Cost of Living Comparison Between Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,627 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,411 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,195 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands costs about 11% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and Mexico City sit above the global median – Gran Canaria, Canary Islands by 21%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.31 €13.18

$13.18 MX$228

16.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 €49.30

$53.9 MX$934

6.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 €8.92

$9.42 MX$163

9.98%

Cappuccino

$2.15 €1.85

$3.55 MX$61.5

-39.44%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.62 MX$28.03

45.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.11 MX$19.31

60.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 €2.85

$3.12 MX$54.1

6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.03

$4.63 MX$80.2

-24.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.70 MX$29.48

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 €1.22

$2.72 MX$47.10

-47.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.91 MX$33.13

-12.04%

Eggs

$2.89 €2.49

$2.54 MX$43.94

13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 €11.51

$10.03 MX$174

33.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 €7.05

$8.09 MX$140

1.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 €12.90

$11.62 MX$201

28.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.97 MX$51.4

-16.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.81 MX$31.30

10.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.01 MX$34.88

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.03 MX$35.26

26.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.12 MX$36.82

-19.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.27 MX$39.32

-9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.40 MX$24.26

-6.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.13 MX$19.59

-37.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.39 €5.50

$4.27 MX$74.0

49.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 €4.89

$15.56 MX$270

-63.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.76 MX$30.44

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.84

$3.60 MX$62.3

-40.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.38 MX$6.64

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.68 €29.00

$19.18 MX$332

75.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 €3.43

$1.38 MX$23.84

188.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.09

$0.28 MX$4.79

350.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.99 €21.52

$5.45 MX$94.4

358.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.30 MX$22.60

40.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.9K €33.5K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

108.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.6K €26.4K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

32.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$135 €117

$40.86 MX$708

231.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.46 €17.62

$26.81 MX$465

-23.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 €27.17

$29.96 MX$519

5.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.12 €40.58

$52.0 MX$901

-9.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 €12.87

$26.84 MX$465

-44.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 €7.76

$6.30 MX$109

43.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$402 €346

$436 MX$7,558

-7.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,239 €7,095

$10.4K MX$180.5K

-20.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 €71.9

$56.7 MX$982

47.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.52 €30.59

$44.38 MX$769

-19.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 €76.5

$103 MX$1,784

-13.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €93.8

$106 MX$1,829

3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 €741

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-15.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 €595

$631 MX$10.9K

9.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,125

$2,136 MX$37.0K

-38.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 €866

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-19.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 €2,922

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-13.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,289 €1,971

$2,064 MX$35.8K

10.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.34

-69.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $861 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $260 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $288 in Mexico City – so Gran Canaria, Canary Islands wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gran Canaria, Canary Islands is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,440 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $402 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands at $1,627. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.