Want to buy property in Mexico? Make sure you invest close enough to a major airport

Whether for vacation, living or investment purposes, having a property to stay in or rent out that’s near a major airport is a great idea; a destination within convenient reach of the airport will automatically increase your property’s value.

According to the latest World Tourism Barometer from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Mexico, featuring some of the world’s busiest airports, is currently ranking as the seventh most visited country in 2025. So, if you’re thinking about buying a vacation property for yourself or to rent out as a business investment, one thing you’ll want to consider is how close your purchase is to an airport.

To give you an idea of the possibilities out there, let’s take a look at some examples of excellent real estate investment options you can find within an hour of an international airport in some of Mexico’s most popular destinations.

Baja California Sur

This two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is an example of what’s available in the heart of San José del Cabo‘s desirable hotel zone, directly in front of stunning Costa Azul beach. It boasts the kind of tourist-friendly amenities you’ll want to look for in this sort of property, such as a common area with an exquisitely designed pool, breathtaking views, a gym and a tennis court. Spanning 158 square meters (1,700 square feet) in a prime location, this is a perfect example of an excellent investment property candidate you can rent out or resell easily.

A bit further out from the heart of the action, consider El Tezal, one of Cabo San Lucas’s most desirable residential areas. It’s a convenient half hour from Los Cabos International Airport. Here, there are properties like this competitively priced 128-square-meter (1,377 square feet), two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with fantastic beach views.

Quintana Roo

Quintana Roo has the blockbuster tourist destination of Cancún, of course, but you might also consider Cozumel, where you can find beachfront apartments like this 190-square-meter (2,045 square feet) standout, located on Cozumel’s west side — which sees little sargassum — close to Cozumel International Airport. It offers stunning views, tennis courts and excellent common areas, including a dining room, a gym and a pool. Are you seeing a pattern? These are the amenities to find in a place you plan to rent out to vacationers.

In addition to having quick access to Cozumel International Airport, you can easily access Cancún International Airport from Cozumel as well, via a one-hour ferry ride.

Playa del Carmen, located an hour from Cancún International Airport, is one of the cities in the Mexican Caribbean with the highest added value. Property prices here can naturally get steep, so if you’re looking for something a bit more affordable, look outside the hotel zone for something like this two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, located closer to where full-time residents live but still a taxi ride away from the heart of the party.

This modern property spans a more modest 89 square meters (957 square feet) but still includes a pool, gym and grill area in the complex. Located just 10 minutes from the beach and surrounded by picturesque, lush vegetation, this is the kind of destination popular with vacationers who want a quieter beach getaway not surrounded by partiers.

Yucatán

Situated in the heart of lovely, safe downtown Mérida, this sort of home has significant added value. With amenities like a lovely lap pool, high ceilings, a blend of colonial and modern architectural styles and a spacious living room, this two-bedroom property is an excellent option for investment, for living in yourself full-time or for use as a vacation home. It’s also located less than one hour from Mérida International Airport.

Have you heard of Chelem, a fishing village not far from Mérida that’s becoming a more popular destination with expats? For those who like a quieter vacation or retirement destination, Chelem’s beautiful beaches, friendly locals and chill vibe is still a place you can find an ample, reasonably priced apartment like this four-bedroom, four-bathroom, 185-square-meter beauty right in front of the beach. It also includes a jacuzzi, a garden, a large terrace and an infinity pool with sea views in the common areas. The property also offers 24-hour security and even a bar.

Chelem appeals to folks who like to rent a beach house rather than stay in a resort. The town provides the charm of interacting with locals, but you won’t lack basic everyday services like supermarkets. It’s an acceptable 48 minutes from Mérida International Airport.

Jalisco

It’s still possible to find affordable luxury in the charming beach town of Sayulita, like this exceptional though tinier 60-square-meter apartment (645 square feet) with a view of the ocean, yet just an hour from Puerto Vallarta International Airport.

Here you can still find spectacular views of the ocean and the surrounding jungle. This development, for example, features its own infinity pool and beautifully designed common areas, which include a pool, restaurant and bar.

In Puerto Vallarta, there are still opportunities to be found like Casa Muñeca, a 4,232-square meter (45,552 square feet) home in the downtown. This sort of property — which embodies rustic colonial Mexican charm with its traditional adobe walls, high ceilings and talavera tiles — is the kind of property that vacation renters looking for a traditional, more authentic Mexico experience will love.

Of course, you’ll pay a lot more for a property like this — closer to U.S. prices — but with three bedrooms and details like stunning views of the sea, a picturesque rooftop palapa, and a mother-in-law apartment on the ground floor, this property in PV’s Gringo Gulch neighborhood could be considered part of the city’s cultural heritage.

For more affordable options, there’s the town of San Juan Cosalá, just a half hour from the popular expat haven of Chapala and a mere 9 kilometers outside of Ajijic. Here you can find properties like Casa Trinidad, a 350-square meter (3,767 square feet), four-bedroom, five-bathroom home with a pool sited on a 717-square-meter (7,717 square feet) lot. Part of an exclusive development of eight luxury homes that share gardens and recreational areas, it’s a reasonable 50 minutes from Guadalajara International Airport.

Mexico City

And finally, yes, you can still find great properties in the heart of Mexico’s capital, for far less than you’d pay for a condo in many comparable U.S. or Canadian metropolitan hubs.

This 10-apartment development, for example, located in the iconic Santa María La Ribera neighborhood, features two- and three-bedroom apartments with a throwback California Mission-style facade but with updated, modern interiors. Located in the central Cuauhtémoc borough, one of Mexico City’s most valuable areas, it’s the kind of property that you’ll always be able to rent or simply enjoy whenever you visit.