Cost of Living Comparison Between Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,627 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,411 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,195 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands costs about 25% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands sits 21% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.31 €13.18

$11.73 MX$203

30.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 €49.30

$41.62 MX$721

37.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 €8.92

$10.64 MX$184

-2.63%

Cappuccino

$2.15 €1.85

$3.52 MX$61.0

-38.92%

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

$2.35 €2.02

$1.51 MX$26.17

55.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$0.97 MX$16.87

83.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 €2.85

$2.95 MX$51.1

12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.03

$4.45 MX$77.2

-21.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.38 MX$23.97

-13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.89 MX$32.78

-24.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.64 MX$28.37

2.44%

Eggs

$2.89 €2.49

$2.51 MX$43.42

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 €11.51

$8.34 MX$145

60.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 €7.05

$8.34 MX$145

-1.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 €12.90

$10.73 MX$186

39.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.60 MX$45.12

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.46 MX$25.25

36.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.90 MX$32.94

2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.08 MX$35.98

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.78 MX$30.77

-3.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.19 MX$37.87

-6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.04 MX$18.02

25.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.08 MX$18.66

-34.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.39 €5.50

$4.08 MX$70.7

56.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 €4.89

$10.32 MX$179

-44.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.71 MX$29.67

-29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.58 MX$44.63

-17.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.51 MX$8.83

235.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.68 €29.00

$26.46 MX$459

27.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 €3.43

$3.26 MX$56.5

22.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.09

$2.49 MX$43.17

-49.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.99 €21.52

$3.25 MX$56.3

668.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.31 MX$22.65

38.93%

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

$38.9K €33.5K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

28.56%

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

$30.6K €26.4K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

30.62%

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

$135 €117

$82.9 MX$1,436

63.33%

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

$20.46 €17.62

$22.22 MX$385

-7.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 €27.17

$29.34 MX$508

7.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.12 €40.58

$51.6 MX$895

-8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 €12.87

$18.32 MX$317

-18.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 €7.76

$5.07 MX$87.8

77.91%

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

$402 €346

$201 MX$3,480

99.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,239 €7,095

$5,212 MX$90.3K

58.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 €71.9

$36.92 MX$640

126.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.52 €30.59

$39.79 MX$689

-10.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 €76.5

$78.5 MX$1,360

13.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €93.8

$87.1 MX$1,509

25.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 €741

$973 MX$16.9K

-11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 €595

$468 MX$8,105

47.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,125

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-20.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 €866

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 €2,922

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-14.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,289 €1,971

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-64.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.42

-69.35%

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 Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $861 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gran Canaria, Canary Islands is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands at $1,627. In Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. 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.