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 $1,598 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,098 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands costs about 24% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands sits 16% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 €12.86

$11.71 MX$198

27.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 €49.64

$46.59 MX$786

23.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 €8.92

$11.65 MX$197

-11.07%

Cappuccino

$2.16 €1.86

$4.09 MX$69.1

-47.19%

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

$2.41 €2.07

$1.37 MX$23.20

75.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.83 MX$14.07

112.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.35 MX$56.6

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.02

$6.91 MX$117

-49.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.73 MX$29.15

-33.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 €1.22

$2.26 MX$38.15

-37.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.77 MX$29.86

-6.78%

Eggs

$2.89 €2.49

$2.73 MX$46.12

5.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 €11.79

$9.18 MX$155

49.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 €7.01

$8.92 MX$151

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 €12.92

$12.60 MX$213

19.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.02 MX$51.0

-18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.57 MX$26.51

27.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.13 MX$35.88

-6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.26 MX$38.22

18.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.00 MX$33.82

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.06 MX$34.85

-2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.18 MX$19.91

12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.65

$1.20 MX$20.32

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 €5.55

$4.63 MX$78.2

39.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.97

$10.69 MX$180

-45.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.62 MX$27.33

-22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.88 MX$48.63

-26.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.57 MX$9.68

192.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.30 €29.52

$29.83 MX$503

14.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 €3.41

$5.45 MX$91.9

-27.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 €1.04

$3.70 MX$62.5

-67.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 €21.43

$5.98 MX$101

316.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.55 MX$26.22

15.48%

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

$38.2K €32.9K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

71.03%

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

$30.4K €26.1K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

17.07%

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

$135 €116

$89.1 MX$1,504

51.83%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$25.04 MX$423

-16.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.41 €27.03

$31.50 MX$532

-0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.42 €40.80

$67.8 MX$1,144

-30.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.10 €12.99

$28.92 MX$488

-47.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.92

$5.05 MX$85.2

82.18%

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

$399 €344

$225 MX$3,797

77.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,086 €6,958

$4,222 MX$71.3K

91.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 €73.9

$47.44 MX$801

81.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.61 €29.78

$44.98 MX$759

-23.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 €77.0

$82.0 MX$1,384

9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €94.7

$92.1 MX$1,555

19.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 €724

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-21.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 €604

$405 MX$6,842

73.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,125

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-32.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 €871

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-22.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,284 €2,826

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-17.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,306 €1,984

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-65.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.45

-69.43%

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 Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $1,069 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 $58.0 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gran Canaria, Canary Islands is pricier by about 24%, 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 $2,397 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and $1,940 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 $399 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands at $1,598. 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.