🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $642 in Western Sahara versus $1,644 in Spain.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,014 in Western Sahara versus $2,400 in Spain.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Western Sahara versus $3,155 in Spain.
🙂Living in Western Sahara costs about 61% less than in Spain on average.
📊Western Sahara (52% below) and Spain (23% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Western Sahara: monthly costs span $642 to $642, compared to $1,115–$3,300 in Spain. City choice carries more weight in Western Sahara.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.75MAD 34.70
$16.01€13.67
-76.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.66MAD 265
$59.0€50.4
-51.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.51MAD 41.74
$10.26€8.77
-56.04%
Cappuccino
$1.67MAD 15.47
$2.29€1.95
-27.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52MAD 4.79
$2.59€2.21
-79.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34MAD 3.15
$1.81€1.55
-81.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.52MAD 32.58
$3.53€3.01
-0.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68MAD 43.27
$4.02€3.44
16.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.82MAD 7.63
$1.24€1.06
-33.87%
White Bread(500g)
$0.56MAD 5.22
$1.52€1.30
-63.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.87MAD 17.32
$1.60€1.37
16.88%
Eggs
$1.37MAD 12.67
$2.98€2.54
-54.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.60MAD 107
$14.49€12.38
-19.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42MAD 31.61
$8.37€7.14
-59.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.11MAD 84.3
$15.94€13.62
-42.85%
Apples(1kg)
$1.49MAD 13.74
$2.54€2.17
-41.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18MAD 10.95
$2.10€1.79
-43.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.72MAD 6.63
$2.06€1.76
-65.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.60MAD 5.53
$2.64€2.25
-77.27%
Potato(1kg)
$0.44MAD 4.12
$1.84€1.58
-76.09%
Onion(1kg)
$0.37MAD 3.39
$1.91€1.63
-80.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98MAD 9.02
$1.33€1.14
-26.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57MAD 5.25
$0.80€0.68
-28.75%
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)
$3.54MAD 32.74
$2.11€1.80
67.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.56MAD 5.15
$1.70€1.45
-67.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48MAD 106
$34.64€29.58
-66.86%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.73MAD 6.74
$4.60€3.93
-84.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.70MAD 6.47
$1.35€1.15
-48.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$27.00€23.06
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25MAD 11.52
$1.84€1.57
-32.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.1KMAD 370.9K
$38.3K€32.7K
4.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KMAD 247.5K
$31.2K€26.7K
-14.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.35MAD 308
$151€129
-77.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$20.30€17.34
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.51MAD 208
$33.21€28.36
-32.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.04MAD 213
$47.38€40.47
-51.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.33MAD 327
$15.74€13.44
124.46%
Cinema Ticket
$3.57MAD 33.03
$9.06€7.74
-60.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$290MAD 2,682
$523€446
-44.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,486MAD 32.2K
$9,978€8,521
-65.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.85MAD 322
$87.7€74.9
-60.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.6MAD 542
$37.32€31.87
56.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.0MAD 693
$88.7€75.8
-15.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.7MAD 755
$106€90.8
-23.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$348MAD 3,217
$1,052€899
-66.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$172MAD 1,595
$809€691
-78.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$687MAD 6,354
$1,674€1,429
-58.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$289MAD 2,672
$1,213€1,036
-76.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,487€3,832
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,733€2,334
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$2,111€1,803
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
3.51
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Western Sahara: April 27, 2026
Last update for Spain: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $354 in Western Sahara, $899 in Spain. Capital cities: $354 in Laayoune vs $1,595 in Madrid.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 154% 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
Western Sahara vs Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Western Sahara vs other spots: cost of living compared