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 $1,598 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,098 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands is about 3% cheaper 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 16%, Mexico City by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 €12.86

$12.11 MX$204

23.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 €49.64

$52.2 MX$881

10.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 €8.92

$10.90 MX$184

-4.95%

Cappuccino

$2.16 €1.86

$4.05 MX$68.4

-46.67%

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

$2.41 €2.07

$1.72 MX$28.95

40.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.38 MX$23.25

27.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.47 MX$58.5

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.02

$5.81 MX$98.1

-39.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.85 MX$31.28

-37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 €1.22

$3.22 MX$54.4

-55.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$2.09 MX$35.20

-21.05%

Eggs

$2.89 €2.49

$2.91 MX$49.10

-0.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 €11.79

$12.49 MX$211

9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 €7.01

$10.11 MX$171

-19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 €12.92

$15.89 MX$268

-5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.31 MX$56.0

-25.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.13 MX$35.90

-6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.19 MX$36.97

-8.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.45 MX$41.31

9.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.19 MX$36.95

-19.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.90 MX$32.15

5.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.62 MX$27.26

-17.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.65

$1.35 MX$22.78

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 €5.55

$5.43 MX$91.6

18.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.97

$17.59 MX$297

-67.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.07

$2.07 MX$34.90

-39.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.83

$4.75 MX$80.1

-55.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.34 MX$5.74

391.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.30 €29.52

$21.58 MX$364

58.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 €3.41

$2.04 MX$34.44

94.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 €1.04

$0.58 MX$9.75

108.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 €21.43

$5.97 MX$101

317.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.62 MX$27.27

10.49%

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

$38.2K €32.9K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

67.41%

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

$30.4K €26.1K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

13.94%

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

$135 €116

$65.2 MX$1,101

107.43%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$29.87 MX$504

-30.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.41 €27.03

$36.55 MX$617

-14.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.42 €40.80

$61.0 MX$1,030

-22.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.10 €12.99

$26.70 MX$451

-43.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.92

$6.85 MX$116

34.31%

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

$399 €344

$453 MX$7,652

-11.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,086 €6,958

$13.4K MX$225.7K

-39.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 €73.9

$75.0 MX$1,265

14.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.61 €29.78

$55.3 MX$933

-37.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 €77.0

$114 MX$1,917

-21.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €94.7

$123 MX$2,070

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 €724

$1,134 MX$19.1K

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 €604

$712 MX$12.0K

-1.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,125

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-49.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 €871

$1,311 MX$22.1K

-22.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,284 €2,826

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-17.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,306 €1,984

$2,095 MX$35.4K

10.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.3

-69.03%

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

Last update for Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $1,134 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 $58.0 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $345 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 – Mexico City is pricier by about 3%, 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 $2,397 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $399 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and $453 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, where all-in costs run around $1,598, than in Mexico City at $1,646. In Gran Canaria, Canary Islands it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gran Canaria, Canary Islands – 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 Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.