Is Playa del Carmen a good place to live?

64/100 livability · Mexico
Playa del Carmen, Mexico scores 64/100 for livability — a strong place to live: cost 57/100, climate 77/100, safety 60/100. Warmest-month high ~28.6°C, coldest-month low ~23.6°C. Main natural-disaster exposure: storms (hurricane/cyclone). Safety 60/100 blends disaster (52) and crime (70).
Playa del Carmen — average monthly high (°C, WorldClim)
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Livability pillars (0-100)
57Cost77Climate60Safety
Disaster risk by type (1-5)
1Quake4Flood5Storm1Wildfire3Heat2Drought1Cold1Tsunami

How each score is calculated: CostiAffordability, 0–100. Higher = cheaper. = 100 − (country price level vs US × a city-size premium). Source: World Bank PPP ÷ exchange rate (US = 100). · ClimateiComfort, 0–100, from WorldClim monthly temperatures. Penalises hot summers (above ~24°C), cold winters (below ~6°C) and too-cool summers (below 15°C). Higher = milder. · Safetyi0–100. Higher = safer. Blends 55% natural-disaster safety (8 hazards — earthquake from real USGS records, plus flood, storm, wildfire, heat, drought, cold, tsunami) and 45% crime safety (homicide rate). · LivabilityiOverall score, 0–100 = 0.35 × Cost + 0.30 × Climate + 0.35 × Safety. (hover the i)

How to read the scores — all on a 0–100 scale, higher is better.

What living in Playa del Carmen actually looks like

On cost, Mexico sits at 43 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — well below US prices — which maps to an affordability score of 57/100. The climate brings warm summers (warmest-month highs around 28.6°C) and mild winters (coldest-month lows near 23.6°C), scoring 77/100 on our comfort index. Personal safety is moderate at 60/100 — a blend of natural-disaster exposure (52/100; main risk storms (hurricane/cyclone)) and crime safety (70/100). Weighted together (0.35 cost, 0.30 climate, 0.35 safety) that produces an overall livability of 64/100 — a strong place to live. On balance, Playa del Carmen suits people who prioritise climate comfort best; weigh it against the disaster profile below before committing.

Natural-disaster risk in Playa del Carmen

Does Playa del Carmen get hurricanes or cyclones?

Storm risk in Playa del Carmen is very high (5/5), reflecting its tropical-cyclone/severe-storm basin.

Does Playa del Carmen flood?

Flood risk in Playa del Carmen is high (4/5), based on regional river/coastal flood exposure.

Does Playa del Carmen get dangerously hot?

Extreme-heat risk in Playa del Carmen is moderate (3/5); warmest-month mean high ~28.6°C (WorldClim).

How scored: livability = 0.35·cost + 0.30·climate + 0.35·safety. Climate from WorldClim v2.1 normals; cost from World Bank PPP÷FX (real, open); earthquake from USGS (real); flood/storm/wildfire/drought/tsunami tiers indicative — verify before publish.

FAQ

Is Playa del Carmen a good place to live?

Playa del Carmen scores 64/100 for livability — cost 57, climate 77, safety 60.

Is Playa del Carmen safe?

Safety 60/100 = disaster safety 52 (main risk storms (hurricane/cyclone)) blended with crime safety 70.

What's the climate like in Playa del Carmen?

Warmest-month highs average ~28.6°C and coldest-month lows ~23.6°C (WorldClim climate normals).

How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen?

Mexico sits at 43/100 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — affordability score 57/100.

See also

All cities in Mexico → Best places to retire in Mexico → Digital nomad guide to Mexico → Natural-disaster risk in Mexico → Safest cities from storms (hurricane/cyclone) → Tropical-climate cities →

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