What are the best areas of Tulum to invest?

If you are curious to read this article, you must be somewhat thinking of investing in the Tulum real estate market. For much of the last decade, other parts of the Riviera Maya have been the hot spots for real estate. Tulum has been growing in popularity and attracting likeminded individuals that are drawn to the beaches of Tulum, the eco chic vibe and investment opportunities. 

For most people looking are real estate in Tulum, it is for an investment. Most rent properties for vacations and possibly have plans to spend part of the year in Tulum. So, it will depend on what you plan on doing with a property that will make some areas appeal to you and others, not so much.

Because Tulum has grown so much and whole new neighborhoods have broken ground, we wanted to review the different areas of Tulum so you could be familiar with them. Each area has something to offer, but some are more longer-term projects. At any rate, we hope you find this information helpful in giving you an overview of the Tulum real estate market. 

Best areas for investments

1. The first question is so you want to purchase something now and rent it out? Or are you interested in a presale project that might not be finished for 6 months to a year? 
2. Rentable areas are important for investors. All of Tulum gets good interest from vacationers in Tulum, but some areas appeal to different groups. It is also important to note that most investment properties make the most in the first three years. After a while, places get a little less popular as newer projects get built. 
3. What is your risk/reward appetite? Some areas of Tulum are established and have good services. Other areas are developing, and you might want to risk investing in an area that has potential to appreciate over time. 

There are many individual factors that make a property better for an investment. Things like how the property is managed, amenities in the building, quality of construction, how it is set up inside, and if it fits in your budget. 

Tip: See our article about one of the better investment tools that you can use to get data on the area. 

Best areas for living in Tulum

Real estate prices in Tulum are based on rental opportunity, so if you want to live in your property, it might seem more expensive in some areas. In general, if you are looking to live in Tulum, the areas of:

• La Veleta is good because it has a range of houses, land and condos. This area is also cheaper in general than some of the other areas of Tulum. 
• Tulum/Coba road is good for people looking to live a little more remote. This area offers cheaper land and more space. 
• Tulum ruins area because it is close to services like the main supermarket. 
• Aldea Zama might be for you if you want a new condo, some walkable shops and cafes and have sufficient funds to live in this area. 

Our map of Tulum neighborhoods and what each one is like

We made this map of Tulum to show you in general, where areas are that are mentioned in our video. You can click on the map to see the name of the area and a brief description. 

Tulum real estate tour of neighborhoods

From our last videos we had comments from readers that they wanted more information about Tulum and to know more about the areas. We set off with Sebastian, who is a recommended real estate agent on our website. As you can see in the video, he is pretty knowledgeable about the area. He has provided many of our readers with good information, so we continue to ask him questions and get information that is beneficial to our readers. 

In this video we take off driving around Tulum. We talk about the below mentioned 10 areas of Tulum and some of the things they will feature. Also featured are some of what areas look like in Tulum. We hope you find it informative. 

If you would like to contact Sebastian who is featured in this video, you can email him here:

10 areas of Tulum and what it is like for real estate in each one

Aldea Zama

This is a master planned community. It has full infrastructure like underground electric, roads, sewer and internet access. This was the first large planned area of Tulum that raised the standard of condos and real estate. This area marked a change in the ramshackle building approach in Tulum, to a planned and more sustainable way of building. 

This area was developed from a company from Merida, Yucatan that has been working in the area for decades. A lot of planning was put into this area to make it more walkable, sustainable and more in tune with living in nature. 

The pros for this area is the great infrastructure, green areas, central location, and overall good area with interesting projects. There are not too many cons for this area. It might be more expensive per square meter, but you do get a lot in this area of Tulum. 

Selvazama

This is the second phase of Aldea Zama. Extensive planning has gone into this area so it can be a livable neighborhood. International schools (like the Green School) and world class amenities are planned for this area. What makes this area so popular are the fanciful eco architecture projects, proximity to the beach and central location. 

Since this area for the most part has not broken ground until 2022, this area is a little further down the line than some other areas of Tulum. This area can be good for people prepared to buy presale and that understand the location and projects. 

Avenida Coba

This was the main road (and only road for a while) to the beaches of Tulum. This avenue connects the downtown to the beaches and the Hotel Zone of Tulum. Along one side of Avenida Coba is a bike path that goes to the beaches and beach clubs. 

The future of this area is planned as more of a commercial corridor and have the commercial spaces for Tulum 101 and Selvazama. Development in this area will also feature some hotels. The feel of this area will be more urban and a little more dense than other areas of Tulum.

