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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Arequipa vs $750 in Meknes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,150 per month in Arequipa vs $1,142 in Meknes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Arequipa vs $1,534 in Meknes, rent included.

Arequipa is about 3% cheaper than Meknes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arequipa and Meknes are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 47% lower, Meknes 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PEN 12.04

$3.27 MAD 30.55

9.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 PEN 100

$16.10 MAD 151

85.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 PEN 19.63

$6.53 MAD 61.1

-10.41%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PEN 8.75

$1.27 MAD 11.89

105.51%

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

$0.83 PEN 2.79

$0.87 MAD 8.16

-4.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 PEN 1.22

$0.47 MAD 4.41

-23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 PEN 7.40

$3.29 MAD 30.75

-32.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 PEN 14.56

$3.88 MAD 36.29

11.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.59

$0.92 MAD 8.62

48.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PEN 4.85

$0.39 MAD 3.67

271.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.34 MAD 12.50

14.18%

Eggs

$2.36 PEN 7.91

$1.91 MAD 17.82

23.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 PEN 21.66

$15.30 MAD 143

-57.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 PEN 14.98

$5.51 MAD 51.6

-18.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 PEN 24.95

$9.86 MAD 92.2

-24.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 PEN 6.14

$1.32 MAD 12.33

38.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.20

$1.30 MAD 12.15

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 PEN 3.91

$0.68 MAD 6.34

70.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$0.60 MAD 5.57

70.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.57 MAD 5.35

17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.42

$0.74 MAD 6.97

-2.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PEN 1.89

$0.52 MAD 4.88

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.57

$0.64 MAD 5.94

20.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 PEN 17.51

$4.29 MAD 40.09

21.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 PEN 17.74

$11.46 MAD 107

-53.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 PEN 9.69

$3.26 MAD 30.49

-11.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PEN 8.04

$2.73 MAD 25.58

-12.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$0.41 MAD 3.87

-29.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.29 MAD 152

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 PEN 7.05

$0.79 MAD 7.35

165.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.86

$0.57 MAD 5.29

259.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 PEN 43.08

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.08

$1.39 MAD 13.00

9.35%

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

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

$35.9K MAD 336.2K

-48.33%

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

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

$32.4K MAD 303.1K

-19.62%

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

$24.42 PEN 81.9

$31.82 MAD 298

-23.26%

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

$10.19 PEN 34.16

$10.20 MAD 95.4

-0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 PEN 78.5

$35.31 MAD 330

-33.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 PEN 85.6

$29.52 MAD 276

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.36 PEN 28.04

$33.70 MAD 315

-75.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 PEN 25.16

$4.40 MAD 41.14

70.45%

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

$75.6 PEN 253

$126 MAD 1,178

-40.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 PEN 166

$66.5 MAD 622

-25.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.25 PEN 88.0

$64.9 MAD 607

-59.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 PEN 232

$105 MAD 980

-33.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 PEN 200

$67.1 MAD 628

-11.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 PEN 1,214

$279 MAD 2,613

29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 804

$177 MAD 1,652

35.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 PEN 2,452

$478 MAD 4,470

53.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

$300 MAD 2,806

40.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 PEN 6,688

$1,007 MAD 9,419

98.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 PEN 3,406

$639 MAD 5,973

59.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 PEN 2,198

$503 MAD 4,708

30.25%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Meknes: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Arequipa versus $279 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 30% 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 $30.00 in Arequipa versus $16.00 in Meknes. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Arequipa vs $207 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 3% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,089 per month in Arequipa and $1,125 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 $30.00 in Arequipa and $16.00 in Meknes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $726 in Arequipa and $750 in Meknes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $726 versus $750 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.