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: $646 in Fes versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,037 in Fes versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,428 in Fes versus $4,582 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 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MAD 34.56

$17.61 €15.08

-78.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.53 MAD 310

$68.7 €58.8

-51.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 MAD 57.3

$13.75 €11.77

-54.98%

Cappuccino

$1.55 MAD 14.38

$2.76 €2.36

-43.84%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.24

$2.78 €2.38

-83.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MAD 3.77

$2.05 €1.75

-80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 MAD 27.62

$4.61 €3.94

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 MAD 30.13

$4.59 €3.93

-28.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.20

$1.28 €1.10

-30.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.89

$2.11 €1.81

-74.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MAD 15.43

$1.97 €1.69

-15.23%

Eggs

$2.02 MAD 18.65

$3.44 €2.95

-41.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 MAD 114

$18.83 €16.12

-34.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MAD 49.54

$9.45 €8.09

-43.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MAD 91.8

$19.01 €16.27

-47.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 MAD 10.42

$2.72 €2.33

-58.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 MAD 11.93

$2.37 €2.03

-45.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.13

$2.08 €1.78

-62.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.51

$2.76 €2.36

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.47

$1.97 €1.69

-58.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.74

$1.79 €1.53

-47.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MAD 4.35

$1.51 €1.29

-68.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.48

$0.90 €0.77

-34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MAD 37.30

$6.76 €5.79

-40.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 MAD 45.15

$7.55 €6.46

-35.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 MAD 22.91

$1.44 €1.23

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MAD 30.51

$2.41 €2.06

36.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MAD 4.17

$3.03 €2.59

-85.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.82 MAD 100

$28.39 €24.30

-61.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.25

$4.43 €3.79

-84.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.42

$2.05 €1.76

-76.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 MAD 41.70

$29.33 €25.11

-84.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.28

$1.89 €1.62

-18.52%

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

$37.0K MAD 342.1K

$38.7K €33.2K

-4.54%

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

$29.4K MAD 271.8K

$32.4K €27.7K

-9.20%

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

$34.34 MAD 318

$189 €161

-81.79%

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

$10.85 MAD 100

$22.21 €19.01

-51.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.85 MAD 230

$36.82 €31.52

-32.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.34 MAD 244

$58.0 €49.64

-54.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.95 MAD 231

$20.99 €17.97

18.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.58 MAD 51.6

$11.05 €9.46

-49.50%

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

$55.1 MAD 510

$726 €622

-92.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,286 MAD 30.4K

$15.2K €13.0K

-78.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.56 MAD 310

$88.3 €75.6

-62.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.14 MAD 307

$36.98 €31.66

-10.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 MAD 793

$103 €87.8

-16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 MAD 591

$119 €102

-46.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MAD 2,627

$1,526 €1,307

-81.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MAD 1,400

$1,218 €1,043

-87.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 MAD 3,766

$2,794 €2,392

-85.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 MAD 2,016

$2,027 €1,735

-89.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$928 MAD 8,588

$7,094 €6,073

-86.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$535 MAD 4,952

$4,849 €4,151

-88.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$396 MAD 3,665

$2,404 €2,058

-83.52%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Fes and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 507% 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: $34.00 in Fes vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $320 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 263% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $2,341 including rent). Fes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 507% 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: $284 in Fes versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $55.1 in Fes versus $726 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 $646 in Fes versus $2,341 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 263% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.