Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Rabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Rabat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,405 in Barcelona versus $1,863 in Rabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,477 in Barcelona versus $2,722 in Rabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,550 in Barcelona versus $3,581 in Rabat.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 29% more expensive than in Rabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 79% above, Rabat 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 €16.03

$17.27 €15.39

4.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 €60.1

$51.5 €45.88

30.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.37 €11.92

$11.30 €10.07

18.32%

Cappuccino

$3.34 €2.98

$2.39 €2.13

39.75%

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

$2.95 €2.63

$2.61 €2.32

13.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.69

$1.67 €1.48

13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 €3.45

$3.49 €3.11

11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 €4.08

$3.43 €3.06

33.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.13

$1.17 €1.04

8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.74

$1.31 €1.17

49.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.56

$2.31 €2.06

-24.24%

Eggs

$4.89 €4.36

$3.66 €3.26

33.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 €15.57

$8.61 €7.68

102.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 €8.08

$8.10 €7.22

11.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.18 €17.99

$12.57 €11.21

60.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.74

$4.18 €3.72

-26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.81

$2.21 €1.97

-8.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.32

$3.69 €3.29

-29.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.42

$2.30 €2.05

17.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.92

$1.16 €1.03

85.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 €1.97

$1.12 €1.00

97.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.37

$1.16 €1.03

32.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.83

$1.13 €1.01

-17.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.09 €6.32

$6.94 €6.19

2.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 €6.80

$8.17 €7.28

-6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.33

$1.72 €1.53

-13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.43

$2.49 €2.22

9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 €2.63

$2.82 €2.51

4.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.91 €23.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 €2.79

$5.65 €5.04

-44.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 €1.29

$2.21 €1.97

-34.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.17 €30.45

$27.33 €24.36

25.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.60

$1.55 €1.38

15.48%

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

$34.7K €30.9K

$38.5K €34.3K

-9.89%

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

$30.3K €27.0K

$39.8K €35.4K

-23.81%

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

$181 €161

$103 €92.1

74.91%

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

$13.56 €12.09

$12.27 €10.93

10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.12 €31.30

$43.11 €38.42

-18.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 €47.38

$62.3 €55.5

-14.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 €14.31

$22.89 €20.40

-29.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 €10.13

$10.13 €9.03

12.24%

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

$939 €837

$366 €327

156.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.7K

$11.4K €10.2K

44.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 €78.6

$89.7 €80.0

-1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.77 €35.45

$28.33 €25.25

40.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €92.1

$75.2 €67.0

37.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €106

$80.6 €71.9

48.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 €1,511

$1,161 €1,035

46.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 €1,159

$934 €833

39.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 €2,296

$1,767 €1,575

45.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 €1,730

$1,548 €1,380

25.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,470 €6,658

$3,879 €3,457

92.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,195 €4,630

$2,895 €2,581

79.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,299 €2,049

$1,338 €1,193

71.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

2.9

13.10%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 4, 2026

Last update for Rabat: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Barcelona and $1,161 in Rabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 72% 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: $67.0 in Barcelona vs $51.0 in Rabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $267 per month, with Rabat 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 Rabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Rabat differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,405 vs $1,863 including rent). Rabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 72% 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: $1,695 in Barcelona versus $1,161 in Rabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $939 in Barcelona versus $366 in Rabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rabat – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $67.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,863 in Rabat versus $2,405 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rabat but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Rabat 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 Rabat 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 Rabat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.