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: $647 in Meknes versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $986 in Meknes versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,324 in Meknes versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Meknes costs roughly 73% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Meknes is 51% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 MAD 20.97

$17.15 €14.86

-86.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.70 MAD 118

$68.1 €58.9

-81.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 MAD 49.91

$13.64 €11.82

-60.78%

Cappuccino

$1.31 MAD 12.18

$2.78 €2.41

-52.88%

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

$0.75 MAD 6.97

$2.82 €2.44

-73.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MAD 4.45

$1.96 €1.70

-75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 MAD 31.44

$4.43 €3.84

-23.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 MAD 38.05

$4.61 €3.99

-11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 MAD 7.53

$1.27 €1.10

-36.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 MAD 2.96

$2.13 €1.85

-84.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MAD 12.09

$1.99 €1.72

-34.67%

Eggs

$1.91 MAD 17.85

$3.37 €2.92

-43.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 MAD 102

$18.96 €16.42

-42.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.51 MAD 42.02

$9.53 €8.26

-52.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 MAD 88.1

$18.73 €16.22

-49.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.85

$2.65 €2.29

-47.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 MAD 11.66

$2.35 €2.04

-46.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.42

$2.09 €1.81

-56.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.14

$2.73 €2.37

-75.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.69

$1.96 €1.70

-63.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.05

$1.81 €1.56

-58.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MAD 4.30

$1.51 €1.31

-69.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MAD 5.34

$0.89 €0.77

-35.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MAD 40.88

$6.78 €5.87

-35.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 MAD 105

$7.92 €6.86

42.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MAD 26.32

$1.37 €1.19

105.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MAD 24.82

$2.40 €2.08

10.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MAD 4.25

$2.91 €2.52

-84.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.53 MAD 154

$28.66 €24.82

-42.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 MAD 3.66

$4.58 €3.96

-91.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.86

$2.04 €1.77

-74.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 MAD 41.52

$28.72 €24.87

-84.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MAD 13.87

$1.82 €1.58

-18.13%

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

$36.8K MAD 342.8K

$39.3K €34.0K

-6.50%

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

$29.0K MAD 270.7K

$32.5K €28.1K

-10.60%

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

$37.82 MAD 353

$187 €162

-79.74%

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

$10.76 MAD 100

$22.29 €19.30

-51.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.00 MAD 317

$36.37 €31.50

-6.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.36 MAD 227

$57.5 €49.82

-57.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 MAD 180

$20.74 €17.96

-6.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 MAD 41.23

$10.77 €9.33

-58.96%

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

$154 MAD 1,434

$725 €628

-78.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,668 MAD 15.6K

$15.2K €13.1K

-88.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.92 MAD 428

$87.9 €76.1

-47.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.74 MAD 380

$36.81 €31.88

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 MAD 528

$103 €89.6

-45.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 MAD 506

$119 €103

-54.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 MAD 2,515

$1,524 €1,319

-82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 MAD 1,578

$1,227 €1,062

-86.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 MAD 3,913

$2,727 €2,362

-84.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MAD 2,589

$1,984 €1,718

-86.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$981 MAD 9,144

$7,469 €6,468

-86.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$612 MAD 5,702

$5,243 €4,541

-88.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 MAD 4,524

$2,393 €2,072

-79.72%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Meknes and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 393% 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 $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 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 265% in total monthly costs ($647 vs $2,359 including rent). Meknes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 393% lower in Barcelona. 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: $270 in Meknes versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Meknes versus $725 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $647 in Meknes versus $2,359 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 265% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.