---
title: "Mazatlán vs Tulum for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/mazatlan-vs-tulum
description: "Under balanced weights Tulum edges it, 59 to 58, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Mazatlán is stronger on nothing outright; Tulum on getting there & around. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Mazatlán vs Tulum for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Tulum edges it, 59 to 58, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Mazatlán is stronger on nothing outright; Tulum on getting there & around. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Mazatlán | Tulum | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 52 | 51 | Mazatlán |
| Safety | 23 | 23 | tie |
| Healthcare | 65 | 65 | tie |
| Internet | 60 | 50 | Mazatlán |
| Visa ease | 90 | 90 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 18 | 29 | Tulum |
| Climate | 75 | 75 | tie |
| Air quality | 86 | 93 | Tulum |
| Quality of life | 54 | 54 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Mazatlán | Tulum | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,400 | $1,458 | Mazatlán |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $836 | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Mazatlán | Tulum | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 28.2 | 28.2 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 53.7 | 53.7 | tie |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 | 79 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 70.8 yrs | 70.8 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Mazatlán | Tulum | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 31.8 Mbps | 19.3 Mbps | Mazatlán |
| Upload | 10.7 Mbps | 8.8 Mbps | Mazatlán |

## Visa

| Metric | Mazatlán | Tulum | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 180 days | 180 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 180 days | 180 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 180 days | 180 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Mazatlán | Tulum | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 23 | 134 | Tulum |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Mazatlán |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Mazatlán | Tulum | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 9 | 9 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 11.3 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | Tulum |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Mazatlán or Tulum?

Mazatlán is cheaper: about $1,400 per month versus $1,458 for one person.

### Is Mazatlán or Tulum safer?

Mazatlán scores higher on safety (23 vs 23), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Mazatlán or Tulum?

Mazatlán: a measured median of 31.8 Mbps versus 19.3 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Mazatlán](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/mazatlan) · [Tulum](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/tulum). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/mazatlan-vs-tulum