Tulum City Guide

Tulum is an eco-luxury beach town on Mexico's Caribbean coast in Quintana Roo, at the southern end of the Riviera Maya. Once a backpacker outpost beside its Maya cliff-top ruins, it has become a design-driven destination of white-sand beaches, jungle cenotes and boho-chic hotels, with condos and apartments now roughly 70% of residential listings. Foreign buyers, mostly from the US and Canada, account for an estimated 60% of purchases. Two catalysts anchor interest: the new Tulum International Airport (TQO), opened in December 2023 with capacity for around 5.5 million annual passengers, and the Maya Train (Tren Maya) linking Tulum to Cancun, Playa del Carmen and the wider Yucatan. Ownership context matters: Tulum lies inside Mexico's constitutional 'restricted zone' (within 50 km of the coast), so foreigners cannot hold direct title - they buy residential property through a bank trust (fideicomiso), under which a Mexican bank holds title while the buyer keeps full rights to use, rent, sell or improve (typically around USD 500-1,000 per year), or via a Mexican corporation for multiple or commercial units.