Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Meknes Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Meknes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Arequipa vs $665 in Meknes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Arequipa vs $980 in Meknes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Arequipa vs $1,295 in Meknes, rent included.

Arequipa is about 2% cheaper than Meknes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arequipa and Meknes are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Meknes 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.78

$2.18 MAD 20.38

86.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 PEN 94.5

$12.72 MAD 119

119.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.52

$5.56 MAD 52.0

-1.62%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.73

$1.31 MAD 12.28

96.95%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$0.70 MAD 6.57

17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.44 MAD 4.14

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$3.36 MAD 31.42

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.70

$4.07 MAD 38.06

50.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.25

$0.88 MAD 8.23

76.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$0.32 MAD 2.96

296.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.31 MAD 12.28

-1.53%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.00

$2.00 MAD 18.71

3.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.87

$10.89 MAD 102

-48.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 PEN 17.87

$4.28 MAD 40.08

23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 25.68

$9.74 MAD 91.1

-22.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.96

$1.37 MAD 12.80

6.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.99

$1.20 MAD 11.20

-1.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$0.87 MAD 8.18

40.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$0.72 MAD 6.72

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.01

$0.73 MAD 6.87

-19.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.97

$0.74 MAD 6.94

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.52

$0.42 MAD 3.97

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.62 MAD 5.82

16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 PEN 17.10

$4.27 MAD 39.94

18.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 PEN 17.65

$11.38 MAD 106

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.39

$2.79 MAD 26.09

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$2.78 MAD 26.01

-20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.42 MAD 3.95

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.73 MAD 157

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.08

$0.36 MAD 3.38

480.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.92

$0.48 MAD 4.52

325.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 PEN 43.79

$4.34 MAD 40.60

197.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.48

$1.52 MAD 14.22

6.58%

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

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

$36.9K MAD 345.3K

-49.26%

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

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

$28.5K MAD 266.6K

-11.01%

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

$39.23 PEN 133

$37.63 MAD 352

4.25%

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

$10.33 PEN 34.99

$10.81 MAD 101

-4.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 PEN 103

$33.94 MAD 318

-10.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 PEN 74.4

$25.04 MAD 234

-12.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.70

$18.81 MAD 176

-56.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PEN 15.11

$4.47 MAD 41.82

-0.22%

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

$59.9 PEN 203

$150 MAD 1,400

-59.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

$1,663 MAD 15.6K

283.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 PEN 128

$45.70 MAD 428

-17.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 PEN 75.5

$39.51 MAD 370

-43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 PEN 214

$56.9 MAD 532

11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 PEN 191

$55.0 MAD 515

2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 826

$273 MAD 2,554

-10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 533

$170 MAD 1,591

-7.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 PEN 1,851

$427 MAD 3,991

28.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,322

$281 MAD 2,627

38.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 PEN 6,856

$978 MAD 9,156

106.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 PEN 3,369

$631 MAD 5,905

57.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,198

$485 MAD 4,539

33.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

233.33%

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

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Meknes: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Arequipa versus $273 in Meknes. 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 34% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa versus $13.00 in Meknes. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Arequipa vs $185 in Meknes – so Arequipa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Arequipa vs Meknes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meknes costs about 2% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Arequipa and $997 in Meknes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa and $13.00 in Meknes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Meknes, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $652 in Arequipa and $665 in Meknes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $665 in Meknes. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Meknes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.