Take a Look at Real Estate in Playacar
Playacar is an exclusive gated community located on the southern end of Playa Del Carmen. It stands out on the map due to its lush greenery, offering a stark contrast to the more urban landscape of downtown Playa del Carmen. Originally developed in the 1980s, Playacar has continued to evolve and expand over the decades. The project was initiated by FONATUR (Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo), the same Mexican federal agency responsible for the development of major tourism destinations such as Cancún and Los Cabos. Designed to provide a blend of luxury living, golf amenities, and enhanced security, Playacar offers residents and visitors a tranquil environment within walking distance of the vibrant heart of Playa Del Carmen.
Playacar is one of the most establish communities in Playa and is home to about 8,000-10,000 residents of locals, expats and tourists on vacation. Playacar is divided into two phases. Phase 1 is smaller and mostly houses with only two hotels. Phase 2 is the larger part of Playacar with large all-inclusive hotels, condos, houses, and a few lots of land for sale. All of this surrounds a golf course in the center.
Our Video Introduction to Playacar Real Estate
We set off with our cameras and toured around Playacar for you. We meet up with a real estate agent and a rental specialist to talk about prices and get more details for those thinking about buying or renting in Playacar.
What is Phase 1 of Playacar Like?
Phase 1 is the smaller of the phases. It has one entrance and is home to some Playa’s top net with individuals. Known for its quiet streets, direct beach access, and low-density development, this gated enclave blends tropical tranquility with upscale living. With a mix of luxury villas and stylish condominiums—many offering ocean views—Playacar Phase 1 attracts homeowners and investors seeking privacy, security, and proximity to both natural beauty and urban convenience. Its unique blend of exclusivity and walkability makes it one of the most sought-after neighborhoods on the Riviera Maya. You can even find some Mayan ruins in this neighborhood that you can walk around in.
What are Prices Like for Condos & Houses in Playacar Phase 1?
With so few properties available and one of the only places in Playa Del Carmen to own a beachfront home, this neighborhood can ask premium prices. Most of what is available on the market are going to be homes. Homes start around $1.2 million USD and average up to $3 million.
There are considerably fewer condos in Phase 1. Entry level condos in Phase 1 start around $350,000 USD and go up from there. In our video we feature new construction condos that start around the 1 million USD mark.
Prices are at a premium here because of the location, it is one of the only places in Playa Del Camren with beachfront homes, and the rentability of these properties. Returns (ROI) are always higher on beachfront and luxury properties. People are always looking for them for vacations and people will splurge for their trips. The realtor in the video mentions somewhere in the estimate of 8-11% ROI. This is not indicative of Playa Del Carmen as a whole right now, but rather just this area.
What is Phase 2 of Playacar Like?
Phase 2 is about 6 times larger than Phase 1. It is designed as big loop around and 18-hole golf course (The Hard Rock Golf Club). The beachfront houses the large all-inclusive hotels. The rest of Phase 2 is dotted with houses, villas, condo, and a few commercial spaces. It’s known for its resort-style living and lush landscaping. Developed in the 1990s, it was designed to blend residential comfort with tourism infrastructure, making it one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Playa del Carmen.
There are four gated entrances to Phase 2 that control the flow of buses for the hotels, taxis and residents. One feature that many residents like is the continuous sidewalk around the center of the development. This creates a great place to take a stroll. run or bike ride. Because this neighborhood is more established, there are large trees and vegetation that offer shade to pedestrians.
What type of properties are for sale in Playacar Phase 2?
Because parts of Playacar Phase 2 are over 30 years old, there is a lot of diversity when it comes to real estate. You can find houses, mansions, luxury condos, condos and even older homes that can use some updating. Occasionally there is a lot for sale for a home.
The front side of Phase 2 (where the all-inclusive hotels are) is also where you can find homes and condos. This area is more rentable since it is closer to the beach access. It is also an area that is more established and there is not much new construction because it was built out first.
Around the golf course you can find some private gated communities and quiet streets. These areas tend to be the most exclusive and where you can find some of the large homes.
The backside of Phase 2 has houses and condos. Most of the new construction of condos is on this side. This side is also a little more residential. People that like to live in Playacar often choose this area because it is a little quieter and you have access to Centro Maya and more shopping.
How much are condos and houses in Playacar Phase 2?
The entry level to Playacar will be two-bedroom condos starting at $150,000 USD. This would be on the backside of Phase 2 in an area that was originally built as staff housing for the large all-inclusive hotels. As Playa Del Carmen has grown, there are other areas that offer affordable real estate for those workers, and many have moved to buy homes or rent in other parts of the city.
