Beach Property in Mexico - International Living Countries

Whether you dream of a lazy beach retreat where you can live near the beach and stroll down to enjoy the Caribbean roll up on the sand each evening...or a dramatic Pacific coast lookout where the waters crash against the cliffs below and every night you watch the sunset behind a watery horizon...you can realize your dream in Mexico.

The country's many coasts—Pacific, Caribbean, Gulf, and the Sea of Cortez—offer you the chance to own a beach property in Mexico.

Mexican Beach Property on the Caribbean Coast: The Riviera Maya and Costa Maya

The amazingly beautiful Riviera Maya—the area from Cancún south to Tulúm—constitutes the fastest-growing region in the country. The equally stunning Costa Maya—from Tulúm south to the Belize border—isn’t far behind. The government is developing this entire white-sand, emerald-sea coastline into the biggest tourist destination in the country. Already, it’s home to several thriving tourist regions, including Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, and Cozumel… with the focus now on Tulúm.

Along the Riviera Maya, the 100-mile-long coastal stretch between Cancún and Tulúm, beach and near-beach real estate prices are a bit higher the closer you are to the high-traffic tourist areas of Cancún or Playa del Carmen. In Playa del Carmen, ocean-view condos right near the beach will run $500,000 or so. In Tulúm, though, you can find near-beach properties being built for half that amount. At least for now…

Is the window of opportunity in this area closed entirely? Well, if it’s bargain-basement beach properties you’re after, the answer is, unfortunately, yes. But are the prices now on a par with what you’d pay in other Caribbean destinations? The good news is not yet, but we do predict prices in these areas will continue to go up. Cancún and Playa del Carmen are well-established beach destinations, with all amenities—though each with a distinctive feel. And Tulúm—with one of the world’s most beautiful beaches—is being positioned as very high end..

Beach Real Estate in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

This Pacific-coast city on the beautiful Bay of Banderas has been an international resort for more than 50 years. Puerto Vallarta stretches for miles along the bay, sandwiched between the Pacific’s blue waters and velvety-green mountains. Lively and sophisticated, with chic restaurants, great shopping, and an international airport, Puerto Vallarta is much more than just the beach. And its multiple charms have attracted expats from around the world—as many as 10,000 call Puerto Vallarta their home.

In the Romantic Zone you can still see traces of the fishing village Puerto Vallarta once was. But today, the greater Vallarta area stretches along the coast almost to the border with the state of Nayarit.

PV is not the cheapest destination in Mexico, but it is one of the most First-World. And, with its wealth of neighborhoods and varying real estate, it offers something for almost every price point. Here you can still get beachfront condos starting at around $150,000. Looking for a house? You’ll probably need to look in the outskirts of Vallarta, but you can find them starting at about $600,000.

Beach Property on the Yucatán Gulf Coast, Mexico

The Yucatán Gulf Coast—a 50-mile stretch that runs roughly north and east of Mérida, is one of the cheapest stretches of beachfront still available in Mexico. For generations this was where Mérida’s families came for their beach vacations… a coast with small, low-key beach towns and miles of tranquil Gulf waters.

Here you can still find large, undeveloped beachfront lots in the $150,000 range and smaller lots for under $100,000... a few as low as $50,000 or less. You’ll find plenty of beachfront condos under $100,000. You can get a house for this price, too, if you’re willing to be a row or so back from the beach. In these small towns, that still puts you just a few steps to the water.

You won’t find fancy amenities in most of these little towns—just plenty of friendly, family-oriented locals. But the views are expansive and the water is warm all year