Cost of Living Comparison Between Meknes and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Meknes and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $666 in Meknes versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $980 in Meknes versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,293 in Meknes versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Meknes costs roughly 71% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Meknes is 50% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 MAD 19.95

$17.08 €14.72

-87.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.73 MAD 118

$69.2 €59.7

-81.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 MAD 49.94

$13.78 €11.87

-60.81%

Cappuccino

$1.33 MAD 12.28

$2.76 €2.37

-51.81%

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

$0.69 MAD 6.42

$2.79 €2.40

-75.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MAD 4.07

$1.99 €1.72

-77.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MAD 30.17

$4.36 €3.76

-25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MAD 38.25

$4.74 €4.09

-12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 MAD 7.95

$1.29 €1.11

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 MAD 2.93

$2.05 €1.77

-84.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MAD 11.54

$1.99 €1.71

-37.19%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.45

$3.39 €2.92

-41.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 MAD 101

$18.81 €16.21

-42.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 MAD 41.52

$9.36 €8.07

-52.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 MAD 85.1

$19.12 €16.48

-51.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 MAD 12.35

$2.70 €2.32

-50.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.47

$2.34 €2.02

-47.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.55

$2.12 €1.83

-56.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.67

$2.85 €2.46

-74.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.70

$1.97 €1.70

-63.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.86

$1.80 €1.55

-58.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.91

$1.45 €1.25

-71.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.45

$0.86 €0.74

-31.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MAD 40.55

$6.78 €5.84

-35.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 MAD 106

$7.90 €6.81

45.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MAD 26.38

$1.39 €1.20

105.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MAD 25.65

$2.37 €2.04

16.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$2.92 €2.52

-85.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.56 MAD 153

$28.69 €24.72

-42.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 MAD 3.61

$4.46 €3.84

-91.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$2.05 €1.77

-76.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MAD 39.53

$29.55 €25.46

-85.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MAD 13.74

$1.82 €1.56

-18.68%

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

$37.7K MAD 348.6K

$38.8K €33.5K

-2.96%

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

$28.3K MAD 262.2K

$33.1K €28.5K

-14.37%

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

$37.11 MAD 343

$189 €163

-80.39%

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

$10.79 MAD 99.8

$22.80 €19.65

-52.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.11 MAD 306

$37.59 €32.39

-11.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.20 MAD 224

$57.7 €49.75

-58.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 MAD 178

$20.74 €17.87

-7.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 MAD 40.70

$10.82 €9.33

-59.33%

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

$151 MAD 1,399

$728 €628

-79.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,629 MAD 15.1K

$14.8K €12.7K

-88.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.80 MAD 414

$88.6 €76.4

-49.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 MAD 372

$36.85 €31.75

9.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 MAD 532

$102 €87.9

-43.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 MAD 508

$116 €100

-52.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 MAD 2,507

$1,569 €1,352

-82.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,620

$1,218 €1,050

-85.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MAD 3,916

$2,795 €2,409

-84.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,645

$1,975 €1,702

-85.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 MAD 8,638

$7,754 €6,680

-87.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$633 MAD 5,858

$5,176 €4,460

-87.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 MAD 4,679

$2,343 €2,019

-78.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.39

32.74%

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

Last update for Meknes: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Meknes and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 363% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $13.00 in Meknes vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $319 per month, with Meknes 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

Meknes vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meknes and Barcelona differ by about 251% in total monthly costs ($666 vs $2,337 including rent). Meknes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 363% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $271 in Meknes versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $151 in Meknes versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $666 in Meknes versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Meknes but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Meknes 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, Meknes 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 Meknes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 251% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.