Studios starting around $200,000 USD. One-bedroom condos start around $250,000 USD. Two bedrooms start around $300,000/$330,000 USD. Penthouses and 4-bedroom condos sell for around $600,000 USD. For houses you can find townhouses, Villas and stand-alone homes. for these options your starting point is around $500,000 USD going up to $1,500,000 USD.
Are you interested in Real Estate in Playacar?
If you would like to know more about Playacar, Sebastian, who is featured in our video above, is a good person to work with. He is very knowledgeable about the market in Playa Del Carmen and in Playacar. If you would like to send him an email with a short message about what you are looking for, he or his business partner will promptly get back to you. Our readers have enjoyed working with him and he comes recommended.
Tip: If you include a phone number and the best time to call, they can get back to you faster.
Houses & Condos for Rent in Playacar
If you want to live in Playacar or stay for a while, what are rentals like? In general, Playacar has more luxury properties and rentals tend to be less short-term Airbnb and more longer-term rentals. Because Playacar is a little out of the center, tourists coming for a week or two tend to like more the downtown area Playa Del Carmen for access to attractions and 5th Avenue.
Playacar offers an ideal balance between vacation-style living and practical daily life. It’s perfect for those seeking a tranquil, upscale environment with quick access to beaches, downtown Playa, and essential services — all within a secure, beautifully maintained setting.
What are rents like in Playacar?
Playacar is a diverse place. There are beachfront mansions, condos, and houses. Properties also tend to be more luxurious than other parts of Playa Del Carmen and offer more amenities since people tend to rent for longer periods. The averages range from 30.000 pesos to 95,000 pesos a month. In general, newer properties are more expensive since they offer new and the latest amenities. There is a difference between high and low season as well. The high season is generally considered November to March. Depending on demand, sometimes there are small areas to negotiate the rent. Between finding rentals that meet your needs and having a person to go between the owners and you, working with a licensed rental specialist is a good option.
Why Renting with a Rental Agent is a Good Idea
If you are looking to rent in Playa Del Carmen, working with a licensed rental specialist is a good idea. It is nice to have someone working for you and looking out for your interests. If you are new to renting in Playa Del Carmen, there are some things that are particular to our rental market and having the ability to have these explained to you can save you a lot of headaches later. Here are some things that rental agents do:
- Take all your specifications and look for available rentals for your time period you are looking for.
- They save you time by narrowing down to qualified rentals.
- You can avoid some scams by working with a profesional.
- Make sure that owners have everything in good working order, everything from air conditioners to utilities.
- Assist with things like where to buy water, how the trash system works and general information about Playa Del Carmen.
In our video we introduced you to Laura who is a licensed rental specialist. If you are looking for a rental in Playacar for 6 months to a year, this is her specialty. If you email her, she will start by asking some questions about what you are looking for. We highly recommend her because she is trustworthy, honest, and works hard for her clients.
What is beach access like for Playacar?
For residents, part of your HOA fees includes the fees for the entire master planned community. This gives you access to the Reef Hotel where residents can go to access the beach from Phase 2. Residents are issued with a card. This is on a first come, first serve basis. A second option from Phase 2 is a trail through the woods to Phase 1 where you can take your beach towels, coolers and things for the beach with you.
Phase 1 of Playacar has direct access to the beach at many of the streets ending at the beach.
For renters, it will depend on how long you are renting if you get a Reef Club card. Usually, the cards are issued for people renting 6 months or longer since it takes a while to make the cards and manage them. For people staying in Airbnb’s or renting short term, you will need to check with the owners to see what arrangement they have for their guests.
The beach in front of Playacar is considered one of the best in Playa Del Carmen. For one, the beach is wider and has more sand than in the center of Playa Del Carmen. Because Phase 2 has many large all-inclusive hotels, they send workers out to rake and clean the beaches daily. This makes a big difference in quality also. When there is seaweed, the beach in front of Playacar receives less than many other beaches because of the form of the beach and currents.
Is Playacar Safe?
If you are thinking about buying or renting in Playacar you will want to feel safe and know how safe it is. Both Playacar Phase 1 & 2 are gated communities. This means that only residents and people staying in them have access. Residents have a pass and special lane to enter Playacar. Visitors going to Playacar get a QR code that is valid for a short time.
In Playacar there are businesses open to the public because and also some attractions. Some businesses pre-register guests and all nonresidents have to show identification to enter. Overall Playacar is very safe. Both phases have security at the entrances, online checking cameras and are pretty vigilant patrolling the neighborhoods.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading our article and watching our video about Playacar. If you do want to compare Playacar to the newer master planned community that is on the north of Playa Del Carmen, see our article and video about Corasol. If you have any questions, feel free to post them below and we will get back to you. If we are not able to answer them, we will point you in a direction where you can get the answer.
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