For one person, living is cheaper in Mali: $904 a month against $1,775 in Spain, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Spain and in Mali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Spain versus $904 in Mali.
Spain $1,775
Mali $904
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,606 in Spain versus $1,481 in Mali.
Spain $2,606
Mali $1,481
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,438 in Spain versus $2,058 in Mali.
Spain $3,438
Mali $2,058
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $931 to $2,610, compared to $86–$894 in Mali. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
🌍
Living in Spain is roughly 96% more expensive than in Mali on average.
📊
Spain (30% above) and Mali (34% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69€14.89
$8.47F CFA 4,952
97.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.7€49.69
$36.49F CFA 21.3K
52.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.37€10.14
$8.25F CFA 4,825
37.82%
Cappuccino
$2.42€2.16
$1.71F CFA 1,002
41.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68€2.39
$0.89F CFA 519
201.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79€1.60
$0.71F CFA 416
152.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.42€3.06
$2.34F CFA 1,368
46.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88€3.46
$21.20F CFA 12.4K
-81.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Mali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.20€1.07
$1.94F CFA 1,137
-38.14%
White Bread(500g)
$1.48€1.32
$3.80F CFA 2,224
-61.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67€1.49
-
-
Eggs
$3.42€3.05
$6.05F CFA 3,540
-43.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.17€12.64
$17.84F CFA 10.4K
-20.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.33€7.43
$17.36F CFA 10.2K
-52.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.20€14.46
$13.30F CFA 7,778
21.80%
Apples(1kg)
$2.45€2.19
$3.11F CFA 1,819
-21.22%
Banana(1kg)
$2.03€1.81
$1.46F CFA 853
39.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08€1.85
$2.90F CFA 1,697
-28.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.58€2.30
$2.32F CFA 1,355
11.21%
Potato(1kg)
$1.83€1.63
$1.67F CFA 975
9.58%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00€1.79
$1.58F CFA 923
26.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.31€1.17
$0.11F CFA 62.7
1090.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77€0.69
$2.90F CFA 1,696
-73.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.36€5.68
$1.01F CFA 592
529.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.64€5.03
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30€1.16
$1.46F CFA 853
-10.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09€1.86
$1.30F CFA 762
60.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.64€1.47
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$32.91€29.36
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.43€3.95
-
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.47€1.31
$1.22F CFA 714
20.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.98€22.29
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.77€1.58
$1.09F CFA 635
62.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K€31.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K€27.3K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$149€133
$147F CFA 86.2K
1.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.67€15.77
-
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.88€28.44
$65.0F CFA 38.0K
-50.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.24€39.47
$70.1F CFA 41.0K
-36.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.29€13.64
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.66€8.62
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$544€486
$76.9F CFA 45.0K
607.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6K€9,463
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Mali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.9€75.8
-
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.11€33.11
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.2€79.6
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106€94.3
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,056€943
$172F CFA 100.3K
515.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$808€721
$79.5F CFA 46.5K
916.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,621€1,446
$506F CFA 295.9K
220.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,246€1,112
$297F CFA 173.4K
320.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,135€3,690
$10.1KF CFA 5.9M
-59.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,633€2,349
$843F CFA 493.3K
212.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,999€1,784
$257F CFA 150.1K
678.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.3
0
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CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Spain: October 24, 2026
Last update for Mali: October 25, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Spain
$808 45.5%
Mali
–
🛒Groceries & Markets
Spain
$272 15.3%
Mali
–
🍽Eating Out
Spain
$239 13.5%
Mali
–
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
$199 11.2%
Mali
–
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Spain
$143 8%
Mali
–
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Spain
$64 3.6%
Mali
–
🚌Getting Around
Spain
$51 2.9%
Mali
–
🏠Accommodation & Living
Spain
$1.2K 36.3%
Mali
–
🛒Groceries & Markets
Spain
$646 18.8%
Mali
–
🍽Eating Out
Spain
$763 22.2%
Mali
–
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
$217 6.3%
Mali
–
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Spain
$317 9.2%
Mali
–
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Spain
$142 4.1%
Mali
–
🚌Getting Around
Spain
$106 3.1%
Mali
–
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $920 in Spain, $176 in Mali. Capital cities: $1,508 in Madrid vs $176 in Bamako.
💰National salary averages: $1,972 in Spain, $264 in Mali. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 423% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 58% more in Spain.
⭐Salaries are about 7.5 times higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Spain vs Mali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Mali or Spain?
At $904 per month in Mali and $1,775 in Spain, Mali comes out about 49% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do rents compare between Mali and Spain?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $920 in Spain and $176 in Mali. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $1,200 go in Mali compared to Spain?
In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Mali and in Spain?
It depends on what you’re after: Mali wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.