Huatulco, Mexico

Huatulco, Mexico (officially known as Bahías de Huatulco, or Bays of Huatulco) is a resort development nestled between the clear waters of its nine bays and the leafy foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains.

This quiet, adventurous eastern Oaxacan town may be small, but there are many reasons to pay a visit to this slice of paradise.

The region is made up of four main parts within a mile or so of each other: Tangolunda, home of upscale resorts and excellent scuba diving, La Crucecita, a quiet, inland town with an authentic Mexican feel, the bustling Santa Cruz marina full of fun tourist stops, and Chahué, the centrally located, boat-friendly stretch of condos on the beach.

Travel north, and you’ll find yourself climbing through the reaches of a biodiverse tropical jungle growing coffee, nuts, and bananas.

This coastal town now has around 50,000 residents, showing a 32% increase since 2010 and its growing popularity.

Most visitors are Mexicans traveling within the country, so the place mainly uses Spanish as the primary language. But despite its size, life in Huatulco offers a lot of amenities for its travelers and residents.

Here is everything you need to know about moving to Huatulco, Mexico:

Cost Of Living In Huatulco, Mexico

Like many other cities in the region, the cost of living in Huatulco is significantly less than in the United States.

Huatulco has beautiful nature, a small-town feel, modern amenities, and good food and social life. Living here is affordable and offers great value.

It is very easy to get around Huatulco by foot, bike, or scooter. Taxis are popular and cheap, costing around US$3 to US$4 for a ride across town.

Owning/buying a car should cost around US$100 a month for payments (including insurance) and gas. There are many car rental places in Huatulco, but they often overcharge, as do taxis from the airport.

Real Estate Market

Real estate can be pricier in Huatulco than in other Oaxacan cities because of all the low-capacity developments. But, there are properties available at all price points.

A couple can find a nice two-bedroom apartment in Huatulco for US$500 and up to US$700 a month, or an oceanfront property for around US$1,500 a month.

Most of these nice residencies in Huatulco, Mexico, offer gardening and housekeeping services for around US$100 a month, and utilities should set you back at least US$60 a month. Those who want to check out the region for vacation can get a nice, newly renovated hotel room with a pool starting at US$55/night.

As you go further inland in Huatulco, properties are usually cheaper. However, since everything is close by, it’s still easy to have beach views or access even if you’re inland.

Beach views/access will cost around US$400,000, no-views will cost around US$200,000, and an ocean-view villa or gated mansion will cost around a million dollars.

Most properties come furnished, as the market is typically full of second-home buyers from Mexico or North America. And because Huatulco is a federally built city, there is a big security presence, so living here is generally safe.

Santa Cruz is one of the most popular areas to live, with several resorts, hotels, and condos nearby. A one-bedroom condo in a new development will set you back around US$140,000, and an ocean-view two-bedroom with a terrace will cost around US$290,000.

Moving east towards La Crucecita opens you up to cheaper properties within minutes to the beach, and if you keep moving further central towards Chahué, you can get a two-bedroom condo for up to US$300,000 near the beach and the town.

Tangolunda is mainly full of all-inclusive resorts and some residential developments.

Everything else in Huatulco is relatively inexpensive. For groceries there are big-box stores like Chedraui and local food markets, but many people have monthly grocery budgets of US$60 to US$150 because eating out is so easy. A dinner for two with a drink will cost you around US$25 and getting a Mexican dish for $5 is common.

Things To Do In Huatulco, Mexico

Because Huatulco was designed as a tourist destination, there are many things to do in the town, oftentimes for cheap.

The region has cultural significance, as legend says the Toltecs and Quetzalcoatl came from here, and the Mexicas or indigenous communities like the Zapotecs also have roots in the area.

Archaeology enthusiasts may like Bocana del Río Copalita, a 2,500-year-old place with temples, a Mesoamerican ball pit, and a museum.

History enthusiasts will find the region’s significance as a port for Hernán Cortés during the Spanish Conquest intriguing. Francis Drake and Thomas Cavendish assaulted it in the 16th century.

Bays And Coves

Nowadays, the biggest draw in the region would be the area’s natural beauty.

Huatulco’s nine bays and numerous small coves stretch along 26 kilometers of coastline, with 36 white sandy beaches lapping up against turquoise water.

Pretty much every water sport you can think of is available here, including surfing, fishing, scuba diving, jet skis, and boat excursions. Many cruise ships dock here, and boats are available for charter.

The western beaches dissolve into the Parque Nacional (National Park) Huatulco, which is a protected area enclosing the most important coral communities in the Mexican pacific, the best preserved dry tropical rainforest in Mexico, 723 species of animals, and 115 species of birds.

Scuba diving, bird watching, and hiking are incredible in this area, as it was given a prestigious Green Globe International Certification as the first sustainable tourist community in the Americas.

Many locals are involved in protecting these green spaces, and many do volunteer beach cleanups, work in sea turtle conservation, and practice sustainable fishing. There’s even an annual music festival dedicated to preserving nature.

Limited Nightlife

Huatulco lacks a wild nightlife scene because it was designed to be a calmer Cancun. However, there are bars and nightclubs in Chahué, Santa Cruz, or near the hotels in Tangolunda Bay. There are also craft shops, discotheques, restaurants, a golf course, and chartered excursion trips.

The infrastructure of the region features good roads, fast internet, pretty landscaping, and a very natural feel with lots of open space.

Museums are nearby featuring Mesoamerican art or natural studies, and there are coffee plantations nearby to tour. Also, diverse offerings of seafood and traditional Oaxacan gastronomy, and many people enjoy the street food found near beaches.

And although 80% of its tourism is domestic, there is a huge expat “snowbird” community that hosts events and contributes to a large, English-speaking subculture.

All legal residents over the age of 60 also qualify for a discount card from the INAPAM (Instituto Nacional para las Personas Adultas Mayores) which gives discounts on many goods and services.

Health care in Huatulco is extremely cheap compared to the US, and although no Medicare or Canadian insurance is accepted, an average doctor’s visit should only cost up to US$27.

In the area you have two hospitals and a Red Cross clinic .

Doctors can come to your house and pharmacies are open late. You only need prescriptions for strong antibiotics and narcotics, which are usually inexpensive.

For advanced medical care, there is a hospital in Puerto Escondido two hours away, but the government just announced that they are building a US$256 million-dollar hospital in Huatulco to feed the medical tourism industry.

Moving To Huatulco

For North Americans, Mexico is right in our backyard, making travel to and from the United States and Canada quite accessible.

Direct flights are available to many cities within the U.S. and now there are several airlines to choose from.

Mexico is a large country with many different, diverse lifestyles on offer. It boasts a geography few other countries in the world can match, complete with extensive coastlines along both the Caribbean and the Pacific, as well as great mountain towns offering low-humidity, temperate-climate options.

Whatever climate or lifestyle you’re looking for, Mexico’s surely got it. Before you make the move, consider where you would like to live in Mexico.