Playa Before the Boom: What Colosio Still Remembers

Go north of 5th Avenue, not along it. You will find the Playa del Carmen that existed before the tour buses.

In 1995, 17,621 people lived in Playa del Carmen. The 2020 census counted 304,942, and INEGI's 2025 survey puts the municipality at 394,326, before a single visitor is counted. Most of the city grew up around the visitors. One neighborhood mostly did not.

What the neighborhood actually is

Officially it is Luis Donaldo Colosio. Everyone who lives here says Colosio. It sits north of Centro. It is flat enough that almost everyone gets around by bike. It has become something of an open-air gallery. Murals run block after block, painted because artists wanted to paint them, not because a tourism board asked.

It is one of the few neighborhoods in Playa where the street art is the reason people bring a camera.

Who stays here

Young couples and remote workers who want a longer stay without a resort-sized budget. Monthly rent here is usually lower than in Centro. That is exactly why remote workers showed up during and after the pandemic. It is also why most of them stayed.

If your trip is measured in weeks instead of days, this is where the math starts to make sense.

What is within a walk

The south end of Colosio is a 15 to 20 minute walk to downtown. 5th Avenue, Parque Fundadores and the ferry terminal lie beyond it. The Colosio market opens at 7 a.m. and is an 8-minute walk from Casitas. The restaurants out here serve the people who live here, which is the whole difference.

Getting around

Most days you will not need a car or a cab. The neighborhood is bikeable end to end. That is how most people who live here get around. A local bus into Centro costs about 5 pesos. It is cheap enough that you will not think twice about taking it for a night out. Then you catch a cab back.

The honest tradeoff

This is not the middle of the nightlife. If your idea of a good night is stepping out of your door onto 5th Avenue, expect this. You will notice the extra 15 to 20 minutes every time. That is the trade, plainly stated. You get quieter streets and real prices, in exchange for not being in the thick of it.

What you get back is a neighborhood that is not performing for tourists.

Staying here

Casitas are private stand-alone units with their own outdoor space and a full induction kitchen, built for the weeks-not-days stay. Bicycles are complimentary, subject to availability, and the laundromat is next door.

This is the Playa that existed before the tour buses. It is still here. It is just not on 5th Avenue anymore.

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Stay in Colosio: see Casitas in Colosio and book direct.

More from Rudy: Colosio, the full neighborhood guide, and how Zazil-Ha, Centro and Colosio compare.

FAQ

Is Colosio walkable to downtown?

From the south end, figure a 15 to 20 minute walk to downtown Playa del Carmen. A short bike ride works too.

Is this a quiet neighborhood or a party one?

Quiet. That is the entire appeal. A night out on 5th Avenue means a bus ride there and a bike ride or cab back.

How do I get around?

Most people bike. A local bus into Centro costs about 5 pesos.