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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $665 per month in Meknes vs $652 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $980 per month in Meknes vs $1,071 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,295 per month in Meknes vs $1,490 in Arequipa, rent included.

Meknes costs about 2% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Meknes and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Meknes 50% lower, Arequipa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 MAD 20.31

$4.07 PEN 13.79

-46.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.72 MAD 119

$27.88 PEN 94.5

-54.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 MAD 51.9

$5.47 PEN 18.53

1.65%

Cappuccino

$1.31 MAD 12.23

$2.58 PEN 8.73

-49.22%

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

$0.70 MAD 6.55

$0.82 PEN 2.76

-14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MAD 4.12

$0.37 PEN 1.25

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MAD 31.31

$2.24 PEN 7.59

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 MAD 37.94

$6.11 PEN 20.71

-33.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 MAD 8.20

$1.55 PEN 5.25

-43.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 MAD 2.95

$1.27 PEN 4.29

-74.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MAD 12.24

$1.29 PEN 4.36

1.55%

Eggs

$2.00 MAD 18.65

$2.07 PEN 7.00

-3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 MAD 102

$5.57 PEN 18.87

95.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 MAD 39.94

$5.27 PEN 17.88

-18.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 MAD 90.8

$7.58 PEN 25.69

28.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.76

$1.46 PEN 4.96

-6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MAD 11.16

$1.18 PEN 3.99

1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 MAD 8.15

$1.22 PEN 4.14

-28.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.69

$0.78 PEN 2.63

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.84

$0.59 PEN 2.01

23.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.91

$0.58 PEN 1.97

27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.96

$0.45 PEN 1.52

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.80

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MAD 39.80

$5.05 PEN 17.10

-15.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 MAD 106

$5.21 PEN 17.65

118.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MAD 26.00

$2.48 PEN 8.39

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MAD 25.92

$2.20 PEN 7.47

26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MAD 3.93

$0.27 PEN 0.91

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.73 MAD 156

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 MAD 3.37

$2.09 PEN 7.08

-82.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.51

$2.04 PEN 6.92

-76.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.34 MAD 40.46

$12.92 PEN 43.81

-66.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.18

$1.62 PEN 5.48

-6.17%

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

$36.9K MAD 344.2K

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

97.09%

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

$28.5K MAD 265.7K

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

12.37%

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

$37.63 MAD 351

$39.23 PEN 133

-4.08%

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

$10.81 MAD 101

$10.33 PEN 35.00

4.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 MAD 317

$30.48 PEN 103

11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.04 MAD 233

$21.96 PEN 74.4

14.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.81 MAD 175

$8.17 PEN 27.71

130.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 MAD 41.68

$4.46 PEN 15.11

0.22%

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

$150 MAD 1,395

$59.9 PEN 203

149.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,663 MAD 15.5K

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

-73.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.70 MAD 426

$37.74 PEN 128

21.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 MAD 368

$22.29 PEN 75.6

77.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 MAD 531

$63.2 PEN 214

-9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 MAD 513

$56.5 PEN 192

-2.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 MAD 2,545

$244 PEN 826

12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 MAD 1,586

$157 PEN 533

8.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MAD 3,978

$546 PEN 1,852

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 MAD 2,618

$390 PEN 1,323

-28.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$978 MAD 9,124

$2,023 PEN 6,858

-51.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$631 MAD 5,885

$994 PEN 3,370

-36.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 MAD 4,524

$649 PEN 2,199

-25.21%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $273 in Meknes versus $244 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 34% 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 $13.00 in Meknes versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Meknes vs $171 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 2% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $997 per month in Meknes and $977 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 $13.00 in Meknes and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $665 in Meknes and $652 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $665 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.