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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Arequipa vs $653 in Meknes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $975 in Meknes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $1,296 in Meknes, rent included.

Arequipa is about 1% cheaper than Meknes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arequipa and Meknes are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Meknes 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$2.25 MAD 20.71

83.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.5

$12.46 MAD 115

125.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.18

$5.47 MAD 50.3

3.11%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.62

$1.31 MAD 12.02

93.89%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$0.74 MAD 6.77

10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.44 MAD 4.06

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$3.27 MAD 30.14

-33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$4.20 MAD 38.66

39.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$0.80 MAD 7.41

101.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$0.34 MAD 3.15

276.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.26 MAD 11.63

-2.38%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.29

$1.99 MAD 18.36

8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.75

$10.66 MAD 98.2

-48.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.59

$4.27 MAD 39.36

21.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.38

$9.62 MAD 88.6

-19.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$1.37 MAD 12.59

8.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.97

$1.25 MAD 11.50

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$0.92 MAD 8.46

29.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$0.68 MAD 6.23

13.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$0.72 MAD 6.63

-23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$0.80 MAD 7.33

-32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$0.46 MAD 4.22

-2.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$0.58 MAD 5.34

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.56

$4.44 MAD 40.87

9.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.12

$11.32 MAD 104

-55.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.38

$2.77 MAD 25.50

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$2.80 MAD 25.74

-17.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.42 MAD 3.90

-30.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.24 MAD 150

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$0.36 MAD 3.33

472.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$0.52 MAD 4.82

296.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.43

$4.30 MAD 39.57

196.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.24

$1.54 MAD 14.16

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$37.2K MAD 342.4K

-50.03%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

$29.0K MAD 267.5K

-12.27%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$37.72 MAD 347

3.76%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.94

$10.93 MAD 101

-3.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$34.24 MAD 315

-9.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.1

$25.13 MAD 231

-15.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.37

$19.09 MAD 176

-56.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$4.34 MAD 39.97

3.46%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$154 MAD 1,419

-61.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

$1,613 MAD 14.9K

289.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$45.72 MAD 421

-19.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.1

$40.04 MAD 369

-44.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$57.6 MAD 530

9.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$55.3 MAD 509

1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$268 MAD 2,465

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$172 MAD 1,588

-8.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,836

$417 MAD 3,837

29.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,314

$287 MAD 2,639

34.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,650

$972 MAD 8,949

101.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,377

$645 MAD 5,942

53.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,210

$495 MAD 4,560

31.25%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Meknes: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $268 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 31% 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 $12.00 in Meknes. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Arequipa vs $183 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 1% 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 $974 per month in Arequipa and $980 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 $12.00 in Meknes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $649 in Arequipa and $653 in Meknes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $653 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.