Cost of Living Comparison Between Laayoune and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Laayoune and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $642 in Laayoune versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,013 in Laayoune versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Laayoune versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Laayoune costs roughly 73% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Laayoune is 52% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MAD 35.08

$17.61 €15.08

-78.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 MAD 270

$68.7 €58.8

-57.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MAD 42.45

$13.75 €11.77

-66.62%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MAD 14.72

$2.76 €2.36

-42.39%

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

$0.48 MAD 4.44

$2.78 €2.38

-82.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MAD 2.91

$2.05 €1.75

-84.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 MAD 31.43

$4.61 €3.94

-26.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MAD 43.31

$4.59 €3.93

1.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 MAD 7.21

$1.28 €1.10

-39.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 MAD 5.50

$2.11 €1.81

-71.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MAD 17.53

$1.97 €1.69

-4.06%

Eggs

$1.37 MAD 12.68

$3.44 €2.95

-60.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.64 MAD 108

$18.83 €16.12

-38.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 MAD 31.38

$9.45 €8.09

-64.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.05 MAD 83.8

$19.01 €16.27

-52.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 MAD 14.28

$2.72 €2.33

-43.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MAD 10.99

$2.37 €2.03

-49.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.24

$2.08 €1.78

-67.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 MAD 5.20

$2.76 €2.36

-79.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 MAD 4.37

$1.97 €1.69

-76.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 MAD 3.35

$1.79 €1.53

-79.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MAD 8.25

$1.51 €1.29

-41.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MAD 5.10

$0.90 €0.77

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MAD 32.36

$2.41 €2.06

45.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MAD 5.17

$3.03 €2.59

-81.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.44 MAD 106

$28.39 €24.30

-59.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 MAD 6.54

$4.43 €3.79

-83.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 MAD 6.34

$2.05 €1.76

-66.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MAD 11.90

$1.89 €1.62

-31.75%

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

$38.8K MAD 359.4K

$38.7K €33.2K

0.28%

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

$26.4K MAD 244.5K

$32.4K €27.7K

-18.33%

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

$32.41 MAD 300

$189 €161

-82.81%

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

$22.21 €19.01

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.36 MAD 207

$36.82 €31.52

-39.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.75 MAD 210

$58.0 €49.64

-60.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.12 MAD 325

$20.99 €17.97

67.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.50 MAD 32.35

$11.05 €9.46

-68.33%

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

$295 MAD 2,728

$726 €622

-59.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,407 MAD 31.5K

$15.2K €13.0K

-77.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.06 MAD 315

$88.3 €75.6

-61.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 MAD 533

$36.98 €31.66

55.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 MAD 704

$103 €87.8

-25.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 MAD 740

$119 €102

-32.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 MAD 3,270

$1,526 €1,307

-76.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 MAD 1,577

$1,218 €1,043

-86.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MAD 6,408

$2,794 €2,392

-75.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 MAD 2,657

$2,027 €1,735

-85.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Laayoune: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Laayoune and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Laayoune vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $146 vs $320 per month, with Laayoune 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

Laayoune vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laayoune and Barcelona differ by about 265% in total monthly costs ($642 vs $2,341 including rent). Laayoune is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $962 in Laayoune and $3,512 in Barcelona 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: $354 in Laayoune versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $295 in Laayoune 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 120% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $642 in Laayoune versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Laayoune but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Laayoune 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, Laayoune 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 Laayoune gentler on the wallet – expenses run 265% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.