Cozumel poverty: 39.6% of residents affected, report says

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Nearly 4 in 10 residents of Cozumel live in poverty, according to the federal Secretariat of Welfare’s annual report on poverty and social backwardness.

The report says 28,993 people — 39.6 percent of the island’s population — are living in poverty. Of those, 25,286 are in moderate poverty, or 34.5 percent, while 3,707 are in extreme poverty, accounting for 5.1 percent.

Another 16,897 residents are considered vulnerable due to social deprivations, and 8,489 are vulnerable due to insufficient income, the report found.

The document highlights significant gaps in access to basic services. Some 33,411 people — 45.6 percent of the population — lack social security, while 18,300 lack access to health services. Educational backwardness affects 8,201 residents, or 11.2 percent, and 10,269 people lack access to nutritious, quality food. In housing, 3,686 residents lack basic services.

The figures stand in contrast to Cozumel’s tourism-driven economy. The island welcomed millions of visitors in 2025, mainly through cruise ship arrivals, but the economic activity has not translated into stable incomes, labor benefits, or essential services for many local families.

Montserrat Corrales, a tourism sector worker, said: “Although there is work for a good part of the year, not all jobs come with benefits. When illness or an unexpected expense comes up, the family has to cover it with its own income and the money goes further less.”

José May, a temporary worker and father, explained: “Tourism generates movement and there are seasons when you earn better, but there are also months when income drops. During those periods, spending on food, rent, and transportation stays the same.”

Residents say the economic activity generated by tourism should also lead to jobs with benefits, higher incomes, and better access to services for the local population.