When we first landed in Tenerife in 2022, someone at the airport told us: “You’re going north or south?” We said south—we’d rented a place in Costa Adeje for our “one summer” that turned permanent. Within three months, we were apartment hunting in the north. The Tenerife north vs south question isn’t just about weather. It’s about what kind of life you actually want here.
I’m not going to pretend there’s a “right” answer. Some of our expat friends swear by the south’s sunshine. Others wouldn’t leave the green valleys of the north for anything. But after two years of living here, visiting both sides constantly, and making plenty of mistakes, I can tell you what the real differences are—not the tourist brochure version.
The weather reality nobody mentions
Yes, the south is sunnier. But here’s what shocked us: it’s not always better. Our first month in Costa Adeje, we had 28 consecutive days of sun. Sounds perfect, right? By week three, my middle daughter was complaining about the relentless brightness. The landscape felt dry, almost desert-like in places.
When we drove to Puerto de la Cruz for the first time, the change was dramatic. Green everywhere. Actual clouds. A softness to the air. The temperature dropped maybe 3-4 degrees, but it felt like a different climate zone entirely.
The north gets more rain—maybe 15-20 days a year versus almost none in the south. But “rain” here isn’t like Hungarian winters. It’s usually a morning drizzle that clears by lunch. Our Canarian neighbor in La Orotava calls it “good weather for the plants and bad weather for the tourists.”
The south averages about 300 days of sunshine annually. The north? Around 220-250. But those northern days have something the south often lacks: variety. You get dramatic cloud formations over Mount Teide, misty mornings that burn off to reveal blue skies, the occasional proper storm that makes you appreciate the sunshine even more.
Where the actual Canarians live
This was eye-opening for us. In Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos, we rarely heard Spanish, let alone the distinctive Canarian accent. Most of our neighbors were British, German, or other European retirees. The restaurants served international food. The shops stocked British products.
Nothing wrong with that—it made our transition easier, honestly. But it didn’t feel like we’d moved to Spain. It felt like we’d moved to a warm version of an international suburb.
The north is different. La Laguna, Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava—these are functioning Canarian towns where locals actually live and work. When we visit the mercado in La Laguna on Saturday mornings, we’re surrounded by families speaking rapid Spanish, buying local produce, living their normal lives.
A woman at our daughters’ school—a Canarian teacher—told us something that stuck: “The south was built for tourists. The north was built for us, and tourists discovered it later.” That’s not a judgment, just a fact about how these areas developed.
The cultural calendar tells the story
Our first Carnival in 2023, we went to both. Santa Cruz in the north is one of the world’s biggest carnival celebrations—second only to Rio, locals proudly tell us. The streets were packed with Canarian families, elaborate costumes, music groups that had been practicing for months.
In the south? Playa de las Américas had carnival events too, but they felt more like entertainment for tourists than a genuine cultural celebration. Smaller crowds, less traditional costumes, more bars than parade routes.
The same pattern repeats with romerías (traditional pilgrimages), local fiestas, and religious celebrations. The north has them constantly—almost every town has its patron saint festival. In La Orotava, we’ve stumbled upon traditional folk dancing, alfombras (elaborate carpets made from colored sand and flower petals), and processions that date back centuries.
The south has beach parties and resort entertainment. Again, not better or worse—just fundamentally different experiences.
Cost of living: the numbers we actually pay
Here’s where it gets interesting. Everyone assumes the tourist-heavy south is more expensive. That’s only half true.
Restaurant meals in the south’s tourist zones are definitely pricier. We paid €18 for a basic pasta dish in Los Cristianos that would cost €9-11 in Puerto de la Cruz. A beer on the beachfront in Costa Adeje? €4-5. Same beer in a local bar in La Orotava? €2-2.50.
But long-term rentals tell a different story. When we were apartment hunting, we found modern three-bedroom places in the south for €1,200-1,500 monthly. Similar apartments in Puerto de la Cruz or La Laguna? €900-1,200. The south’s oversupply of tourist properties actually keeps some rental costs competitive.
Groceries are roughly the same if you shop at Mercadona or HiperDino. But the north has better mercados (farmers markets) with local produce at better prices. We spend about €80-100 weekly feeding our family of five in the north. In the south, we were closer to €120-140 because we relied more on supermarkets.
Utilities are cheaper in the north—less air conditioning needed. Our electricity bill dropped from €110 monthly in Costa Adeje to about €65-75 in the north, even with a slightly larger apartment.
The beach situation (controversial opinion ahead)
The south has better beaches. There, I said it. Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos, El Duque—these are gorgeous, sandy, calm-water beaches perfect for families. Our youngest daughter learned to swim in the gentle waves of Los Cristianos.
The north’s beaches are different. Many are black volcanic sand (which gets scorching hot—learned that the hard way). The Atlantic is rougher, with stronger waves and currents. Playa Jardín in Puerto de la Cruz is beautiful but not ideal for small children.
But here’s the thing: we go to the beach maybe twice a month now. When we first arrived, we thought we’d be beach people. The reality? After the novelty wore off, we cared more about having interesting towns to explore, good restaurants, cultural events, and access to hiking trails.
