Investment property in Mexico: what to buy and what it costs
One-bedroom apartment in Mérida in Yucatán
$53,000
A 50 m² apartment: a living room with a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Mérida is the capital of the state of Yucatán and one of the safest cities in Mexico, with a colonial centre, universities and a road to the beaches of Progreso on the Gulf of Mexico. Over the year homes in Yucatán rose in price by 8.7%. The city lies within the 50-kilometre coastal zone, so a foreigner buys the apartment through a bank trust.
One-bedroom apartment in Cancún by the Caribbean Sea
$71,000
A 55 m² apartment: a living room with a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Cancún is the main resort of Mexico's Caribbean coast, with an international airport, a hotel zone on a spit between the sea and the lagoon and residential neighbourhoods in the city centre. Over the year homes in Quintana Roo rose in price by 9.8%. A foreigner buys an apartment by the sea through a bank trust.
Two-bedroom apartment in La Paz by the Gulf of California
$99,000
A 70 m² apartment: a living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. La Paz is the capital of the state of Baja California Sur on the Gulf of California, with the Malecón promenade, beaches and a ferry to the mainland. Over the year homes in the state rose in price by 8.7%. A foreigner buys an apartment by the sea through a bank trust.
Two-bedroom apartment in business Querétaro
$110,000
A 75 m² apartment: a living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. Querétaro is an industrial and business centre two to three hours' drive from Mexico City, with a colonial centre on the UNESCO World Heritage List, aerospace and automotive plants and its own airport. The city lies far from the sea and the borders, so a foreigner owns the apartment directly.
Two-bedroom apartment in Playa del Carmen to let to tourists
$120,000
A 75 m² apartment: a living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. Playa del Carmen is a resort town on the Riviera Maya between Cancún and Tulum, with the pedestrian Fifth Avenue, beaches and a ferry to the island of Cozumel. Apartments here are bought to let to tourists by the night. A foreigner buys an apartment by the sea through a bank trust.
One-bedroom apartment in the north of Mexico City
$130,000
A 55 m² apartment: a living room with a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Azcapotzalco is a residential district in the north of Mexico City with the large Tezozómoc Park, a university campus and metro and suburban rail lines to the centre. Mexico City is the country's largest housing market: the average home price here is more than twice the Mexican average.
Two-bedroom apartment in Zapopan in the Guadalajara area
$140,000
An 80 m² apartment: a living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and two bathrooms. Zapopan is the most populous municipality of the Guadalajara metropolitan area, with technology companies, universities, a stadium and shopping centres. Over the year homes in the metropolitan area rose in price by 10%, faster than in Mexico's other large cities.
Two-bedroom apartment in Mexico City near the centre
$180,000
A 70 m² apartment: a living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. Iztacalco is a residential district east of the historic centre of Mexico City, with the Magdalena Mixiuhca sports complex, a racetrack and metro lines to the centre. Mexico City lies far from the sea and the borders, so a foreigner owns the apartment directly.
What investors buy in Mexico
Above are the most interesting offers selected by our experts. A manager will find a property for your requirements.
Apartments for sale in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Querétaro and on the Caribbean coast, prices by state, taxes on buying and letting, the bank trust by the sea, residence and citizenship.
Mexico is the second largest economy in Latin America and one of the region's largest housing markets: prices here are quoted in pesos, and at seaside resorts often in dollars. The average home price in the country is about $110,000, half of all deals close below $70,000, and over the year homes rose in price by 7.3%. A one-bedroom apartment in Mérida costs $53,000, in Cancún $71,000, a two-bedroom apartment in Mexico City $180,000.
This page covers apartments in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Querétaro, on the Caribbean coast in Cancún and Playa del Carmen, in Mérida and La Paz, prices by state, taxes on buying and letting, the rules of the bank trust by the sea and the residence terms. A manager will confirm what is for sale today and the exact price.
The market in brief
Prices and rules as of 2026.
Prices are based on home valuations in the state's mortgage deals for January-June 2026: the lower quarter, the middle and the upper quarter of the market; $1 = 18.71 pesos.
How much does an apartment in Mexico cost in 2026
Home prices in Mexico are quoted in pesos, while in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Los Cabos developers often name the price in dollars. Mexico City is the most expensive: the average home price here is more than twice the national average. Over the year homes rose faster than the national average in Jalisco, by 10.1%, and in Quintana Roo, by 9.8%, and slower in Mexico City, by 3.4%.
| State and cities | Average home price | Middle of the market | Price growth over the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | ~$230,000 | ~$180,000 | +3.4% |
| Jalisco: Guadalajara | ~$120,000 | ~$65,000 | +10.1% |
| Nuevo León: Monterrey | ~$110,000 | ~$65,000 | +7.6% |
| Querétaro | ~$130,000 | ~$110,000 | +4.9% |
| Quintana Roo: Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum | ~$110,000 | ~$71,000 | +9.8% |
| Yucatán: Mérida | ~$110,000 | ~$80,000 | +8.7% |
| Baja California Sur: La Paz, Los Cabos | ~$140,000 | ~$99,000 | +8.7% |
| Mexico average | ~$110,000 | ~$70,000 | +7.3% |
Data of Mexico's Federal Mortgage Company: home valuations in mortgage deals for January-June 2026; the middle of the market means half of all deals close below this amount; price growth is the second quarter of 2026 against the second quarter of 2025. Dollars at $1 = 18.71 pesos, rounded up.
