Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Marrakech Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Marrakech

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $888 in Marrakech.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,365 in Marrakech.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $1,842 in Marrakech.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 161% more expensive than in Marrakech, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Marrakech is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$4.56 MAD 42.55

287.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$33.35 MAD 311

108.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$7.22 MAD 67.3

96.12%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$2.50 MAD 23.30

12.00%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$1.23 MAD 11.44

128.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$0.59 MAD 5.53

249.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$5.44 MAD 50.7

-15.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$6.47 MAD 60.4

-27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$0.89 MAD 8.35

38.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.59 MAD 5.46

244.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.82 MAD 17.01

8.79%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.03 MAD 18.92

71.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$9.55 MAD 89.0

91.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$6.29 MAD 58.6

56.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$11.16 MAD 104

71.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.52 MAD 14.16

79.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.39 MAD 13.01

71.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.97 MAD 9.01

114.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$0.82 MAD 7.64

235.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$0.78 MAD 7.31

151.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$0.80 MAD 7.44

123.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.42 MAD 3.96

252.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.63 MAD 5.90

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$4.27 MAD 39.86

66.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$8.00 MAD 74.6

-1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$2.65 MAD 24.67

-47.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$3.05 MAD 28.44

-21.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.45 MAD 4.20

568.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$10.79 MAD 101

172.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$0.97 MAD 9.02

349.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.48 MAD 4.51

343.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$5.38 MAD 50.2

450.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.52 MAD 14.14

19.74%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$37.8K MAD 352.1K

0.36%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$30.2K MAD 281.7K

7.18%

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

$189 €165

$32.73 MAD 305

477.54%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$10.96 MAD 102

103.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$46.56 MAD 434

-20.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$24.04 MAD 224

141.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$31.63 MAD 295

-34.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$6.47 MAD 60.3

68.01%

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

$706 €618

$111 MAD 1,030

538.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$6,450 MAD 60.1K

130.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$42.93 MAD 400

108.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$50.2 MAD 468

-27.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$107 MAD 995

-2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$104 MAD 970

14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$439 MAD 4,093

259.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$276 MAD 2,571

349.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$755 MAD 7,041

259.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$441 MAD 4,111

362.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$1,983 MAD 18.5K

279.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$952 MAD 8,876

450.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$521 MAD 4,857

353.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.75

-28.63%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Marrakech: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $439 in Marrakech. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 354% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $33.00 in Marrakech for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $196 per month, with Marrakech cheaper across the board.

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

Barcelona vs Marrakech: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Marrakech differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $888 including rent). Marrakech is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 354% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $439 in Marrakech. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $111 in Marrakech. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $888 in Marrakech versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Marrakech but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Marrakech the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Marrakech are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Marrakech gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.