Playa del Carmen vs Cancun: How to Decide (2025)

Trying to choose between Playa del Carmen vs Cancun? You’re in the right place.

I faced the same decision and decided to do both.

I was backpacking along the Mayan Riviera and it’s pretty easy to get from Cancun to Playa del Carmen and vice versa.)

And I’m going to be honest here – the stuff I see written online about Cancun vs Playa del Carmen doesn’t seem to fit with what I saw when I was there in 2025. Playa del Carmen has changed a lot over the past few years.

After staying in both, I’m going to outline for you what highlights set them apart from each other so you can choose which one for you.

Both are nice places to visit, but the best one for you depends on:

• what you’re going there for
• what you want out of a trip or vacation

So, let’s jump in – weighting Cancun against Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen vs Cancun: A Snapshot

As you can see, they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

In a nutshell, Playa del Carmen highlights are:

• Great shopping, especially if you want Mexican souvenirs.
• Lots and lots of restaurants at your fingertips
• Being very walkable, compact, and pedestrian-friendly
• Proximity to cenotes (most are closer to Tulum, but you can access them easier from PDC than you can from Cancun)

Cancun highlights are:

• The MUSA Underwater Museum. Read my post about visiting MUSA here
• Better beaches
• Nightclubs and casinos (Playa doesn’t have these things)
• Resorts

Want to spend time in both, like I did? Read my post on how to get from Cancun to Playa del Carmen (airport or downtown.) It’s very easy. I took the ADO Bus from downtown Cancun right to the bus station in downtown Playa del Carmen

Which is Quieter?

Cancun has long been thought of as the more crowded, touristy area with nightclubs and partying- while Playa del Carmen was the small, quiet and relaxing beach town.

As of 2025, I can tell you that this is no longer the case.

As you’re walking around Playa del Carmen, you’ll likely experience:

• Lots of pushy store owners trying to get you into their store to buy things
• Loud music from restaurants and bars late into the night. On weekends, it can go on until the early hours (especially on Quinta Avenida – 5th Avenue)

This doesn’t mean that Playa del Carmen isn’t still a nice place, or that I don’t like Playa del Carmen. I still really liked it there. But, I find the descriptions online of Playa del Carmen being a “quiet, beach town” to not be accurate anymore.

So, if you want peace and quiet but you to go to Playa del Carmen, then read reviews of accommodations and be sure to choose a place that is outside of the downtown area.

I stayed at Hotel Lunata which was right on 5th avenue. I started with a street-facing room, but asked to change rooms because of the street noice going until after midnight most nights. Luckily, they moved me to a garden-facing room and I could hardly hear the noise and I slept much better. You can stay on 5th Avenue, but if you want to go to bed before midnight then you should avoid rooms that face the street.

Which is Safer – Cancun or Playa del Carmen?

Both Cancun and Playa del Carmen are some of the safest places in Mexico and have very low crime rates – especially directed towards tourists.

Have there been crimes, and bad things happening to tourists in both places? Yes. But, the crime rates in both cities are very low.

As a solo female traveller, I spent a lot of time walking around both cities (downtown Cancun and Playa del Carmen) and I never experienced feeling unsafe.

I even walked at night, and took money out of bank machines, and never felt like I was under anyone’s eye.

Which is Best for Families/Solo Travellers/Couples, etc?

Couples/Honeymooners

Cancun is bigger on resorts, spas, and relaxing beaches. So if this is what you want as a couple – then Cancun may be your place.

If as a couple, you want to be somewhere more walkable and activity-oriented, then you might prefer Playa del Carmen.

Playa del Carmen is better for exploring, whereas Cancun is better for one of those relaxing beach vacations where you can choose to ‘do nothing.’

Families

Both Cancun and Playa del Carmen are great for families. As a mom who has travelled with kids of all ages (newborn to pre-teen), I would visit either Cancun or Playa del Carmen with my kids.

I saw many, many families at the Cancun airport waiting to take their shuttles to the Hotel Zone. I also saw many families, with kids of all ages walking around Playa del Carmen.

*The important thing to keep in mind as a family visiting Playa del Carmen*

Playa del Carmen has long been thought of as a “quiet beach town” with a “relaxed” vibe, but this doesn’t seem to still be the case as of 2025. Playa del Carmen is loud, it has a party atmosphere and there are people everywhere.

If you visit Playa del Carmen as a family, I highly recommend reading reviews carefully and choosing a place that is far from any noise. Restaurants, bars and stores are open until late; sometimes early morning hours – and if you’re somewhere near those things, it may be hard for kids to get to sleep.

Solo travellers

I visited both Cancun and Playa del Carmen as a solo traveller and I enjoyed Playa del Carmen more.

