Construcción vs. Terreno (Construction vs. Lot)kohn-strook-see-OHN vs. teh-REH-noh
Construcción is the total built or covered area of a property measured in square meters, while terreno is the total land or lot area; Mexican listings distinguish the two figures because appraisals, property taxes and price-per-square-meter calculations treat them separately.
By Daniel Ortega · Last reviewed 8 November 2026
How it works
Construcción vs. terreno in Mexico encompasses 200 square meters of built area when a two-story house with 100 m² per floor sits on only 150 m² of land as of November 2026. When Mexican authorities appraise a property, they apply separate per-square-meter values to the land (terreno) and to the construction (construcción), then sum both to determine the cadastral value used for property tax. Superficie de construcción is calculated as the sum of all covered or roofed areas measured to the exterior face of perimeter walls, minus uncovered vertical openings. A two-story house with 100 m² per floor has 200 m² of construcción even if it sits on only 150 m² of terreno. In Quintana Roo listings, sellers often quote a per-square-meter price based on construcción for built properties or on terreno for vacant lots; construction costs in Mexico as of November 2026 range from MXN 9,500 to MXN 40,000 per square meter depending on finishes, city and type of work, while land prices range from roughly MXN 3,500 per square meter in peripheral zones to over MXN 50,000 in Mexico City. Foreign buyers comparing properties should verify which figure the advertised price reflects and confirm both construcción and terreno areas match the deed and cadastral certificate.