The resort city of Cancun on the Caribbean coast of Mexico offers a huge selection of houses and apartments to suit every taste and budget. Finding housing of the right level is not at all a problem, but it is advisable to know in advance where to look. Like any other city, Cancun has good and bad areas, safe and dangerous. Now we will briefly talk about the main areas of Cancun.
The city is divided into large neighborhoods, Supermanzana or Region. Supermansan usually refers to the old central areas, regions — later construction. They all just have numbers. Supermansanas are divided into mansanas, and mansanas into lots (plots). Therefore, an address in Cancun might look like this: SM32, M1, Lte 1-2, Av. La Costa, Residencial Fuentes, Cancun, 77508. In addition, they often indicate between which streets your house or any other landmark is located.
The areas on our map are marked rather arbitrarily. But this diagram is enough to understand where they are located.
If we call an area «good», it will not be «good» entirely. Elite housing can be adjacent to very unsightly buildings, and on the side of a very respectable boulevard there may be a garbage dump.
1. Hotel zone
Everyone who just arrived in Cancun definitely wants to live by the sea. Obviously, this desire must be confirmed by a corresponding income. Hotel zone — This is a natural spit that stretches along the coast for more than 20 kilometers. Here are the best beaches in the city. The entire Kukulkan Boulevard — This is the Hotel zone. There are luxury hotels and residential complexes here. The choice of rental housing is not as large as in most areas of Cancun, and prices are 2 times higher. The rental price may be lower in complexes on Nichupte Lagoon and significantly higher — from the ocean side. In old condominiums it is possible to find budget options, but the level will be appropriate. However, he’s completely «homeless» There are few in the Hotel zone.
Finding long-term rentals at an adequate price can be difficult, but renting an apartment for a couple of days through AirBnB is no problem. Most residential investment in the Hotel Zone was initially aimed at short-term rentals, and only relatively recently has there been more investment in luxury housing for long-term rentals. There are complexes where owners are not allowed to rent out housing for short-term rent.
Problems of the Hotel Zone — high prices for everything, crowds of people, very noisy and everything rattles, fun around the clock and frequent traffic jams on departure in the late evening, when hotel workers return to residential areas after work. For the entire Hotel zone — only a few supermarkets. The distances here are also large — To get to the center of Cancun, you will have to travel 10 kilometers or more.
On the other hand, the Hotel Zone has many shopping centers and entertainment venues. Public transport is well established and runs even at night. It is less hot and stuffy here than in mainland Cancun due to the proximity of the ocean. In general, the Hotel Zone is more suitable for lovers of active life and entertainment.
Hotel zone — a very safe place to relax and live. Although the accumulation of money attracts many scammers here, and travelers are cheated and even robbed, violent attacks are rare here. The zone is actively patrolled by the National Guard, and walking at night is quite safe.
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2. Puerto Cancun
This is a relatively new and luxurious area of Cancun. Luxury shopping centers, luxury residential complexes with moored yachts and private access to the beach… We won’t write much about Puerto Cancun, suffice it to say that everything here is expensive and aimed at wealthy residents. The villas are located in a separate area. Rent is mainly long-term only, and access to residential areas is completely controlled.
Puerto Cancun — Absolutely safe area to live. There are no crowds of visiting countries and all social life is concentrated in shopping centers and restaurants.
Take note of several high-rise residential complexes located along Bonampak Avenue. They are not located in Puerto Cancun itself and they do not have access to the sea, in other words, beautiful views of the sea and golf courses. There are good apartments here.
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3. Puerto Juarez
We would say that this is a suburb that is popular due to its tranquility and proximity to the sea. Many foreigners enjoy living here because of the Caribbean village atmosphere, fresh seafood and affordable housing prices. This is a kind of village near a big city. The area is actively developing, although there is very little luxury housing here (or even none at all). It’s relatively far from the city; going to supermarkets requires a car, and after 10 pm life comes to a complete standstill.
The sea here is simpler than in the Hotel zone, and the only public beach — Playa Niño — crowded with Mexicans on weekends. A little further, on the coast of Playa Mujeres, there are the magnificent semi-desert beaches of Playa Blanca, where many Mexicans go on weekends.
Among the entertainments, there are mainly only local restaurants, and even they do not differ in the surroundings, although they serve excellent seafood and fried fish, thanks to local fishermen. The best fresh fish — only in Puerto Juarez.
Housing in Puerto Juarez is represented mainly by villas in residences and condominiums with several floors. It is quite possible to find budget options. Many condos are right on the ocean, and all you have to do is open the door and you'll be on the beach. But buildings and objects here quickly lose their appearance due to salt deposits.
Puerto Juarez — Quite a safe area with a low crime rate. However, home safety still needs to be given due attention.
