Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lanzarote

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,605 in Lanzarote, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Lanzarote, Spain
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Lanzarote
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,605
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Lanzarote

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Lanzarote actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,605 in Lanzarote, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Lanzarote $1,605

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,427 in Lanzarote, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Lanzarote $2,427

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,250 in Lanzarote, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Lanzarote $3,250

Playa del Carmen is about 25% cheaper than Lanzarote, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Lanzarote is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$13.68 €12.25
-20.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$72.4 €64.8
-40.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$10.58 €9.48
11.34%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$2.47 €2.22
54.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$2.13 €1.91
-39.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$1.62 €1.45
-51.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$3.10 €2.78
2.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$3.69 €3.31
33.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.09 €0.97
29.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$1.45 €1.30
53.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$1.58 €1.41
-10.13%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$3.53 €3.16
-28.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$12.19 €10.92
-40.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$9.92 €8.88
-22.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$18.20 €16.30
-30.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.56 €2.30
8.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$2.57 €2.30
-46.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$2.22 €1.99
14.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$2.53 €2.27
-16.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$1.78 €1.60
8.99%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$2.39 €2.14
-20.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$2.02 €1.81
-43.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$0.86 €0.77
37.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$4.54 €4.07
-5.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$6.75 €6.05
47.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$1.74 €1.56
-9.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$2.71 €2.42
-1.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$1.66 €1.49
-66.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$33.06 €29.61
-19.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$3.34 €2.99
48.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$2.18 €1.95
52.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$27.60 €24.72
-80.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$1.76 €1.58
-18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$29.9K €26.8K
-30.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$31.6K €28.3K
-25.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$114 €102
-25.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$19.99 €17.91
17.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$28.15 €25.21
1.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$44.61 €39.95
27.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$16.00 €14.33
80.69%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$9.03 €8.09
-43.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$478 €428
-56.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$6,573 €5,887
-40.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$88.2 €79.0
-50.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$38.58 €34.55
7.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$91.1 €81.6
-18.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$120 €108
-25.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$879 €787
11.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$672 €602
-43.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,371 €1,228
24.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$1,001 €896
7.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$3,289 €2,945
19.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$2,171 €1,944
183.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lanzarote
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$1,683 €1,507
-56.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.15
263.49%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lanzarote: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Lanzarote
$672 76.6% $292
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Lanzarote
$293 14.8% $38
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Lanzarote
$209 3.2% $6.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Lanzarote
$162 18.6% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Lanzarote
$152 36.2% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Lanzarote
$63 6.9% $4.7
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Lanzarote
$54 6.9% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $879 in Lanzarote. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lanzarote are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $72 in Lanzarote. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $293 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇪🇸 Lanzarote
🕒 Local time
04:02 4:02 AM
09:02 9:02 AM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
5,228
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Lanzarote 7,360 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Lanzarote

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
Playa del Carmen vs Lanzarote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Lanzarote compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, $1,605 in Lanzarote – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Lanzarote?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,407 in Lanzarote. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Lanzarote?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lanzarote, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $879 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Lanzarote?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,605 in Lanzarote. That makes Playa del Carmen about 25% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Lanzarote?
Public transport costs about 19% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Lanzarote at $1,605. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lanzarote it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Lanzarote?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,605 in Lanzarote. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Lanzarote?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lanzarote makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?