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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Playa del Carmen is about 20% cheaper than Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$15.31 €13.18

-23.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$57.3 €49.30

-27.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.36 €8.92

2.70%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.15 €1.85

63.72%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.35 €2.02

-35.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.78 €1.53

-45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.31 €2.85

-10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.51 €3.03

26.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.19 €1.03

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.42 €1.22

33.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.68 €1.44

-2.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.89 €2.49

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.37 €11.51

-37.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.19 €7.05

1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.98 €12.90

-28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.47 €2.12

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.00 €1.72

-27.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.95 €1.68

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.56 €2.21

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.71 €1.47

4.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.05 €1.77

6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.31 €1.13

-20.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.71 €0.61

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$6.39 €5.50

-36.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.68 €4.89

81.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.21 €1.04

41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.13 €1.84

21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.71 €1.47

-70.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$33.68 €29.00

-21.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.98 €3.43

-18.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.26 €1.09

97.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$24.99 €21.52

-86.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.82 €1.57

-28.02%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$38.9K €33.5K

-22.21%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$30.6K €26.4K

-23.44%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$135 €117

-38.77%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$20.46 €17.62

8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$31.55 €27.17

-7.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$47.12 €40.58

9.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.94 €12.87

22.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$9.02 €7.76

-43.79%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$402 €346

-49.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$8,239 €7,095

-36.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$83.5 €71.9

-55.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$35.52 €30.59

12.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$88.8 €76.5

-11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$109 €93.8

-20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$861 €741

13.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$690 €595

-32.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,307 €1,125

25.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,005 €866

21.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$3,393 €2,922

16.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,289 €1,971

183.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.5

226.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $861 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $57.0 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $260 – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,440 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $402 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. 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.