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4. Downtown
The city center, although you will not find any of the elegance inherent in the centers of many other cities in Mexico. Many foreigners prefer to live downtown due to the good price/quality ratio. If the Hotel zone has a resort flavor, then in the downtown everything is Mexican. The city center is the most conveniently located area. Very close to the entrance to the Hotel Zone, to the beaches, here are the main shopping centers, supermarkets, banks, etc. Transport links are developed with all areas of Cancun. Lots of cafes and restaurants. Everything is nearby and at hand! Each of the microdistricts has a park, and some have courts, gyms and playgrounds. There are also plenty of green areas.
Downtown — these are conditionally supermansan from 1 to 50. This is what the city authorities designated when they designed the structure of the city. Geographically, areas near the entrance to the hotel zone (El Table at the zero kilometer of Kukulcan Boulevard) and the Plaza las Americas shopping center are in great demand for housing. This is supermansan 3 — 22. Here you will find many neat residences and large beautiful villas with well-kept grounds, security and swimming pools. This is one of the most beautiful and safest areas of Cancun. Malecon Americas — a popular high-rise residential complex for first-time visitors to Mexico. We will not talk about the quality of life in this complex — Since construction it has become very worn out.
In general, downtown has a huge offer of studios, houses and apartments of all types and budgets, — perhaps the highest in all of Cancun. «Studios» — These are rooms equipped with a bed, a bathroom with a shower, a mini-living room and a kitchenette. They are more suitable for starting life in Mexico because the rental price often includes internet service, water and electricity. You can find very budget options.
Among the shortcomings, we note the noise. Noise pollution in this area of the city is excessive, especially if your house or apartment is located on main avenues. At the same time, it can be quiet inside the neighborhoods. Yards in Downtown also seem smaller to us than in other areas.
There are problems with safety in downtown, but they are more likely related to large crowds of people. In general, life here is no more dangerous than in the Hotel Zone, but at night the small streets must be walked with caution.
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5. Areas adjacent to the center
The deeper you go into the city from Avenida Tulum, the easier the accommodation becomes. We conventionally called the area located to the west of downtown adjacent. You won't notice much difference in the appearance and supply of housing here versus downtown. The infrastructure and transport links are also well developed.
This is where the popular residential complexes Habitalia Paraiso and Liverte — high-rise buildings, which are in steady demand among those who come to Mexico for childbirth. Good price/quality ratio, urban requirements against the backdrop of the surrounding one-two-story buildings, swimming pool on site and close to the city center.
In terms of security, this area is no different from the previous one.
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6. South zone (Jardines and Cumbres)
Super popular area, one of the best in Cancun, with a high quality of life, safety and developed infrastructure. Here are Jardines 1-6, Punta Estrella, Gran Santa Fe 1-3, etc. — large gated residences with green and very well-kept areas, swimming pools and playgrounds. When viewed from above, it resembles a honeycomb, because all the houses are of the same type and are located in the same pattern. Typically, these are two-story townhouses. An absolutely highly recommended place for families for whom the proximity of the sea is not important. Economical housing of good quality, and even with security.
South zone — a preferred area for those who have already settled in Cancun and have a job or business that guarantees an average income. Although new residences continue to be built, there are already supermarkets, gyms, restaurants, bars and medical facilities. Between 2017 and 2021, this area had the highest rate of development and growth in Cancun.
Until 2019, there was only one avenue that connected this entire area with the city center, and it took 35-40 minutes to get to the center. Today the trip lasts a maximum of 15 minutes. In addition, we had a direct exit to the airport. Public transport has been significantly improved, and already in 2021 it has become completely unproblematic to get from here to any point in Cancun.
Closer to Avenida Bonampac is the Cumbres — a well-designed area, protected and with well-developed infrastructure. We would say this is the most beautiful place in Cancun. It is also the favorite place to live for Cancun's middle class, although there is also a lot of luxury housing here. Here you will find everything you need for life and entertainment, for this reason you are allowed to live here without leaving anywhere. Arbolada, Agua, Long Island, Palmaris, etc. — another wonderful residences in the area. And new ones continue to be built.
Most rental housing in Cumbres — This is a vacation rental, that is, through AirBnB. At the same time, homeowners in Jardines and Santa Fe prefer to rent out long-term.
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7-8. For Lopez Partillo
Avenida Lopez Partillo is marked with a red line on our map. In all areas located above, it is not recommended to rent housing, and many of them — even visit. Regions (aka supermansanas) with numbers from 200 to 300 are considered the most dangerous in Cancun due to the large number of crimes committed here.
But the quality of life «for Lopez Partillo» also varies. For example, in the area marked 7 on our map, you will not find any aesthetics, and many blocks — it's just «bomzhatni». Areas marked 8, — These are new areas, with well-developed infrastructure, and the amount of good housing here is also high. But it's far from the center.
In fairness, we note that many important city objects are located behind Lopez Partillo, and sooner or later you will still have to get there. For example, Plaza Technology — something like a radio market where you can inexpensively repair a computer or mobile phone, General Hospital — General Hospital of Cancun, Polytechnic Institute, and others.
Rental prices for Lopez Partillo — lowest in Cancun. It is for this reason that many hotel workers who come to Cancun for seasonal work settle there.
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