispute still had no final resolution, and we have not confirmed a later ruling.
What to check: the chain of title back to its origin and a litigation search on the lot.
Sanitation and the aquifer[8][36]
In August 2026, the nonprofit Centinelas del Agua told La Jornada that Tulum has some of the highest groundwater contamination levels in Quintana Roo, that actual sewer coverage is below the official figure, and that projects keep being approved without adequate infrastructure. In 2025, fecal coliforms above permitted limits were reported in Tulum cenotes.
What to check: an actual connection to the sewer network, or an on-site treatment plant with a permit and operating contract.
Fewer flights in 2026[3][4][5]
Tulum’s airport closed 2025 with 1,244,661 passengers, nearly flat versus 2024. In Q1 2026, international passengers fell 34% and domestic passengers 25%, and international routes went from 12 in 2024 to four, all to the United States.
What to check: if your rental plan depends on guests flying directly into Tulum, run your numbers with Cancún as the gateway.
How we work this market
In Tulum we filter before we show you anything. We ask developers for completed projects you can visit. For each project we review who owns the land and its chain of title, the building permit, the federal environmental authorization, and whether the density matches the current urban development plan. For pre-construction, we favor payments tied to verifiable progress or held in a trust or escrow account; if a project does not offer that, we tell you before you put down a deposit. We rule out areas without water and sewer feasibility. And if your goal is cash flow or a quick exit, we will point you to another market in the corridor, even if that means not selling you anything in Tulum.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tulum a good investment in 2026?
It depends on your goal. For cash flow or a sale within a few years, the data works against you: inventory that could take up to five years to sell, falling revenue per unit and fewer international flights. If you will use it, can hold it long-term and buy from a developer that has delivered before, it can make sense.[5][6][33]
Which area of Tulum is best?
It depends on how you will use it. Aldea Zamá is the most established and expensive part of the urban area; La Veleta and Región 15 have lower tickets, with more density or less infrastructure; the coast has the highest prices and the most serious legal risk. Wherever you look, check utilities on the exact street.
Is it safe to buy pre-construction in Tulum?
It is the market’s main risk: lawyers interviewed by Bloomberg documented more than 70 properties sold pre-construction that were never delivered. You reduce it, without eliminating it, with a developer that has delivered before, land in its name or in trust, permits and environmental authorization in order, and payments tied to verifiable progress.[34]
How much can I earn renting in Tulum?
Less than many brochures promise. In the twelve months to July 2026, median short-term rental occupancy was 26% and revenue per unit fell 17.6%. Tulum has the corridor’s highest nightly rate and its lowest occupancy. Run your numbers at that occupancy, with income net of taxes and management fees.[33]
Can I rent out my condo on Airbnb in Tulum?
Yes, as long as you meet the state registration and tax rules covered in our Quintana Roo section. In Tulum, add two checks: the municipality has room to limit supply on rental platforms, and your condo bylaws must allow short-term rentals.[15]
Tulum, Cancún or Playa del Carmen: which makes more sense?
For liquidity, Cancún and Playa del Carmen: higher short-term rental occupancy and faster resales. Tulum commands the corridor’s highest nightly rate, with the lowest occupancy and the slowest exit. It makes sense if you want a place to use and can wait.
Sources
Data as of September 16, 2026
- [1] INEGI, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2020, presentación de resultados de Quintana Roo (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [2] Lokus Gov, población de Tulum con datos censales de INEGI 2010 y 2020 (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [3] El Economista vía Yahoo Noticias, tráfico 2025 del Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum (datos de Grupo Mundo Maya) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-01
- [4] Uno TV, «Caen vuelos y viajeros en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum durante primeros meses de 2026» (opens in a new tab) — 2026-05
- [5] REPORTUR, «Tulum pasa de doce rutas desde el extranjero hasta solo cuatro hoy» (opens in a new tab) — 2026-05
- [6] El Universal, «Crisis de vivienda azota a Tulum» (datos de Habitaria y Softec) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-06
- [7] Tribu Tulum, «Mercado inmobiliario de Tulum 2026: precios, tendencias y zonas» (opens in a new tab) — 2026-02
- [8] La Jornada, nota sobre el tratamiento deficiente de aguas residuales en Quintana Roo (opens in a new tab) — 2026-08
- [9] La Jornada Maya, «Refrendan sentencia sobre Pino Suárez: ejidatario no podrá privatizar parcela» (opens in a new tab) — 2021-07
