For one person, living is cheaper in Mali: $904 a month against $1,775 in Spain, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mali and in Spain actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $904 in Mali versus $1,775 in Spain.
Mali $904
Spain $1,775
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,481 in Mali versus $2,606 in Spain.
Mali $1,481
Spain $2,606
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,058 in Mali versus $3,438 in Spain.
Mali $2,058
Spain $3,438
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $931 to $2,610, compared to $86–$894 in Mali. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
🌍
Living in Mali costs about 49% less than in Spain on average.
📊
Mali (34% below) and Spain (30% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Mali
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.47F CFA 4,952
$16.69€14.89
-49.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.49F CFA 21.3K
$55.7€49.69
-34.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.25F CFA 4,825
$11.37€10.14
-27.44%
Cappuccino
$1.71F CFA 1,002
$2.42€2.16
-29.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89F CFA 519
$2.68€2.39
-66.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71F CFA 416
$1.79€1.60
-60.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34F CFA 1,368
$3.42€3.06
-31.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$21.20F CFA 12.4K
$3.88€3.46
446.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mali
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94F CFA 1,137
$1.20€1.07
61.67%
White Bread(500g)
$3.80F CFA 2,224
$1.48€1.32
156.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
-
$1.67€1.49
-
Eggs
$6.05F CFA 3,540
$3.42€3.05
76.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.84F CFA 10.4K
$14.17€12.64
25.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$17.36F CFA 10.2K
$8.33€7.43
108.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.30F CFA 7,778
$16.20€14.46
-17.90%
Apples(1kg)
$3.11F CFA 1,819
$2.45€2.19
26.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46F CFA 853
$2.03€1.81
-28.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.90F CFA 1,697
$2.08€1.85
39.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.32F CFA 1,355
$2.58€2.30
-10.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.67F CFA 975
$1.83€1.63
-8.74%
Onion(1kg)
$1.58F CFA 923
$2.00€1.79
-21.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.11F CFA 62.7
$1.31€1.17
-91.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.90F CFA 1,696
$0.77€0.69
276.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.01F CFA 592
$6.36€5.68
-84.12%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$5.64€5.03
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46F CFA 853
$1.30€1.16
12.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30F CFA 762
$2.09€1.86
-37.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Mali
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.64€1.47
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$32.91€29.36
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$4.43€3.95
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.22F CFA 714
$1.47€1.31
-17.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$24.98€22.29
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.09F CFA 635
$1.77€1.58
-38.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$35.5K€31.7K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$30.6K€27.3K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$147F CFA 86.2K
$149€133
-1.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$17.67€15.77
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.0F CFA 38.0K
$31.88€28.44
103.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mali
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$70.1F CFA 41.0K
$44.24€39.47
58.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.29€13.64
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$9.66€8.62
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mali
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$76.9F CFA 45.0K
$544€486
-85.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$10.6K€9,463
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mali
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$84.9€75.8
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$37.11€33.11
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$89.2€79.6
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$106€94.3
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mali
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$172F CFA 100.3K
$1,056€943
-83.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$79.5F CFA 46.5K
$808€721
-90.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506F CFA 295.9K
$1,621€1,446
-68.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$297F CFA 173.4K
$1,246€1,112
-76.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$10.1KF CFA 5.9M
$4,135€3,690
144.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$843F CFA 493.3K
$2,633€2,349
-67.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mali
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$257F CFA 150.1K
$1,999€1,784
-87.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
3.3
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mali: October 25, 2026
Last update for Spain: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mali
–
Spain
$808 45.5%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mali
–
Spain
$272 15.3%
🍽Eating Out
Mali
–
Spain
$239 13.5%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
–
Spain
$199 11.2%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mali
–
Spain
$143 8%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mali
–
Spain
$64 3.6%
🚌Getting Around
Mali
–
Spain
$51 2.9%
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mali
–
Spain
$1.2K 36.3%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mali
–
Spain
$646 18.8%
🍽Eating Out
Mali
–
Spain
$763 22.2%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
–
Spain
$217 6.3%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mali
–
Spain
$317 9.2%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mali
–
Spain
$142 4.1%
🚌Getting Around
Mali
–
Spain
$106 3.1%
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $176 in Mali, $920 in Spain. Capital cities: $176 in Bamako vs $1,508 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $264 in Mali, $1,972 in Spain. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 423% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 58% more in Spain.
⭐Salaries are about 7.5 times higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Mali vs Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Mali or Spain?
At $904 per month in Mali and $1,775 in Spain, Mali comes out about 49% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do rents compare between Mali and Spain?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $920 in Spain and $176 in Mali. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $1,200 go in Mali compared to Spain?
In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Mali and in Spain?
It depends on what you’re after: Mali wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.