Cost of Living Comparison Between Meknes and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Meknes and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $750 per month in Meknes vs $726 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,142 per month in Meknes vs $1,150 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Meknes vs $1,573 in Arequipa, rent included.

Meknes costs about 3% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Meknes and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Meknes 45% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.27 MAD 30.49

$3.59 PEN 12.07

-8.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.10 MAD 150

$29.83 PEN 100

-46.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 MAD 61.0

$5.85 PEN 19.68

11.62%

Cappuccino

$1.27 MAD 11.87

$2.61 PEN 8.77

-51.34%

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

$0.87 MAD 8.14

$0.83 PEN 2.80

4.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MAD 4.40

$0.36 PEN 1.23

30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 MAD 30.70

$2.21 PEN 7.42

48.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 MAD 36.23

$4.34 PEN 14.59

-10.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MAD 8.61

$1.37 PEN 4.60

-32.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 MAD 3.66

$1.45 PEN 4.86

-73.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 MAD 12.48

$1.53 PEN 5.14

-12.42%

Eggs

$1.91 MAD 17.79

$2.36 PEN 7.93

-19.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 MAD 143

$6.46 PEN 21.71

136.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 MAD 51.5

$4.47 PEN 15.01

23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 MAD 92.1

$7.44 PEN 25.00

32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 MAD 12.31

$1.83 PEN 6.15

-27.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MAD 12.13

$1.25 PEN 4.21

4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.33

$1.16 PEN 3.91

-41.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 MAD 5.56

$1.02 PEN 3.44

-41.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 MAD 5.34

$0.67 PEN 2.26

-14.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.95

$0.72 PEN 2.43

2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 MAD 4.87

$0.56 PEN 1.90

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.93

$0.77 PEN 2.57

-16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MAD 40.01

$5.22 PEN 17.55

-17.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 MAD 107

$5.29 PEN 17.78

116.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 MAD 30.43

$2.89 PEN 9.71

12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MAD 25.54

$2.40 PEN 8.06

13.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MAD 3.86

$0.29 PEN 0.97

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.29 MAD 152

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 MAD 7.33

$2.10 PEN 7.07

-62.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 MAD 5.28

$2.05 PEN 6.88

-72.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 PEN 43.18

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MAD 12.97

$1.52 PEN 5.09

-8.55%

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

$35.9K MAD 335.5K

$18.6K PEN 62.4K

93.52%

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

$32.4K MAD 302.5K

$26.0K PEN 87.5K

24.41%

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

$31.82 MAD 297

$24.42 PEN 82.1

30.30%

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

$10.20 MAD 95.2

$10.19 PEN 34.24

0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.31 MAD 330

$23.41 PEN 78.7

50.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 MAD 276

$25.53 PEN 85.8

15.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.70 MAD 315

$8.36 PEN 28.10

303.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 MAD 41.07

$7.50 PEN 25.22

-41.33%

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

$126 MAD 1,176

$75.6 PEN 254

66.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,836 PEN 23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 MAD 621

$49.44 PEN 166

34.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 MAD 606

$26.25 PEN 88.2

147.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MAD 978

$69.3 PEN 233

51.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.1 MAD 627

$59.7 PEN 201

12.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MAD 2,608

$362 PEN 1,217

-22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,649

$240 PEN 806

-26.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 MAD 4,462

$731 PEN 2,458

-34.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 MAD 2,801

$421 PEN 1,415

-28.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,007 MAD 9,401

$1,995 PEN 6,703

-49.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$639 MAD 5,962

$1,016 PEN 3,413

-37.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 MAD 4,700

$656 PEN 2,203

-23.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-70.00%

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

Last update for Meknes: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Meknes versus $362 in Arequipa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Arequipa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Meknes versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Meknes vs $179 in Arequipa – so Arequipa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Meknes vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meknes costs about 3% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,125 per month in Meknes and $1,089 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Meknes and $30.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Meknes, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $750 in Meknes and $726 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $726 versus $750 in Meknes. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Meknes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.