Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Western Sahara Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Western Sahara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,642 in Spain versus $627 in Western Sahara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,399 in Spain versus $1,026 in Western Sahara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Spain versus $1,425 in Western Sahara.

Living in Spain is roughly 162% more expensive than Western Sahara on average.

Spain (22% above) and Western Sahara (53% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,127 to $3,255, compared to $627$627 in Western Sahara. City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.98 €13.77
$3.77 MAD 34.86
323.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6 €49.63
$29.37 MAD 272
96.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.27 €8.85
$4.73 MAD 43.79
117.12%
Cappuccino
$2.38 €2.05
$1.68 MAD 15.56
41.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 €2.22
$0.52 MAD 4.83
396.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.58
$0.34 MAD 3.15
438.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.54 €3.05
$3.44 MAD 31.85
2.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 €3.52
$4.57 MAD 42.23
-10.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.05
$0.82 MAD 7.60
48.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 €1.31
$0.55 MAD 5.12
178.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 €1.38
$1.87 MAD 17.30
-14.44%
Eggs
$2.93 €2.53
$1.37 MAD 12.71
113.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.33 €12.34
$11.45 MAD 106
25.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.31 €7.16
$3.45 MAD 31.92
140.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.62 €13.46
$9.32 MAD 86.2
67.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.53 €2.18
$1.54 MAD 14.25
64.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 €1.72
$1.18 MAD 10.88
68.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.11 €1.82
$0.70 MAD 6.49
201.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.19
$0.60 MAD 5.56
323.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.52
$0.44 MAD 4.06
302.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.70
$0.37 MAD 3.38
435.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.12
$0.95 MAD 8.83
36.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.64
$0.59 MAD 5.48
25.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.19 €5.33
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.93 €5.11
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.07
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.78
$3.40 MAD 31.45
-39.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.78 €1.53
$0.60 MAD 5.51
196.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.91 €30.08
$11.37 MAD 105
207.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.48 €3.86
$0.76 MAD 7.02
489.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 €1.15
$0.64 MAD 5.92
109.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.24 €22.61
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 €1.51
$1.28 MAD 11.81
37.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €32.9K
$39.7K MAD 367.2K
-3.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K €27.3K
$26.7K MAD 246.9K
18.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €128
$33.15 MAD 307
348.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.16 €17.37
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 €29.39
$22.71 MAD 210
50.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.12 €40.60
$23.56 MAD 218
100.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.83 €13.64
$34.52 MAD 319
-54.14%
Cinema Ticket
$9.47 €8.16
$3.54 MAD 32.70
167.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$517 €445
$284 MAD 2,631
81.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K €8,752
$3,410 MAD 31.5K
197.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2 €75.1
$34.12 MAD 316
155.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.36 €32.19
$58.1 MAD 538
-35.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.3 €78.7
$75.7 MAD 700
20.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €91.0
$79.8 MAD 739
32.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,074 €925
$349 MAD 3,226
207.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$815 €702
$171 MAD 1,582
376.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,691 €1,457
$696 MAD 6,443
142.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,228 €1,058
$289 MAD 2,677
324.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,338 €3,738
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,744 €2,364
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Western Sahara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,031 €1,750
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
0
-

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

Last update for Spain: June 9, 2026

Last update for Western Sahara: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $898 in Spain, $347 in Western Sahara. Capital cities: $1,609 in Madrid vs $347 in Laayoune.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 159% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 83% more in Spain.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in Spain.

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 Western Sahara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Spain or Western Sahara?
At $2,191 per month in Spain and $627 in Western Sahara, there's a 249% 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.

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