Owning a lot in a Tulum private community costs less than most foreign buyers expect. Plan for one-time closing costs of typically 6–8% of the price, an HOA fee of about 5 MXN per m² per month (our disclosed rate at Selvadentro), a fideicomiso annuity of typically $500–700 USD, and a property tax that is famously low in Mexico.
Most developers lead with the purchase price and go quiet about everything after it. We would rather you see the full picture before you sign — at Selvadentro or anywhere else. Here is every cost of ownership we know of, split into what you pay once, what you pay every year, and what comes later if you build. Where a figure is ours, we say so; where it is a market-typical range, we frame it that way.
What do you pay once, at purchase?
Three things, on top of the price of the land:
- Closing costs — typically 6–8% of the purchase price in the Riviera Maya. This bundle covers the ISABI acquisition tax, the notary's fees and the public registry. The notary (notario público) is a state-appointed legal officer who formalizes the transfer — a stronger figure than a US notary, and a cost worth paying properly.
- Fideicomiso setup. As a foreign buyer within 50 km of the coast, you own through a bank trust — the standard, fully legal structure since Mexico's foreign investment framework of 1973, updated in 1993. It grants full rights to use, rent, sell and inherit, on 50-year renewable terms. Setup fees vary by bank, so quote it separately; it is a one-time cost alongside closing.
- Your own due diligence. A lawyer reviewing permits and the condominium regime is money well spent. The September 2025 SEDETUS reviews in Tulum — 26 developments flagged, 14 cleared within days after proving compliance — showed exactly why. Our legal compliance page lists what to request.
If you buy on a developer payment plan — ours runs 48 months, interest-free — the purchase price spreads out, but closing formalities and their costs still happen on the schedule your notary sets.
How much is the HOA fee, really?
At Selvadentro the maintenance fee is approximately 5 MXN per m² per month. It is billed on your lot size, so you can compute it before you ever talk to a salesperson. For a 600 m² lot:
| Item | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly HOA fee | 600 m² × ~5 MXN | ~3,000 MXN/month |
| Annual HOA fee | ~3,000 MXN × 12 | ~36,000 MXN/year |
Note the currency: the fee is set in pesos. For a dollar-based owner that means the dollar cost moves with the exchange rate — historically a tailwind for USD earners, but honesty requires saying it cuts both ways.
What the fee funds: 24/7 security and controlled access, upkeep of the amenities and common areas — cenotes, trails, the clubhouse and the rest of the 12+ experiences — plus the community's infrastructure. On top of the fee, our trust includes a homeowners-association reserve for long-term maintenance, so the community is not one special assessment away from deferred repairs.
What other recurring costs should you budget?
- Fideicomiso annuity: typically $500–700 USD per year, paid to the trustee bank. Fixed, predictable, and the price of a structure that has protected foreign owners for decades.
- Predial (property tax). Mexico's property tax is famously low by US and Canadian standards, and undeveloped land is assessed lower than built homes. We won't put a number on it because it varies by municipality and assessed value — but for most owners it is a minor line, not a budget driver.
What costs come later, when you build?
None of these are due until you decide to build — and at Selvadentro there is no deadline to start (once you do start, the build window is 2 years).
- Construction permits and licenses, quoted by your architect based on the project. Municipal fees scale with the build.
- Utility connections. The community infrastructure — sustainable energy, an underground water network, internet in common areas and the internal roads — is part of the masterplan; your individual hookups are quoted with your construction project.
- Your build itself, governed by rules that bind every owner: 35% maximum lot coverage, two levels plus roof deck. Those limits are also what protects the value of what you build.
What does the first year actually total?
An illustrative example — a 600 m² lot at our current $167 USD/m² (the launch price was $119 in May 2025), bought outright. Your numbers will differ; this is the shape, not a quote.
| Concept | Basis | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lot price | 600 m² × $167 USD/m² | ~$100,200 USD |
| Closing costs | Typical 6–8% of price | ~$6,000–8,000 USD |
| Fideicomiso setup | One-time, varies by bank | Quote separately |
| Fideicomiso annuity | Typical range, year one | $500–700 USD |
| HOA fee, year one | 600 m² × ~5 MXN × 12 | ~36,000 MXN |
| Predial | Low; varies by municipality | Minor line item |
The takeaway: beyond the land itself, first-year ownership costs run in the high single-digit percentages of the purchase price, and the recurring costs from year two onward — HOA, annuity, predial — are modest for what they maintain. Set against a market where our own square meter moved from $119 to $167 USD between May 2025 and today, carrying costs are rarely what decides whether Tulum land makes sense; the entry decision is.
If you want these numbers run against a specific lot — size, current price, payment plan — the current availability is at Tulum land for sale, our FAQ answers the questions buyers ask most, and an advisor will give you the full cost sheet before asking anything of you.