What taxes are paid on letting and owning
Rent in Mexico is set in pesos, and at seaside resorts often in dollars. A non-resident pays tax on the rent with no deductions, a resident on a scale with a deduction for expenses. Letting to tourists by the night is also subject to VAT and the state lodging tax, and booking platforms withhold part of the taxes themselves on every payout. A manager will calculate the rental income of a specific apartment after tax in the chat.
| Tax | Rate |
|---|---|
| Rental income, non-resident | 25% of the rent with no deductions |
| Rental income, resident | 1.92-35% on a scale, 35% of income deducted for expenses |
| Letting by the night | plus 16% VAT and the state lodging tax |
| Gain on sale, non-resident | 25% of the sale price or 35% of the gain through a representative in Mexico |
| Annual property tax | a fraction of a percent of the cadastral value, paid to the municipality |
| Bank trust by the sea | an annual fee to the bank for running the trust |
Data for 2026; countries are compared in the rental yield table.
A Russian tax resident declares rental income in Russia and notifies the tax office of an account in a Mexican bank. How to bring in the money for the purchase is on the page how to send money to Mexico.
What costs to add to the price
| Payment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase tax | 2-5% of the price, the rate is set by the state and the municipality; 2% in Quintana Roo |
| Notary, valuation and registration | at the notary's and the state property registry's rates, which depend on the price |
| Bank trust by the sea and the borders | a permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, setting up the trust and an annual fee to the bank |
| VAT | the sale of homes is exempt from VAT |
Data for 2026. The deal is executed by a notary, who checks the source of funds, withholds the taxes and registers the title. The law restricts cash in home purchases, so payment goes by bank transfer. The manager calculates the total for a specific property.
In Mexico the property registry and the land status are checked before the deposit
Mistakes cost more than the tax: a purchase by the sea without a trust or on a private receipt, communal land that cannot be sold to a foreigner, a new building without the developer's right to the land and permits, the previous owner's property tax and water debts. Murblz support removes these risks: we find an apartment for the budget and goal, check the registry and permits, set up the trust and take the deal through the notary to title registration, and help with letting.
The cost of support depends on the purchase budget and the goal - investment, relocation or a home for yourself; the manager calculates it in the chat.
Does the purchase give residence
Residence for property in Mexico is granted to the owner of a home worth 40,000 daily minimum wages or more, over $570,000. With a cheaper purchase, temporary residence for 1-4 years is obtained based on income or savings, and after 4 years it is exchanged for permanent residence. The income thresholds and the application procedure are on the page Mexico residence permit, the path to a passport on the page Mexican citizenship.
An apartment can be bought without any status, with a passport. Far from the sea and the borders a foreigner owns the home directly with a permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while within 50 kilometres of the coast and 100 kilometres of the borders the purchase goes through a bank trust for 50 years with renewal: the bank holds the title, and the buyer lives in, lets, sells and passes on the apartment by inheritance. There are no separate restrictions for Russian citizens. A manager will find an apartment for a family move and residence in the chat.
How we select a property
- Budget and goal: rental income, capital preservation, relocation or a home for yourself. The manager clarifies the city and the form of ownership - direct or through a trust.
- A selection of real properties: apartments with the seller's price, area, building year and a yield calculation.
- Checks: an extract from the Public Property Registry, mortgages and seizures, the land status - communal land is not sold to foreigners, property tax and water debts, the developer's permits for a new building.
- A remote deal by power of attorney: deposit and preliminary contract, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs permit and the trust by the sea, payment by transfer, contract at the notary and title registration.
The manager sends the selection to the chat, with sellers' prices as of the selection date.
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More on buying in this country:
- Property in Mexico for foreigners: rules, taxes and the deal
- How to send money to Mexico
- Mexico residence permit
- Taxes in Mexico
- Mexican citizenship
- Company registration in Mexico
- Mexico City: what to see and whether to move there
- Mexico: all programs
All countries and budgets compared - on the page Investment property abroad.
FAQ
How much does an apartment in Mexico cost in 2026?
Can foreigners buy property in Mexico?
Does buying property give residence in Mexico?
What is a bank trust when buying by the sea?
What taxes are paid when buying property in Mexico?
What taxes does an apartment owner pay in Mexico?
Where to buy an apartment for investment in Mexico?
Can property in Mexico be bought remotely?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we shortlist properties for your goal, run legal checks and support the deal through to registration. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
Free consultationWhat happens next
- An expert reviews your situation and goal.
- We contact you the way you prefer and answer your questions.
- You get a work plan, honest timelines and a written quote.