Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: $1,705 a month against $2,265 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,265
/mo nomad
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,705
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Madrid and in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,265 per month in Madrid vs $1,705 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, rent included.

  • Madrid $2,265
  • Las Palmas de Gran Canaria $1,705

A couple spends around $3,296 per month in Madrid vs $2,562 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, rent included.

  • Madrid $3,296
  • Las Palmas de Gran Canaria $2,562

A family of three spends $4,328 per month in Madrid vs $3,420 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, rent included.

  • Madrid $4,328
  • Las Palmas de Gran Canaria $3,420

Madrid costs about 33% more than Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Madrid and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria sit above the global median – Madrid by 68%, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria by 26%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.20 €16.19
$13.36 €11.88
36.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 €60.5
$71.7 €63.8
-5.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.24 €9.99
$10.81 €9.61
3.98%
Cappuccino
$3.15 €2.80
$2.55 €2.27
23.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 €2.99
$2.15 €1.92
56.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.68 €1.49
40.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.83 €3.40
$3.01 €2.68
27.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.92 €4.38
$3.71 €3.30
32.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.09 €0.97
21.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 €1.43
$1.69 €1.50
-4.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.65 €1.47
$1.59 €1.42
3.77%
Eggs
$4.07 €3.62
$3.52 €3.13
15.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.82 €14.07
$11.96 €10.64
32.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.49 €8.44
$9.72 €8.65
-2.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.52 €15.59
$18.11 €16.11
-3.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$2.50 €2.23
2.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$2.52 €2.24
-17.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.47 €2.19
$2.24 €1.99
10.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.49 €2.22
$2.51 €2.23
-0.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.28 €2.03
-0.88%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.37 €2.11
-9.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 €1.40
$2.01 €1.78
-21.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.95
$0.88 €0.78
21.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.55 €5.82
$4.42 €3.93
48.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.65 €6.81
$6.59 €5.86
16.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.81 €1.61
-35.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 €1.97
$2.70 €2.40
-17.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.63 €1.45
$1.77 €1.58
-7.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.42 €32.39
$15.71 €13.98
131.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.73 €3.32
$3.37 €3.00
10.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.17 €1.93
-29.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.17 €25.95
$28.30 €25.17
3.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.58
$1.67 €1.49
6.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K €31.6K
$35.0K €31.1K
1.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K €29.6K
$28.6K €25.4K
16.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 €168
$113 €101
67.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.48 €15.55
$19.50 €17.35
-10.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.32 €30.53
$28.20 €25.08
21.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.62 €43.25
$42.82 €38.09
13.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.44 €16.40
$16.56 €14.73
11.35%
Cinema Ticket
$11.04 €9.82
$8.89 €7.90
24.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 €617
$478 €425
44.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.8K €15.8K
$6,487 €5,770
173.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.6 €75.3
$88.6 €78.8
-4.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.50 €37.80
$37.72 €33.55
12.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €98.1
$89.5 €79.6
23.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €99.9
$120 €107
-6.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,506 €1,339
$964 €858
56.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 €1,041
$794 €706
47.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,756 €2,451
$1,584 €1,409
73.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,845 €1,641
$1,216 €1,082
51.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,168 €8,155
$3,099 €2,756
195.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,234 €3,766
$1,852 €1,647
128.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,483 €2,209
$1,688 €1,501
47.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
3.15
-0.32%

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

Last update for Madrid: October 11, 2026

Last update for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
$794 32.2% $376
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$303
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
$294 3% $9.2
Eating Out
Madrid
$269
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
$208 22.8% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$241
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
$161 33.2% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$157
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
$151 3.9% $6.1
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$71
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
$61 14.3% $10
Getting Around
Madrid
$54
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
$37 32% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,506 in Madrid versus $964 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 47% higher in Madrid, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Madrid versus $72.0 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Madrid vs $294 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – so Las Palmas de Gran Canaria wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇪🇸 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
🕒 Local time
20:32 8:32 PM
19:32 7:32 PM
1 h behind Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
378,027
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Madrid Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 1,740 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Madrid
  • Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Madrid vs Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria cheaper than Madrid?
Yes – Madrid is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,398 per month in Madrid and $2,557 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Madrid and in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,265 in Madrid and $1,705 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. That's a gap of about 33%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 132% less in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Madrid or in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where all-in costs run around $1,705, than in Madrid at $2,265. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Madrid or Las Palmas de Gran Canaria more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Madrid or Las Palmas de Gran Canaria?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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