If your Tenerife dream involves daily beach time, the south wins. If beaches are a nice occasional activity, the north’s other advantages matter more.
The international school factor
This was huge for us with three daughters. The south has several international schools, mostly British curriculum. Wingate School in Costa Adeje is well-regarded. Our oldest attended a British international school there initially—23 nationalities in her class, which was incredible for her.
The north has fewer international schools, but La Laguna and Puerto de la Cruz have some excellent options. We eventually moved our daughter to a school in the north that offered the International Baccalaureate program.
The bigger difference? In the south, international schools feel like the norm—most expat kids attend them. In the north, there’s more mixing with local Spanish schools. Some expat families we know in La Orotava send their kids to regular Canarian schools and arrange private English tutoring.
Access to the rest of the island
Tenerife is small—you can drive from north to south in about an hour without traffic. But “without traffic” is doing heavy lifting there.
Living in the south, getting to Santa Cruz (the capital) meant the autopista (highway) through the mountains. Beautiful drive, but it’s 45-60 minutes minimum, and the traffic around Santa Cruz can be brutal.
From the north, Santa Cruz is 15-20 minutes from La Laguna. We can pop in for shopping, administrative appointments, or cultural events without dedicating half a day.
For hiking Mount Teide or exploring the Anaga mountains—two of the island’s absolute highlights—the north is more convenient. We’ve done sunrise hikes on Teide leaving from La Orotava at 5am. From the south, you’d need to leave at 3:30am.
The south has better access to the airport, though. Tenerife South Airport (TFS) is 15-20 minutes from most southern resorts. From the north, it’s 45-60 minutes, or you use Tenerife North Airport (TFN), which has fewer international connections.
The social scene for expats
The south has a massive, established expat community. British pubs showing Premier League matches. German bakeries. Scandinavian social clubs. If you want to socialize primarily with other expats, the south makes it effortless.
We met a British couple in their 60s who’d been in Los Cristianos for eight years and barely spoke Spanish. They didn’t need to—their entire social circle was English-speaking, their favorite restaurants had English menus, their doctors spoke English.
The north requires more effort. Yes, there are expats (Puerto de la Cruz has a significant international community), but you’ll interact with locals more. You’ll need at least basic Spanish. Your social circle will likely be more mixed—some expats, some Canarians, some Spanish mainlanders.
For us, that was a positive. Gábor’s Spanish improved dramatically once we moved north because he had to use it daily. Our daughters have Canarian friends from school who’ve taught them local expressions we’d never learn in a textbook.
What we’d actually choose (and did)
We chose the north. Specifically, we’re in La Orotava now, a gorgeous historic town with traditional Canarian architecture, local festivals, and mountain views. For us, it checked more boxes: authentic culture, lower costs, proximity to hiking, and a community that felt less transient.
But I completely understand why others choose the south. A German couple we’re friends with—both retired, both love beach life—are blissfully happy in Costa Adeje. They wanted guaranteed sunshine, easy beach access, and a large international community. The south delivers exactly that.
The Tenerife north vs south decision depends entirely on what you’re looking for. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you want guaranteed sunshine over varied weather?
- Is daily beach access a priority or occasional treat?
- Do you want to immerse in Canarian culture or maintain an international lifestyle?
- Are you comfortable with more rain in exchange for dramatic green landscapes?
- Do you prefer modern resort amenities or historic town charm?
- How important is proximity to other expats versus local integration?
The hybrid approach some people take
Here’s something we’ve noticed: some people don’t choose at all. They live in the north but rent a southern apartment for a week when they need guaranteed sun. Or they live in the south but spend weekends exploring northern towns.
One Italian family we know rents long-term in La Laguna but keeps a small studio in Los Cristianos for beach weekends and visiting family who want resort-style holidays.
The island is small enough that this works. You’re never more than an hour from the other side’s advantages.
Our €3,000 mistake (relevant here)
Part of our expensive first-year mistakes was signing a year lease in the south without exploring the north properly first. We paid €1,400 monthly for a place we ended up barely using after six months because we kept driving north on weekends.
When the lease ended, we moved north permanently. If we’d rented short-term initially—even at higher nightly rates—we could have explored both areas properly before committing. Would have saved us thousands and months of frustration.
Don’t assume the tourist area is where you’ll want to live long-term. The place you love for a week’s holiday might not be the place you want for daily life. Give yourself time to discover which side of Tenerife actually fits your lifestyle.
The verdict nobody wants to hear
There’s no universal “better” side. The south isn’t just for tourists and retirees. The north isn’t just for culture seekers and hikers. Both areas have thriving communities of people who genuinely love where they live.
What I can tell you: the Tenerife north vs south difference is more dramatic than most people expect. This isn’t like choosing between two similar neighborhoods. It’s choosing between two genuinely different lifestyles on the same small island.
Visit both. Stay in each for at least a week if you can. Eat in local restaurants, walk the neighborhoods, imagine your daily routine. The right choice will become obvious—and it might surprise you, like it surprised us.
