Playa del Carmen has come a long way from its fishing-village days. A town of roughly a thousand people has swelled past 100,000 in a couple of decades, making it officially the fastest-growing city in Mexico and the country's second-biggest resort destination after Cancun, thirty miles up the coast. Yet it has managed the trick of doing all that without turning into Cancun — and that's exactly why so many foreigners end up staying.

City rules cap new buildings at three storeys, so the town keeps a low-rise, walkable feel. The heart of it is Quinta Avenida — 'La Quinta' — a pedestrian-friendly boulevard lined with boutique shops, cafes, bars and foreign-owned businesses set up by expats who arrived on holiday and never left. Over seven per cent of the population is non-Mexican, according to the Mexican Immigration Service, with a particularly strong European contingent mixing alongside North Americans and locals. Despite the growth, tienditas, street vendors and everyday Mexican street life are still everywhere — the blend of resort polish and genuine local culture is the town's biggest asset.

The practical fundamentals are strong for anyone considering a longer stay. Cancun's international airport is under an hour away by modern highway, Cozumel's ferries leave from the town centre, and there are plans for a new airport at Tulum. Daily life is easy too: Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Chedraui and Soriana sit alongside the department store Liverpool, so shopping needs are well covered.

Costs sit in the middle ground: slightly lower than Cancun or Los Cabos, though higher than inland colonial towns — the usual trade-off for Caribbean sand and services on your doorstep. Property prices have climbed sharply and the bargain-basement days are gone, but beach-area homes still cost far less than equivalents in the US or Western Europe, with everything from modest condos to luxury seafront builds on the market.

Life here runs on two gears. The relaxed one: white-sand beaches, spas, sunrise walks and long meals. The active one: world-class diving off Cozumel, snorkelling, sailing, kayaking, golf, tennis, yoga and salsa classes. The town also works as a base for serious day trips — the Mayan ruins at Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza, plus the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve — and there's cenote swimming and tubing on the doorstep.

Timing matters. Peak season runs November to March, when the town is busiest and prices peak; the rainy season stretches from late May to October, with hurricane risk highest in late summer. Temperatures hold between 20C winter nights and 31C summer days, averaging around 27C year-round.

Who is it for? Remote workers and consultants drawn by the international scene, retirees wanting warmth and walkability without high-rise glitz, and anyone testing the waters on a scouting trip. It's more laid-back and more authentically Mexican than Cancun, better connected than most of the Riviera Maya, and diverse enough that fitting in doesn't take long. If you're weighing up a move or an extended stay on Mexico's Caribbean coast, Playa deserves a spot at the top of your shortlist.