- [10] El Universal, «Profepa irá por demolición de obras turísticas ilegales en México para restituir daños» (opens in a new tab) — 2025-06
- [11] Congreso de Quintana Roo, Ley de Hacienda del Municipio de Tulum, artículos 50 y 51 (ISAI), última reforma POE 10 de diciembre de 2025 (opens in a new tab) — 2025-12
- [12] Por Esto, «PDU promete crecimiento ordenado de Tulum y resolución de problemas de servicios públicos» (opens in a new tab) — 2024-10
- [13] El Universal, «Aprobación del PDU de Tulum, en medio de irregularidades y falta de participación ciudadana» (opens in a new tab) — 2024-09
- [14] Diario Oficial de la Federación (SIDOF), decreto del área natural protegida Jaguar, municipio de Tulum (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [15] REPORTUR, «Qroo: municipios serán los que decidan si permiten a más Airbnb» (opens in a new tab) — 2025-08
- [16] Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, art. 27, fracc. I (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [17] Ley de Inversión Extranjera, arts. 11 y 13 (fideicomiso, plazo de 50 años) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [18] Ley de Inversión Extranjera, art. 10 (sociedad mexicana, uso no residencial) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [19] Ley de Derechos del Estado de Quintana Roo, art. 29 (registro público y certificado de libertad de gravamen) (opens in a new tab) — 2025-12
- [20] Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, permiso para constituir fideicomiso en zona restringida (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [21] gob.mx / Sociedad Hipotecaria Federal, requisitos de peritos valuadores (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [22] Ley del Impuesto al Hospedaje del Estado de Quintana Roo, arts. 4, 8 y 11 (opens in a new tab) — 2025-12
- [23] Ley de Turismo del Estado de Quintana Roo, reforma Decreto 204 (Registro Estatal de Turismo, RETUR-Q) (opens in a new tab) — 2024-03
- [24] Ley del ISR, art. 113-A y Ley del IVA, art. 18-J (retención por plataformas digitales) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-01
- [25] Ley del ISR, art. 158 (renta de inmuebles por residentes en el extranjero) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [26] Ley del ISR, art. 160 (venta de inmuebles por residentes en el extranjero) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [27] Ley del ISR, arts. 119–128 y 152 (venta de inmuebles por residentes mexicanos) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [28] Ley del ISR, art. 93, fracc. XIX, inciso a) (exención de casa habitación) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [29] Tren Maya, comunicados oficiales de apertura por estación (opens in a new tab) — 2024-09
- [30] SMN/CONAGUA, temporada y pronóstico de huracanes 2026 (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [31] SEMAR (DIREDIMOAT), boletines de la Red de Monitoreo de Sargazo de Quintana Roo (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [32] Ley Agraria, arts. 81 y 82 (dominio pleno sobre parcelas ejidales) (opens in a new tab) — 2026-09
- [33] AirROI, datos de renta corta de Tulum, doce meses de agosto de 2025 a julio de 2026 (opens in a new tab) — 2026-07
- [34] Bloomberg, reportaje sobre el lado oscuro del auge inmobiliario en Tulum, publicado por El Financiero (opens in a new tab) — 2025-04
- [35] La Jornada Maya, «Conflictos ejidales impiden el desarrollo de Pino Suárez, en Tulum» (opens in a new tab) — 2023-02
- [36] REPORTUR, «Tulum: revelan contaminación en cenotes con aguas residuales» (opens in a new tab) — 2025-07
Catalysts
What is moving this market
2023
TQO Airport
Direct international flights to Tulum, though routes fell from 12 in 2024 to 4 in 2026.
2024
Maya Train
Tulum station connects the destination with the southeast.
Ongoing
Jaguar Park
Planning and coastal protection beside the archaeological zone.
Insights
Market analysis
Practical reads for investing in this corridor: realistic yield, legal framework and entry strategy.
Legal framework5 min readBuying on the coast as a foreigner: how the bank trust works
Within the restricted zone, the bank trust is the safe, legal way for a foreigner to own. Here is what it actually involves.
Arano Investments Group
Yield6 min readWhat rental yield is realistic in the Riviera Maya
The 8% to 12% in circulation is gross, and it is published by people who sell. Here is what measured occupancy and the costs almost no brochure subtracts actually say.
Arano Investments Group
Strategy4 min readPre-construction or resale: deciding by your objective
Pre-construction offers entry price and build-phase appreciation; resale offers certainty and immediate cash flow. The right choice depends on your horizon.
Arano Investments Group
Markets
Markets we'd put our own money in.
0 km from CancúnCancún–Tulum corridor
Cancún
An established city with Mexico’s busiest airport and rental demand that doesn’t rely on tourists alone.
- Average nightly rate
- USD 129
- Median occupancy · 12 mo
- 36%
- Revenue per unit · 12 mo
- −7.3%
Private consultation
Private consultation
Schedule a consultation on this market
Eco-chic luxury to live in and enjoy — not to count on a quick resale.
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