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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $653 per month in Meknes vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $975 per month in Meknes vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,296 per month in Meknes vs $1,482 in Arequipa, rent included.

Meknes costs about 1% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Meknes and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Meknes 51% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 MAD 20.66

$4.13 PEN 14.06

-45.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.46 MAD 115

$28.09 PEN 95.6

-55.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 MAD 50.2

$5.64 PEN 19.19

-3.01%

Cappuccino

$1.31 MAD 11.99

$2.54 PEN 8.63

-48.43%

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

$0.74 MAD 6.76

$0.82 PEN 2.78

-9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MAD 4.05

$0.37 PEN 1.25

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 MAD 30.08

$2.16 PEN 7.33

51.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MAD 38.58

$5.85 PEN 19.91

-28.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 MAD 7.40

$1.61 PEN 5.49

-50.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 MAD 3.14

$1.28 PEN 4.35

-73.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MAD 11.61

$1.23 PEN 4.19

2.44%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.32

$2.15 PEN 7.30

-7.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 MAD 98.0

$5.52 PEN 18.76

93.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 MAD 39.28

$5.17 PEN 17.60

-17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 MAD 88.4

$7.76 PEN 26.40

23.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.56

$1.49 PEN 5.07

-8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 MAD 11.47

$1.17 PEN 3.98

6.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.44

$1.19 PEN 4.04

-22.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.22

$0.77 PEN 2.61

-11.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.62

$0.55 PEN 1.86

30.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.31

$0.54 PEN 1.84

48.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MAD 4.21

$0.45 PEN 1.51

2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.33

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MAD 40.78

$4.87 PEN 16.57

-8.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 MAD 104

$5.04 PEN 17.13

124.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MAD 25.44

$2.46 PEN 8.39

12.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MAD 25.69

$2.31 PEN 7.87

21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MAD 3.89

$0.29 PEN 0.99

44.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.24 MAD 149

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 MAD 3.32

$2.06 PEN 7.02

-82.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.81

$2.06 PEN 7.01

-74.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 MAD 39.49

$12.77 PEN 43.46

-66.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.13

$1.54 PEN 5.25

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

$37.2K MAD 341.7K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

100.12%

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

$29.0K MAD 266.9K

$25.5K PEN 86.7K

13.99%

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

$37.72 MAD 347

$39.14 PEN 133

-3.63%

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

$10.93 MAD 100

$10.57 PEN 35.96

3.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 MAD 315

$31.04 PEN 106

10.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.13 MAD 231

$21.22 PEN 72.2

18.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.09 MAD 175

$8.34 PEN 28.38

128.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 MAD 39.89

$4.49 PEN 15.27

-3.34%

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

$154 MAD 1,416

$60.0 PEN 204

156.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,613 MAD 14.8K

$6,277 PEN 21.4K

-74.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.72 MAD 420

$37.00 PEN 126

23.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.04 MAD 368

$22.10 PEN 75.2

81.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 MAD 529

$62.8 PEN 214

-8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 MAD 508

$56.3 PEN 191

-1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 MAD 2,460

$240 PEN 817

11.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 MAD 1,584

$158 PEN 538

8.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 MAD 3,829

$540 PEN 1,838

-22.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 MAD 2,634

$386 PEN 1,315

-25.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$972 MAD 8,930

$1,956 PEN 6,654

-50.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$645 MAD 5,929

$993 PEN 3,379

-35.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 MAD 4,550

$650 PEN 2,211

-23.81%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Meknes versus $240 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 31% 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 $12.00 in Meknes versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Groceries tell a different story – $183 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 1% 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 $980 per month in Meknes and $974 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 $12.00 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 7% 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 $653 in Meknes and $649 in Arequipa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 versus $653 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.