Mexico’s real estate markets: 14 cities and a framework for comparison
INMO1’s national guide to comparing 14 real estate markets by demand, product, infrastructure, absorption and risk, without misleading averages.
Read analysis →Tulum gained air and rail connectivity in a very short time. This transformation improves accessibility, but does not by itself resolve the absorption of apartments, lots, rooms or room nights. In 2026, the relevant question is how much product each submarket can absorb without relying on overly optimistic tourism assumptions.
The municipality grew from 28,263 residents in 2010 to 46,721 in 2020, an increase of 65.3%. The town of Tulum grew 83%, from 18,233 to 33,374 residents. Among those who had migrated during the five years before the Census, 64.8% reported work-related reasons.
46,721municipal residents, 2020
+65.3%2010–2020 growth
1.24 Mairport passengers, 2024
−8.13 ppJan–Jun 2026 occupancy
The airport improves access, but does not identify buyers
Tulum International Airport recorded 1,237,248 passengers in 2024. Between January and August 2025, it counted 883,308, up 14.8% from the same period a year earlier, with international passenger numbers growing 29.1%. The data confirm demand for regional connectivity; they do not show how many travelers stayed in Tulum, bought a home or made a repeat visit.
The airport’s catchment area extends beyond the municipality. Traffic should therefore be used as context, rather than as a direct multiplier for sales or rental demand.
Occupancy declined even as accessibility improved
SITUR reported 1,679,190 tourists in 2025, 5.3% fewer than in 2024. Hotel occupancy was 69.1%, compared with 73.8% the previous year. Between January and June 2026, it fell to 66.18%, down 8.13 percentage points from the same period in 2025. In December 2025, the destination had 239 hotels and 11,993 rooms.
The correct interpretation is not that “Tulum stopped working,” but that new connectivity and tourism demand can coexist with greater supply, seasonality and competitive pressure. The real estate market requires a separate measurement of inventory, available units, discounts and net sales.
Regulations must be verified parcel by parcel
Tulum’s urban planning instruments are evolving. The state catalog and the municipal register do not always show the same stage for each document. Before using density, height or land use in a feasibility analysis, verify official publication, geographic scope and legal validity, together with environmental restrictions and infrastructure.
| Signal | Does not establish | Research required |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | Buyers or room nights in Tulum | Origin, destination and length of stay |
| Hotel occupancy | Airbnb returns | Net rate, vacancy and expenses |
| Listings | Unique inventory or sales | Deduplication and verification |
| Permitted use | Commercial feasibility | Product, absorption and costs |
In Tulum, connectivity can increase while occupancy falls. That tension is precisely why absorption and future supply must be measured before developing.
From territorial signals to an investment decision
For a specific asset, INMO1 defines the submarket, surveys competitors, standardizes product and price comparisons, verifies inventory and estimates absorption using a consistent definition. It then connects these findings to product, phasing, capital and sensitivity. This work helps distinguish a favorable trend from a defensible opportunity in Tulum.
Compare this market with the guide to Mexico’s real estate markets. Learn more about the scope of a real estate market study, real estate feasibility and supply, demand and absorption analysis.
Are you assessing land, a development or inventory in Tulum? Request a diagnostic consultation with INMO1.
Sources, scope and reporting cutoff
Editorial cutoff date: September 18, 2026. Figures retain the geography, unit and period of their source. Demographic, tourism or economic context does not by itself establish demand, sales, absorption or real estate returns.
- INEGI — Sociodemographic Overview of Quintana Roo 2020. Municipal population, growth and migration.
- SITUR — Tourism Indicators 2025. Comparable tourist arrivals and hotel occupancy.
- SEFIPLAN Quintana Roo — Economic Environment 2026. Reported traffic for Tulum International Airport.
- Municipality of Tulum — Territorial Register. Municipal monitoring of territorial planning instruments and processes.