As an introvert, I don’t mind spending lots of time alone. But Cancun is a place that seems designed for families, couples or friends vacation. Not that you can’t visit Cancun alone, (I obviously did) but I felt that things were a bit more spread out, so I felt more isolated in Cancun.

In Playa del Carmen, I found it easier to feel connected to the world around me because of how walkable it is and the ease of getting around.

Groups of Friends/Bachelor(ette) Parties

Cancun has high-end nightclubs, casinos, and great beaches.

Playa del Carmen has a nightlife scene too, but not in terms of nightclubs. Playa del Carmen is more focused on bars and late-night restaurants with live music.

So if you want to ‘party’ with friends then you have to choose what partying looks like to you. If its walking around, bar hopping, live music, and staying out late – then Playa del Carmen.

If you want nightclubs, then you need to consider Cancun.

Which Has Better Food?

In Cancun, especially if you’re staying at the hotel zone, then you’ll probably mostly be eating the food at your resort so you should read the reviews and look at menus for the food there.

There are some great restaurants in downtown Cancun, but because it’s not a compact or walkable city, and it’s harder to get to experience a variety of food options.

If you’re a foodie, you’ll probably like Playa del Carmen much better.

Having said that, I found that both Cancun and Playa del Carmen offer Mexican cooking classes that you can take.

There is a nice market in downtown Cancun if you’re willing to take transit. And like I said, there are some great restaurants.

Most people wouldn’t relate, but I love vegan restaurants. I tried all the vegan restaurants in Playa del Carmen but none of them were as good as the vegan restaurant I found in Cancun, called Herbívoro.

Which has Better Beaches?

Playa del Carmen has a few nice public beaches which have waves and are good for either swimming or surfing. Some of the resorts have private beach access.

The waves in Playa del Carmen look pretty strong, and can be good for surfing.

It’s hard to beat the beaches in Cancun.

Which has More or Better Activities?

If you want to do more than just the beach, then both Playa del Carmen and Cancun actually have lots of things to do.

The Verdict: Which Should YOU Choose?

Generally, I would recommend Playa del Carmen over Cancun because I like don’t particularly like the Hotel Zone, where most tourists tend to stay in Cancun.

It is cut off from the rest of the city, and from most of the truly ‘Mexican’ feel of the town. It’s mostly beaches, resorts, nightclubs, casinos, some restaurants. If you want to do something beyond these things, then you need to be willing to travel a little bit.

So, I would recommend Playa del Carmen, unless:

• Beaches are a huge priority for you. Playa del Carmen beaches are nice, but they’re not as good as the Cancun ones
• You don’t mind the idea of the hotel zone. You might have a different taste in travel than I do, and that’s ok!

Pro Tip: Not all accommodations in Cancun are resorts. There are also many condos and villas that you can rent out that are in the hotel zone.

Great Accommodations in Cancun and Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen vs Cancun FAQ

Here are the most commonly asked questions about choosing between Playa del Carmen and Cancun

Which is nicer, Cancun or Playa del Carmen?

Both Cancun and Playa del Carmen are nice places, but they are very different. Playa del Carmen is much more walkable and easier to navigate. It’s better for exploring the Mayan Riviera and other parts of Mexico and engaging in Mexican culture. Cancun has the hotel zone which is separated from the rest of the city, and is more about relaxing, partying and beaches. This doesn’t mean you can’t still experience Mexican culture and variety from Cancun, but you’d have to either stay downtown (which is less accessible to beaches) or be willing to take transportation to other parts of Cancun and the area.

Is it better to go to Cancun or Playa del Carmen?

Neither Cancun or Playa del Carmen is better than the other, they are both just very different. If you’re a solo traveller, then I think Playa del Carmen will make you feel a bit more connected with many things to do at your fingertips. The Cancun Hotel Zone is better for people who want the best beaches and nightclubs.

Is Cancun or Playa del Carmen better for singles?

As a solo traveller, I found it easier and more fun to navigate Playa del Carmen because it was so walkable. I wasn’t looking to meet people, i was looking to spend time alone. If you’re single and looking to meet people, then you may prefer Cancun because there are nightclubs.

Final Thoughts on Choosing Between Playa del Carmen and Cancun

Choosing between Playa del Carmen and Cancun is an easy choice if you know exactly what you’re looking for, and if you know what both of those places currently offer.

I hope that I have cleared up the decision for you in highlighting the the strengths and weaknesses of these two popular Mexican destinations.

Keep in mind, that both Cancun and Playa del Carmen are among some of the best cities in Mexico to visit and you can’t really go ‘wrong’ with either.

Worst case – Playa and Cancun are only about 1 hour apart from each other, and you can easily travel between them, as well as to other places in the Yucatan. I wish you a Buen Viaje (great trip!) to wherever you decide!