Location: State of Quintana Roo.
Language: Spanish. English is also widely spoken
Currency: Mexican pesos
Climate: Tropical.
Playa del Carmen is a small beach town about an hour south of Cancún. It’s become a popular vacation destination for Europeans and North Americans. You’ll also find a growing expat community here––North American, Europeans, Argentinians, Canadians, Venezuelans, and more.
This growth in popularity brought luxury residential buildings, restaurants, boutiques, and entertainment venues.
An attractive aspect to Playa del Carmen, besides the natural beauty, is the fact that foreigners can work there. So if you’re not looking to retire yet, this destination is worth looking into.
Playa del Carmen has warm, tropical weather year-round.
The dry season runs from November to February. From March to May, temperatures gradually rise as the rainy season approaches. The rainy season runs from June to October.
Temperatures usually stay in the mid-70s during the day, and humidity is low. Nights are cooler, but it usually doesn’t get below 60°F. However, the breeze that comes in from the shore and keeps you cool during the day can feel quite chilly once the sun goes down.
Owning a short-term rental anywhere in Playa del Carmen would result in a good, steady yield. The closer to the beachfront, the more it would earn. However, a mid-
range apartment farther out of the town’s center (closer to the highway) would still earn a decent amount.
There are expats in Playa del Carmen who own and operate bars, teach English, teach at or run schools, manage real estate offices, and more.
Some expats have chosen to raise their families here. The international school was founded by expats who recognized that they and other expat parents needed a good option for education.
In this town, you will see tourists and residents of all ethnicities and that represent all part of society. You’ll come across young couples and retired couples, families, students, and it’s a welcoming destination for the LGBTQ community.
With such a large group of expats and tourists, English is widely spoken. You’ll have no problem getting by if you don’t speak Spanish.
Another charming aspect of Playa del Carmen is that you can get pretty much anything you’d have gotten back home. This town has 12 supermarkets and 2 Walmarts.
This is a great destination for anyone looking to become part of a vibrant and active beachside community, with an added bonus of a low cost of living.
Mexico is close enough to the States that things feel familiar, resulting in a relatively easy transition.
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