Good to know
Good to Know
- Cancun's population has experienced explosive growth since the 1970s, from 3 residents to over 1 million, making it a young, dynamic city.
- Spanish is primary language but English is widely understood in tourist zones and among the expat community.
- Argentine expats have a notable business presence, particularly in hospitality and dining.
- The expat community is organized and welcoming, with regular social meetups and support networks for newcomers.
- Population is youthful and diverse due to migration from Central America and other parts of Mexico, alongside international expat settlement.
Notable Foreign Communities
Argentine
- Presence
- Significant community in Quintana Roo state; smaller contingent in Cancun
- Characteristics
- Business ownership in hospitality, restaurants, retail
American
- Presence
- Large and rapidly growing expat community
- Characteristics
- Retirees, remote workers, digital nomads
Notable Migrant Origins Recent 5 Years
Guatemala
- Count
- 1820
Argentina
- Count
- 1190
Venezuela
- Count
- 1150
Religion
- Catholic Percent
- 89
- Protestant Other Percent
- 11
Expat Community
- Status
- Growing rapidly
- Community Resources
- Multiple Facebook groups, weekly meetups at various bars
- Main Hub Neighborhoods
- Puerto Cancun, Costa Mujeres, Hotel Zone
Population Total
- Estimate 2026
- 1094413
- Note
- metro area estimate
Population Growth
- Annual Growth Rate Percent
- 3.53
- Description
- Strong growth driven by tourism and migration
Language Composition
- Spanish Speakers Percent
- 92
- Indigenous Language Speakers Percent
- 8.05
- English Widely Spoken
- Yes
- Primary Indigenous Language
- Maya
- Note
- Heavy English presence due to tourism
Foreign Born Percentage
- Note
- City-specific percentage not available; Quintana Roo state had 1.4% foreign-born in 2010 census
Business And Tech Presence
- Tech Industry
- Limited data on tech-specific sector
- Emerging Trend
- Increasing numbers of remote workers and digital nomads relocating to the city
- Primary Economic Driver
- Tourism and hospitality
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Cancún
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.