Cost of Living Comparison Between Meknes and Rabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Meknes and Rabat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $666 in Meknes versus $900 in Rabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $980 in Meknes versus $1,571 in Rabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,293 in Meknes versus $2,242 in Rabat.

Living in Meknes costs roughly 26% less than in Rabat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Meknes 50% lower, Rabat 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 MAD 19.95

$4.69 MAD 43.35

-53.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.73 MAD 118

$49.21 MAD 455

-74.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 MAD 49.94

$6.53 MAD 60.4

-17.30%

Cappuccino

$1.33 MAD 12.28

$1.96 MAD 18.14

-32.14%

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

$0.69 MAD 6.42

$0.61 MAD 5.68

13.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MAD 4.07

$0.38 MAD 3.48

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MAD 30.17

$5.51 MAD 51.0

-40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MAD 38.25

$4.00 MAD 37.05

3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 MAD 7.95

$0.89 MAD 8.19

-3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 MAD 2.93

$0.50 MAD 4.64

-36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MAD 11.54

$1.95 MAD 18.00

-35.90%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.45

$1.96 MAD 18.10

1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 MAD 101

$13.01 MAD 120

-16.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 MAD 41.52

$7.14 MAD 66.1

-37.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 MAD 85.1

$11.97 MAD 111

-23.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 MAD 12.35

$1.62 MAD 14.95

-17.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.47

$1.39 MAD 12.82

-10.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.55

$0.76 MAD 7.04

21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.67

$0.80 MAD 7.39

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.70

$0.73 MAD 6.76

-1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.86

$0.66 MAD 6.11

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.91

$0.39 MAD 3.65

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.45

$0.63 MAD 5.80

-6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MAD 40.55

$4.40 MAD 40.67

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 MAD 106

$7.92 MAD 73.3

45.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MAD 26.38

$2.71 MAD 25.10

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MAD 25.65

$2.45 MAD 22.68

13.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$0.57 MAD 5.24

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.56 MAD 153

$27.67 MAD 256

-40.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 MAD 3.61

$0.53 MAD 4.94

-26.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$0.82 MAD 7.59

-41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MAD 39.53

$4.47 MAD 41.39

-4.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MAD 13.74

$1.53 MAD 14.19

-3.27%

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

$37.7K MAD 348.6K

$37.7K MAD 349.0K

-0.14%

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

$28.3K MAD 262.2K

$29.7K MAD 275.0K

-4.65%

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

$37.11 MAD 343

$41.01 MAD 379

-9.51%

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

$10.79 MAD 99.8

$11.17 MAD 103

-3.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.11 MAD 306

$40.41 MAD 374

-18.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.20 MAD 224

$30.55 MAD 283

-20.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 MAD 178

$28.23 MAD 261

-31.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 MAD 40.70

$6.40 MAD 59.2

-31.25%

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

$151 MAD 1,399

$161 MAD 1,487

-5.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,629 MAD 15.1K

$6,610 MAD 61.1K

-75.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.80 MAD 414

$53.5 MAD 495

-16.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 MAD 372

$48.11 MAD 445

-16.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 MAD 532

$109 MAD 1,007

-47.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 MAD 508

$101 MAD 930

-45.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 MAD 2,507

$449 MAD 4,153

-39.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,620

$262 MAD 2,422

-33.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MAD 3,916

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

-62.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,645

$724 MAD 6,700

-60.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 MAD 8,638

$2,099 MAD 19.4K

-55.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$633 MAD 5,858

$1,186 MAD 11.0K

-46.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 MAD 4,679

$726 MAD 6,717

-30.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.81

-6.44%

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

Last update for Meknes: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rabat: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Meknes and $449 in Rabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rabat pays 44% 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 $49.00 in Rabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $210 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 Rabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meknes wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Rabat. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Meknes the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Rabat earns 44% 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 $449 in Rabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Meknes – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $49.00 in Rabat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $666 per month in Meknes versus $900 in Rabat – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Meknes versus $900 in Rabat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Meknes but tight or insufficient in Rabat. 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 Rabat 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 35% less than in Rabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.