The pros of this area is the availability of projects in construction and presale. It is also a popular area now for renters. This means now until the foreseeable future, this is a sought after area for younger tourists visiting Tulum.  This corridor will have good links to transportation and services nearby as it develops. 

The cons of this area will generally be less green spaces and more urban feel. 

Tulum 101

This area is the lower part of Aldea Zama along Avenida Coba. It will have businesses on Avenida Coba and more residential areas back from the main avenue. This area is slated to be mostly upscale condos. 

The pros of this area are location. It is between the downtown and the beaches plus close to services. The cons of this area are most places are still awaiting construction, price per square meter will be higher because of the area. 

Tulum ruins area

This area is next to the Tulum Ruins. Some of the condos in this area have views of the ruins. Future plans for this area are houses and condos. This is the first area of Tulum coming from the north, where you can purchase. 

The pros of this area are possible views, close proximity to services, close to beaches and ruins, and guaranteed green spaces with the national park of Tulum ruins next to you.

The cons of this area, well, there is not anything really glaring to mention. Tulum is moving southward, and this means this area might eventually be less popular, but time will tell about this. 

Downtown Tulum

The downtown is a perfunctory place. You can find shops, City Hall, banks, fruit stands, bars and a little bit of everything else. Since most developers are working on the other areas mentioned in this guide, we don’t even mention this area as a possibility for buying something in Tulum. Unless you want to purchase land and build a 6-unit building, this area is just not for buying in. 

La Veleta

This area is in on the south end of Tulum east of the 307 highway. La Veleta has seen good appreciation in recent years because of speculation on the new beach access road. It is a developing neighborhood where you can find some unpaved streets and infrastructure is underway. This is not a master planned community, so there are a mix of developers and different construction in this area. Some are working hard to build sustainably and respect the density requirements of the area, others, not so much so. Knowing what developers are doing a good job is important and working with a good agent will help you navigate this area. 

Because this area has been developing over the past few years, you can find some creative projects, well known places and a mix of local housing. With the opening of Avenida Kukulkan, this second beach access has been a game changer for the area. Construction and development have been steady in this area. 

The pros of this area are the prices have been lower since not all infrastructure is complete. There is also a wide range of types of construction in this area from land, houses, condos and older buildings. This area can be better for people looking to live in Tulum. 

The cons of this area are it is still developing and not a master planned community. You won’t know what might be built nearby since many lots are yet to be constructed on. It will also most likely become trendier in Region 8 and 15 as these areas develop. 

Region 15 and Region 8

These two areas of Tulum are on the south end just below La Veleta. These areas for now, only have a few roads and not much has been built. These areas will be a little more structured than the La Veleta neighborhood. Region 8 will have a much lower density than region 15 and La Veleta. These two areas have projects planned in them, but most construction in these areas has not begun. These areas are for forward thinking people since these areas will probably drive the trends in Tulum in a few years. 

Tulum Coba Road

This is the road that leads inland toward Coba and onward to Valladolid. There has been a lot of property divided up into lots here and people have been gradually buying mainly land. This area is considered a more wooded/jungle area. There is very little construction in this area.

The pros of this area of lower land prices, further out from Tulum and more natural surroundings. The cons are the distance from town. Most land would require a car to get to it. Services can also be limited in this area. 

Further information about Tulum real estate

We have further reading about viewing about Tulum for those interested in buying a property. In the three categories below, we have general information about Tulum real estate and what condos are like in Tulum. 

Tulum real estate market overview

For those that are just starting to look at the Tulum area for a possible investment, this overview of the Tulum real estate market can help get your bearings. We talk about what developments are changing Tulum, ROI, and much more. 

What is the buying process in Mexico?

If you are a first time buying to Mexico, the buying process is a little different than other places. Here is a guide and included are short videos with real estate experts that explain the process of purchasing property here. 

What it is really like to live in Tulum

We recently sat down with a local resident of Tulum to talk about what it is really like to live in Tulum. This might give you further guidance to see if Tulum would be a good fit for you. 

What are condos like in Tulum?

We have an article and a video about what condos are like in Tulum. Construction methods, sizes and amenities are different than many other places. In the article and video, we talk about what is Tulum style and what you can expect when you buy a condo in Tulum. 

Thank you for reading and watching out information about Tulum and the different areas for real estate. If you have a question or comment, feel free to leave them here below our article. Note: If you have a question for Sebastian from the video, you will need to email him directly below with the email button. 

About The Author

Mr.Yucatan

See author's posts