Cost of Living Comparison Between Fes and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Fes and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $645 in Fes versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,031 in Fes versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,417 in Fes versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Fes costs roughly 72% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fes is 52% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MAD 34.73

$17.08 €14.72

-78.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.19 MAD 307

$69.2 €59.7

-52.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 MAD 54.5

$13.78 €11.87

-57.18%

Cappuccino

$1.57 MAD 14.49

$2.76 €2.37

-43.12%

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

$0.48 MAD 4.47

$2.79 €2.40

-82.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MAD 3.77

$1.99 €1.72

-79.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 MAD 27.51

$4.36 €3.76

-31.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MAD 30.97

$4.74 €4.09

-29.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.33

$1.29 €1.11

-30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MAD 5.21

$2.05 €1.77

-72.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MAD 15.23

$1.99 €1.71

-17.09%

Eggs

$2.00 MAD 18.47

$3.39 €2.92

-41.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 MAD 114

$18.81 €16.21

-34.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MAD 48.19

$9.36 €8.07

-44.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 MAD 90.9

$19.12 €16.48

-48.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 MAD 10.47

$2.70 €2.32

-58.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MAD 11.61

$2.34 €2.02

-46.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.77

$2.12 €1.83

-65.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 MAD 8.05

$2.85 €2.46

-69.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.44

$1.97 €1.70

-59.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.15

$1.80 €1.55

-51.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MAD 4.35

$1.45 €1.25

-67.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.92

$0.86 €0.74

-25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MAD 38.17

$6.78 €5.84

-39.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 MAD 46.21

$7.90 €6.81

-36.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MAD 23.22

$1.39 €1.20

80.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 MAD 30.70

$2.37 €2.04

40.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MAD 4.19

$2.92 €2.52

-84.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.06 MAD 102

$28.69 €24.72

-61.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.31

$4.46 €3.84

-84.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MAD 4.49

$2.05 €1.77

-76.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 MAD 39.74

$29.55 €25.46

-85.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.64

$1.82 €1.56

-13.19%

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

$37.7K MAD 348.8K

$38.8K €33.5K

-2.89%

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

$29.6K MAD 274.2K

$33.1K €28.5K

-10.44%

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

$34.34 MAD 318

$189 €163

-81.85%

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

$11.05 MAD 102

$22.80 €19.65

-51.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.36 MAD 235

$37.59 €32.39

-32.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.62 MAD 246

$57.7 €49.75

-53.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.84 MAD 230

$20.74 €17.87

19.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 MAD 49.54

$10.82 €9.33

-50.46%

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

$53.7 MAD 497

$728 €628

-92.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,330 MAD 30.8K

$14.8K €12.7K

-77.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.27 MAD 308

$88.6 €76.4

-62.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.72 MAD 312

$36.85 €31.75

-8.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 MAD 791

$102 €87.9

-16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.3 MAD 586

$116 €100

-45.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MAD 2,639

$1,569 €1,352

-81.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 MAD 1,375

$1,218 €1,050

-87.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 MAD 3,808

$2,795 €2,409

-85.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 MAD 2,010

$1,975 €1,702

-89.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$743 MAD 6,869

$7,754 €6,680

-90.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$356 MAD 3,292

$5,176 €4,460

-93.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 MAD 4,747

$2,343 €2,019

-78.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.39

32.74%

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

Last update for Fes: June 6, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Fes and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 357% 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: $33.00 in Fes vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $319 per month, with Fes 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

Fes vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fes and Barcelona differ by about 262% in total monthly costs ($645 vs $2,337 including rent). Fes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 357% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Fes versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $53.7 in Fes versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $645 in Fes versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fes but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Fes 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, Fes and Barcelona 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 Fes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 262% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.