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: $731 in Meknes versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Meknes versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,525 in Meknes versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Meknes costs roughly 70% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Meknes is 47% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.25 MAD 30.81

$18.74 €16.33

-82.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.66 MAD 149

$69.5 €60.6

-77.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 MAD 60.6

$13.77 €12.00

-53.67%

Cappuccino

$1.25 MAD 11.89

$3.10 €2.70

-59.68%

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

$0.91 MAD 8.62

$2.83 €2.47

-67.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MAD 4.00

$1.88 €1.64

-77.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 MAD 29.36

$3.98 €3.47

-22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MAD 34.89

$4.53 €3.95

-18.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.97

$1.27 €1.11

-33.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 MAD 3.77

$2.16 €1.88

-81.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MAD 11.90

$1.76 €1.53

-28.41%

Eggs

$1.86 MAD 17.68

$5.13 €4.47

-63.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.28 MAD 145

$17.88 €15.59

-14.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 MAD 50.2

$9.65 €8.41

-45.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 MAD 91.9

$20.15 €17.56

-51.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 MAD 12.40

$3.25 €2.84

-59.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 MAD 11.68

$2.23 €1.94

-44.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.33

$2.60 €2.27

-74.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 MAD 5.66

$2.76 €2.40

-78.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 MAD 5.32

$2.21 €1.93

-74.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.59

$2.12 €1.85

-62.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MAD 4.50

$1.55 €1.35

-69.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.53

$0.95 €0.83

-38.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MAD 39.30

$7.34 €6.40

-43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 MAD 103

$8.05 €7.01

35.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 MAD 31.59

$1.54 €1.35

116.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MAD 25.21

$2.79 €2.43

-4.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MAD 4.13

$3.11 €2.71

-86.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.13 MAD 153

$25.86 €22.54

-37.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MAD 6.91

$3.27 €2.85

-77.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MAD 5.15

$1.48 €1.29

-63.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MAD 13.55

$1.73 €1.51

-17.34%

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

$34.8K MAD 330.4K

$36.4K €31.7K

-4.20%

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

$31.2K MAD 296.0K

$30.5K €26.6K

2.19%

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

$31.36 MAD 297

$187 €163

-83.24%

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

$9.65 MAD 91.5

$15.14 €13.20

-36.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.69 MAD 329

$37.69 €32.85

-7.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.45 MAD 279

$55.9 €48.76

-47.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.01 MAD 323

$17.08 €14.89

99.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 MAD 39.35

$11.41 €9.95

-63.63%

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

$127 MAD 1,201

$997 €869

-87.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 MAD 637

$92.6 €80.8

-27.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.3 MAD 609

$41.22 €35.93

55.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MAD 982

$111 €96.9

-6.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 MAD 638

$125 €109

-46.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MAD 2,616

$1,707 €1,488

-83.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,676

$1,286 €1,121

-86.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 MAD 4,490

$2,565 €2,236

-81.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 MAD 2,794

$1,942 €1,693

-84.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$982 MAD 9,308

$7,647 €6,666

-87.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$631 MAD 5,988

$5,167 €4,504

-87.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 MAD 4,543

$2,348 €2,047

-79.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.16

42.41%

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

Last update for Meknes: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Meknes and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 390% 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: $16.00 in Meknes vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $336 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 239% in total monthly costs ($731 vs $2,476 including rent). Meknes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 390% 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: $276 in Meknes versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $127 in Meknes versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $731 in Meknes versus $2,476 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 239% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.