Cancún vs Havana

Getting around generally means a car, and walkability is patchy outside a few pockets. Anyone expecting the texture of a large Mexican city like Guadalajara will find Cancún quieter and more purpose-built.

A mid-size capital built for walking, with daily life happening on foot and at street level rather than from behind a windshield. The pace is unhurried to a fault, slower than almost any comparable Latin American capital.

Day-to-day violent crime sits at a moderate level and traffic is reasonably orderly, but petty theft and a thinner sense of safety after dark are worth taking seriously. Quintana Roo has seen security concerns tied to organised crime, and the wider national political stability picture is shaky, which weighs on the overall sense of ease.

Violent crime is genuinely low by regional standards, and serious incidents are rare in a way that sets Havana apart from many Latin American capitals. Streets feel calm after dark and traffic is light.

Cancún's local market is narrow, with limited industry depth and little professional or startup momentum. Private clinics and hospitals serve the tourist economy and English is spoken more readily here than in much of Mexico, which smooths the experience for newcomers.

Career prospects are exceptionally thin. Cuba is famous for the sheer number of doctors it trains, and access to a physician is about as easy as anywhere on earth.

Food and nightlife are lively in the way a tourism hub tends to be, with plenty of restaurants, bars and an international crowd that makes settling in socially easy. Cancun splits in two: the hotel zone is kept tidy for visitors while downtown is rougher and grimier.

Where Havana is unbeatable is its own culture. Havana is crumbling, its grand buildings decaying for want of upkeep funds.