😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,644 in Spain versus $642 in Western Sahara.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,400 in Spain versus $1,014 in Western Sahara.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Spain versus $1,385 in Western Sahara.
😐Living in Spain is roughly 156% more expensive than Western Sahara on average.
📊Spain (23% above) and Western Sahara (52% below) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,115 to $3,300, compared to $642–$642 in Western Sahara. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.01€13.67
$3.75MAD 34.70
326.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.0€50.4
$28.66MAD 265
105.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.26€8.77
$4.51MAD 41.74
127.49%
Cappuccino
$2.29€1.95
$1.67MAD 15.47
37.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59€2.21
$0.52MAD 4.79
398.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81€1.55
$0.34MAD 3.15
432.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.53€3.01
$3.52MAD 32.58
0.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02€3.44
$4.68MAD 43.27
-14.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.06
$0.82MAD 7.63
51.22%
White Bread(500g)
$1.52€1.30
$0.56MAD 5.22
171.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60€1.37
$1.87MAD 17.32
-14.44%
Eggs
$2.98€2.54
$1.37MAD 12.67
117.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.49€12.38
$11.60MAD 107
24.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37€7.14
$3.42MAD 31.61
144.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.94€13.62
$9.11MAD 84.3
74.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.54€2.17
$1.49MAD 13.74
70.47%
Banana(1kg)
$2.10€1.79
$1.18MAD 10.95
77.97%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.06€1.76
$0.72MAD 6.63
186.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.64€2.25
$0.60MAD 5.53
340.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.84€1.58
$0.44MAD 4.12
318.18%
Onion(1kg)
$1.91€1.63
$0.37MAD 3.39
416.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.33€1.14
$0.98MAD 9.02
35.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80€0.68
$0.57MAD 5.25
40.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.43€5.49
-
-
Wine(Bottle)
$5.82€4.97
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24€1.06
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11€1.80
$3.54MAD 32.74
-40.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.45
$0.56MAD 5.15
203.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.64€29.58
$11.48MAD 106
201.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.60€3.93
$0.73MAD 6.74
530.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35€1.15
$0.70MAD 6.47
92.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.00€23.06
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.84€1.57
$1.25MAD 11.52
47.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K€32.7K
$40.1KMAD 370.9K
-4.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K€26.7K
$26.8KMAD 247.5K
16.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151€129
$33.35MAD 308
352.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.30€17.34
-
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.21€28.36
$22.51MAD 208
47.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.38€40.47
$23.04MAD 213
105.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.74€13.44
$35.33MAD 327
-55.45%
Cinema Ticket
$9.06€7.74
$3.57MAD 33.03
153.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$523€446
$290MAD 2,682
80.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,978€8,521
$3,486MAD 32.2K
186.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7€74.9
$34.85MAD 322
151.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.32€31.87
$58.6MAD 542
-36.29%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.7€75.8
$75.0MAD 693
18.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106€90.8
$81.7MAD 755
30.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,052€899
$348MAD 3,217
202.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$809€691
$172MAD 1,595
369.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,674€1,429
$687MAD 6,354
143.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,213€1,036
$289MAD 2,672
319.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,487€3,832
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,733€2,334
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Western Sahara
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,111€1,803
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.51
0
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Spain: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Western Sahara: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $899 in Spain, $354 in Western Sahara. Capital cities: $1,595 in Madrid vs $354 in Laayoune.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 154% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 83% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 200% more expensive in Spain.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Spain vs Western Sahara: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which country is more expensive to live in: Spain or Western Sahara?
At $2,208 per month in Spain and $642 in Western Sahara, there's a 244% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Spain or Western Sahara?
Western Sahara is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Spain and Western Sahara?
Rent in Spain beats Western Sahara across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $800 go in Spain vs Western Sahara?
In Western Sahara, $800 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Spain and Western Sahara?
It depends on what you're after. Western Sahara wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.