The Lake Chapala Market Report
Every month I go through every home and lot listed on the Chapala MLS, from every brokerage on the lake, and count what is for sale, what is under contract and what it is asking. This page is where those numbers live.
October 2026: what the count shows
454 homes are listed for sale at Lakeside and 40 of them are under contract, about one in 11. The contracts are not spread evenly. Riberas and San Antonio have 16 of their 113 homes under contract, Ajijic 15 of 127 and Chapala 5 of 45. West of Ajijic it is much quieter: one contract among 74 homes in West Ajijic and San Juan Cosalá, and no contracts among the 46 in Jocotepec and El Chante.
Chapala is still the value end of the lake, with a median asking price of US$302,422 and about US$1,418 per square meter of construction. In Ajijic the median is US$525,000, at US$1,813 per square meter.
Sellers are adjusting. 95 homes, roughly one in 5, show a price reduction on the MLS, and the typical cut is 6.5%. If you are buying, a home that has already come down is often a good place to open a conversation.
This is the first count. Starting next month, this section will also show how many homes came on the market, how many came off and how many went under contract.
By area
| Area | For sale | Under contract | Median ask | Per m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapala | 45 | 5 | US$302,422 | US$1,418 |
| East of Chapala | 23 | 1 | US$519,000 | US$1,442 |
| Riberas & San Antonio | 113 | 16 | US$389,000 | US$1,704 |
| Ajijic | 127 | 15 | US$525,000 | US$1,813 |
| West Ajijic & San Juan Cosalá | 74 | 1 | US$517,305 | US$1,681 |
| Jocotepec & El Chante | 46 | 0 | US$399,723 | US$1,880 |
| North (Ixtlahuacán) | 18 | 0 | US$331,070 | US$1,116 |
| South Shore | 8 | 2 | US$364,614 | US$1,750 |
| All Lakeside | 454 | 40 | US$443,888 | US$1,687 |
Homes for sale. Median asking price; price per m² uses the construction area. Areas group the MLS's subdivisions and neighborhoods.
Land
357 lots are for sale at Lakeside, with a median asking price of US$161,743, about US$192 per square meter.
How to read these numbers
These are all asking prices. The Chapala MLS doesn't publish closing prices, so there is no monthly sold price for the lake. The closest thing to real demand is the number of homes under contract.
Homes are listed in both pesos and dollars (220 and 233 this month). To compare them we convert pesos to dollars at 18.20 pesos to the dollar, the day's reference rate.
For the bigger picture, including annual sold prices and how the lake level shapes the market, read my 2026 mid-year report.
Source: public listings on the Chapala MLS (chapalamls.net), all brokerages, counted October 10, 2026. Lake Chapala listings only. Exchange rate: European Central Bank reference rate.
Market Questions
What does a home cost at Lake Chapala?
As of October 10, 2026, the median asking price of a home for sale at Lakeside is US$443,888, about US$1,687 per square meter of construction, across the 454 homes listed on the Chapala MLS. Chapala is the most affordable area (median US$302,422) and Ajijic one of the most expensive (US$525,000).
Are homes selling at Lake Chapala?
Yes. 40 of the 454 homes on the MLS are under contract, roughly one in 11. Most of those contracts are in Riberas and San Antonio, Ajijic and Chapala.
Why does this report use asking prices instead of sold prices?
The Chapala MLS doesn't publish closing prices, so nobody can publish a true monthly sold price for the lake. We use what is public: every home and lot for sale, its asking price, whether it has been reduced, and whether it is under contract.
Are Lake Chapala homes priced in pesos or dollars?
Both. Right now 220 homes are listed in pesos and 233 in US dollars. To compare them we convert pesos at the day's exchange rate (18.20 pesos to the dollar).
How many Lake Chapala homes have had a price reduction?
95 homes for sale show a price reduction on the MLS, and the typical cut is 6.5%.
How often is this report updated?
Every month. Around the 10th we count every listing on the Chapala MLS, across every brokerage, and update this page with the new figures.