Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $908 in Rabat versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,593 in Rabat versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,279 in Rabat versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Rabat costs roughly 62% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rabat is 32% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 MAD 42.54

$17.58 €15.12

-73.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.79 MAD 448

$68.4 €58.9

-28.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MAD 62.5

$14.06 €12.09

-51.64%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.04

$2.78 €2.39

-29.50%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.61

$2.80 €2.41

-78.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.48

$2.06 €1.78

-81.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 MAD 50.2

$4.46 €3.84

22.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 MAD 38.67

$4.61 €3.96

-8.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 MAD 7.51

$1.24 €1.07

-33.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$2.03 €1.74

-76.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MAD 18.11

$1.92 €1.65

2.60%

Eggs

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$3.31 €2.85

-41.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 MAD 121

$18.43 €15.85

-28.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 MAD 63.8

$9.49 €8.16

-26.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 MAD 110

$19.16 €16.48

-37.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 MAD 14.83

$2.64 €2.27

-39.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.68

$2.45 €2.11

-43.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.61

$2.12 €1.82

-60.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.44

$2.85 €2.45

-71.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.25

$2.04 €1.75

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.51

$1.85 €1.59

-61.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 MAD 3.64

$1.47 €1.26

-72.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.77

$0.84 €0.73

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MAD 40.35

$7.14 €6.14

-38.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 MAD 74.3

$7.88 €6.78

2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MAD 24.85

$1.38 €1.19

95.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 22.73

$2.31 €1.99

6.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.23

$2.98 €2.56

-80.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 MAD 249

$29.26 €25.17

-7.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MAD 5.27

$4.60 €3.95

-87.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 MAD 7.63

$2.07 €1.78

-59.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 MAD 41.02

$29.18 €25.10

-84.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.11

$1.84 €1.58

-16.30%

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

$36.9K MAD 338.7K

$39.0K €33.6K

-5.53%

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

$29.8K MAD 273.8K

$32.7K €28.1K

-8.88%

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

$41.32 MAD 380

$188 €162

-78.00%

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

$11.26 MAD 103

$22.93 €19.73

-50.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.59 MAD 364

$36.71 €31.58

7.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.30 MAD 278

$57.4 €49.35

-47.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.31 MAD 269

$20.70 €17.80

41.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 MAD 60.3

$11.19 €9.63

-41.38%

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

$158 MAD 1,448

$721 €620

-78.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,396 MAD 58.8K

$15.0K €12.9K

-57.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MAD 482

$86.2 €74.2

-39.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.76 MAD 448

$37.07 €31.89

31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MAD 990

$102 €87.8

5.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 MAD 892

$116 €99.7

-16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MAD 4,226

$1,534 €1,319

-70.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MAD 2,471

$1,220 €1,050

-77.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MAD 10.1K

$2,696 €2,319

-59.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 MAD 6,680

$2,013 €1,732

-63.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,105 MAD 19.3K

$7,220 €6,211

-70.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,209 MAD 11.1K

$5,189 €4,463

-76.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$745 MAD 6,843

$2,359 €2,029

-68.44%

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 Rabat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Rabat and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 217% 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: $49.00 in Rabat vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $318 per month, with Rabat 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

Rabat vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabat and Barcelona differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($908 vs $2,367 including rent). Rabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 217% 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: $460 in Rabat versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $158 in Rabat versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $908 in Rabat versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rabat but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Rabat 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, Rabat 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 Rabat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.