Cancun vs Playa del Carmen

Based on sunshine hours, rain days, comfortable temperatures, and humidity levels, Playa del Carmen edges ahead as the better destination in January. Playa del Carmen offers 9 hours of daily sunshine with only 10 rain days, while Cancun sees 9 sunshine hours and 11 rain days.

Cancun sits in the comfortable travel range at 25°C. Playa del Carmen is also comfortable at 26°C.

For travelers who prioritize dry weather, Playa del Carmen is the stronger choice in January.

Cancun reaches an average high of 25°C (77°F) and drops to 22°C (72°F) at night during January. The daily temperature range is 3°C, meaning relatively stable temperatures from day to night.

Playa del Carmen averages 26°C (79°F) for the high and 22°C (72°F) for the low, with a daily range of 4°C. The two cities feel quite similar in terms of temperature.

Both cities are in the Northern Hemisphere, so they share the same seasonal pattern in January.

Cancun receives approximately 61 mm of rainfall across 11 rain days during January. You can expect rain roughly every other day.

Playa del Carmen sees 45 mm over 10 rain days. That makes Playa del Carmen the drier option by 1 rain day and 16 mm of total precipitation.

Both cities share similar humidity levels at 78%.