Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,744 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,636 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,528 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$12.20 €10.51

-3.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$58.0 €49.95

-28.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.60 €9.12

0.38%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.28 €1.96

54.39%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.11 €1.82

-28.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.25 €1.07

-22.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.81 €2.42

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.31 €3.71

3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.23 €1.06

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.13 €1.83

-11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.06 €1.77

-20.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.37 €2.91

-25.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.76 €10.13

-29.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.28 €8.85

-18.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.70 €14.38

-35.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.52 €2.17

3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.47 €2.13

-40.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.29 €1.97

-17.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.51 €2.16

-17.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.18 €1.87

-18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.64 €2.28

-17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.85 €1.60

-43.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.89 €0.76

21.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.49 €3.87

-9.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.09 €6.10

45.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.55 €1.34

10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.85 €3.32

-32.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.66 €1.43

-69.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$16.51 €14.21

60.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.41 €2.94

-4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.28 €1.10

94.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$23.52 €20.25

-86.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.68 €1.44

-22.02%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$38.6K €33.2K

-21.53%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.8K €25.6K

-21.32%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$81.3 €70.0

1.89%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$21.11 €18.17

5.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$29.45 €25.36

-0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$52.9 €45.52

-2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$19.13 €16.47

-4.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$9.18 €7.90

-44.77%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$520 €448

-61.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$6,497 €5,594

-19.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$102 €88.3

-63.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$53.0 €45.67

-24.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$107 €92.1

-26.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$147 €127

-40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$992 €854

-1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$828 €713

-43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,462 €1,259

12.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,338 €1,152

-8.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$3,252 €2,800

21.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,960 €1,688

231.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,746 €1,504

-61.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.43

232.94%

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 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $992 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 163% higher in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $58.0 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $301 – 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 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is pricier by about 34%, 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 $2,616 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,744 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at $1,744. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 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, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.