A British holidaymaker has voiced his astonishment about one key aspect of life in Tenerife, vowing never to return to the UK. The man, who goes by @deebolar on TikTok, shared a video on the platform with the caption, “I have to go back to cost of living crisis after this”, revealing his shock at the difference in day-to-day costs he encountered on the island in the Canaries.
The Briton said that having learnt the difference in affordability, the UK “no longer makes sense to him”, drawing attention to everyday items and their surprisingly low price tags. “I’ve been here for 24 hours, and this supermarket is my best friend, bro,” he explained, adding: “For context, €1 is 85p, so you’re seeing €1 here for like two plus litres of Fanta, Coke, 7up. I mean, it’s off-brand, but who gives a toss? It’s like 70p/80p – those bottles are like 50p. And eight litres of water for €1.50 – that’s like £1.20, bro.
“[The] UK is not seeing me again, that might be six Desperados for €1.71. It might be one as well, I ain’t got a clue. Anyways, look at this, eight litres of water, two litres of Fanta, look at the price – €2.39.”
He showed off an array of products, saying: “Everything on this table, probably like £5 or £6 at most. I’m telling you, it’s nuts.”
The video has gained a lot of traction, racking up more than 38,000 views on the platform and dozens of people had their say in the comments, with some voicing their amazement.
One TikTok user wrote: “Which supermarket is this? Going next week.” Another added their view, writing: “UK is expensive. Spain is cheaper, always.”
However, others were keen to point out Spaniards are facing financial pressures of their own.
One said: “Cheap for you. Unfortunately, Spanish salaries are every day lower because we pay more taxes and prices are increasing.”
Another added: “Canary Islands have the lowest salary of Spain. This isn’t the paradise you think. Our rents are more than half our salary.”
Another said: “Nowhere is objectively cheap in this world. What is cheap for you might be expensive for the locals. This applies everywhere.”
EasyFX highlights says the relatively lower cost of living in Tenerife is a major draw for foreigners, with rent on the island “considerably cheaper than in the UK”.
According to the site, a one-bedroom flat in Santa Cruz de Tenrife, the island’s capital, “typically costs between €500 and €700 (£415 – £580) per month, compared to the £1,200 to £1,500 minimum you would have to spend to rent an apartment in London, for example”.
However, it notes that as with most places on the continent “the cost of renting in Tenerife will vary depending on the location and property type you decide on”.
EasyFX says grocery prices are “much more affordable than the UK” saying supermarkets like “Mercadona, Hiperdino and Lidl, offer competitive prices, while local markets provide fresh produce and regional specialties at great rates”.
It also recommends visiting farmer’s markets wehere you can get “even fresher produce at lower prices” to make your budget stretch further.
However, the typical net salary for full-time workers in Tenerife is estimated to be around €32,239 (£27,849.18) per year, with professions like healthcare, education and technical fields typically earning between €1,500 (£1,295.75) and €2,000 (£1,727.63) per month.
Though wages in the Canary Islands have grown significantly 1978, they still reportedly lag behind the Spanish national average.