Cost of Living Comparison Between Oued Zem and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Oued Zem and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in Oued Zem versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,321 in Oued Zem versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,851 in Oued Zem versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Oued Zem costs roughly 66% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oued Zem is 41% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 MAD 44.34

$17.15 €14.96

-72.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 MAD 471

$68.1 €59.3

-26.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 MAD 61.3

$13.64 €11.89

-52.13%

Cappuccino

$2.04 MAD 19.17

$2.78 €2.42

-26.62%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.90

$2.82 €2.46

-77.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.48

$1.96 €1.71

-81.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 MAD 52.7

$4.43 €3.86

26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 MAD 38.05

$4.61 €4.01

-11.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 MAD 7.66

$1.27 €1.11

-35.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.42

$2.13 €1.86

-77.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MAD 18.42

$1.99 €1.73

-1.51%

Eggs

$1.93 MAD 18.13

$3.37 €2.93

-42.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 MAD 124

$18.96 €16.53

-30.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 MAD 64.7

$9.53 €8.31

-27.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 MAD 113

$18.73 €16.33

-35.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 MAD 14.87

$2.65 €2.31

-40.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MAD 13.51

$2.35 €2.05

-38.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.65

$2.09 €1.82

-60.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 8.08

$2.73 €2.38

-68.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.29

$1.96 €1.71

-65.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.27

$1.81 €1.58

-62.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.96

$1.51 €1.32

-72.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.60

$0.89 €0.78

-32.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MAD 41.71

$6.78 €5.91

-34.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 MAD 72.3

$7.92 €6.90

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MAD 24.60

$1.37 €1.19

91.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MAD 23.94

$2.40 €2.09

6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MAD 4.72

$2.91 €2.54

-82.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.19 MAD 152

$28.66 €24.98

-43.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.99

$4.58 €3.99

-88.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MAD 8.32

$2.04 €1.78

-56.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 MAD 42.22

$28.72 €25.03

-84.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.79

$1.82 €1.59

-13.19%

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

$37.0K MAD 347.0K

$39.3K €34.3K

-5.94%

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

$29.2K MAD 273.8K

$32.5K €28.3K

-10.16%

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

$40.97 MAD 384

$187 €163

-78.05%

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

$11.09 MAD 104

$22.29 €19.43

-50.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 MAD 373

$36.37 €31.71

9.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 MAD 231

$57.5 €50.2

-57.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 MAD 217

$20.74 €18.08

11.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 MAD 61.6

$10.77 €9.39

-39.09%

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

$160 MAD 1,505

$725 €632

-77.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,381 MAD 59.9K

$15.2K €13.2K

-57.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 MAD 498

$87.9 €76.6

-39.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 MAD 445

$36.81 €32.09

28.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 1,005

$103 €90.2

3.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 MAD 927

$119 €103

-16.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,684

$1,524 €1,328

-81.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MAD 1,655

$1,227 €1,070

-85.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MAD 4,819

$2,727 €2,378

-81.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MAD 2,910

$1,984 €1,730

-84.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,165 MAD 10.9K

$7,469 €6,511

-84.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$932 MAD 8,745

$5,243 €4,571

-82.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 MAD 2,311

$2,393 €2,086

-89.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

3.39

41.89%

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

Last update for Oued Zem: July 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Oued Zem and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 871% 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: $50.0 in Oued Zem vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $319 per month, with Oued Zem 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

Oued Zem vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oued Zem and Barcelona differ by about 199% in total monthly costs ($790 vs $2,359 including rent). Oued Zem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 871% 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: $286 in Oued Zem versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $160 in Oued Zem 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 53% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $790 in Oued Zem versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oued Zem but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Oued Zem 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, Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 199% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.