Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sidi Kacem Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sidi Kacem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,405 in Barcelona versus $651 in Sidi Kacem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,477 in Barcelona versus $971 in Sidi Kacem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,550 in Barcelona versus $1,291 in Sidi Kacem.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 269% more expensive than in Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 79% above, Sidi Kacem is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 €16.03

$2.98 MAD 29.74

503.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 €60.1

$17.82 MAD 178

278.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.37 €11.92

$8.14 MAD 81.3

64.25%

Cappuccino

$3.34 €2.98

$1.77 MAD 17.64

88.70%

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

$2.95 €2.63

$0.72 MAD 7.18

309.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.69

$0.33 MAD 3.25

475.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 €3.45

$2.66 MAD 26.59

45.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 €4.08

$3.16 MAD 31.51

44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.13

$0.76 MAD 7.60

67.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.74

$0.27 MAD 2.70

625.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.56

$1.47 MAD 14.65

19.05%

Eggs

$4.89 €4.36

$1.67 MAD 16.64

192.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 €15.57

$5.74 MAD 57.4

204.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 €8.08

$3.78 MAD 37.70

139.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.18 €17.99

$8.79 MAD 87.8

129.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.74

$1.38 MAD 13.83

123.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.81

$1.46 MAD 14.62

39.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.32

$0.84 MAD 8.34

209.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.42

$0.58 MAD 5.83

367.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.92

$0.60 MAD 5.96

258.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 €1.97

$0.45 MAD 4.54

391.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.37

$0.32 MAD 3.22

381.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.83

$0.58 MAD 5.82

60.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.09 €6.32

$3.40 MAD 33.92

108.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 €6.80

$6.25 MAD 62.4

22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.33

$1.71 MAD 17.12

-12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.43

$1.68 MAD 16.76

62.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 €2.63

$0.53 MAD 5.24

456.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.91 €23.10

$18.95 MAD 189

36.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 €2.79

$0.71 MAD 7.06

340.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 €1.29

$1.12 MAD 11.21

29.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.17 €30.45

$3.32 MAD 33.14

929.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.60

$1.22 MAD 12.16

46.72%

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

$34.7K €30.9K

$34.5K MAD 344.5K

0.53%

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

$30.3K €27.0K

$31.0K MAD 309.7K

-2.33%

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

$181 €161

$43.86 MAD 438

311.95%

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

$13.56 €12.09

$10.70 MAD 107

26.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.12 €31.30

$40.77 MAD 407

-13.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 €47.38

$25.83 MAD 258

105.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 €14.31

$21.23 MAD 212

-24.40%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 €10.13

$3.81 MAD 38.05

198.43%

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

$939 €837

$47.09 MAD 470

1893.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.7K

$5,739 MAD 57.3K

187.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 €78.6

$18.01 MAD 180

389.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.77 €35.45

$47.38 MAD 473

-16.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €92.1

$54.7 MAD 546

88.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €106

$66.8 MAD 667

78.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 €1,511

$269 MAD 2,681

531.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 €1,159

$169 MAD 1,691

667.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 €2,296

$474 MAD 4,734

443.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 €1,730

$266 MAD 2,658

629.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,470 €6,658

$1,175 MAD 11.7K

535.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,195 €4,630

$828 MAD 8,270

527.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,299 €2,049

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

5.5

-40.36%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 4, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Barcelona and $269 in Sidi Kacem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in Sidi Kacem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $143 per month, with Sidi Kacem 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 Sidi Kacem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Sidi Kacem differ by about 269% in total monthly costs ($2,405 vs $651 including rent). Sidi Kacem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,607 in Barcelona and $977 in Sidi Kacem to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,695 in Barcelona versus $269 in Sidi Kacem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $939 in Barcelona versus $47.09 in Sidi Kacem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 128% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $651 in Sidi Kacem versus $2,405 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sidi Kacem but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sidi Kacem 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 Sidi Kacem 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 Sidi Kacem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 269% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.