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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $641 in Western Sahara versus $1,642 in Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,013 in Western Sahara versus $2,392 in Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,384 in Western Sahara versus $3,142 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 $641 to $641, compared to $1,122$3,254 in Spain. City choice carries more weight in Western Sahara.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.92 MAD 36.82
$16.06 €14.00
-75.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.26 MAD 275
$56.9 €49.57
-48.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.78 MAD 44.86
$10.30 €8.98
-53.59%
Cappuccino
$1.60 MAD 14.99
$2.32 €2.02
-31.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 MAD 4.93
$2.60 €2.27
-80.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 MAD 2.95
$1.84 €1.60
-83.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.51 MAD 32.97
$3.43 €2.99
2.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.77 MAD 44.74
$3.97 €3.46
20.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.79 MAD 7.40
$1.19 €1.04
-33.61%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 MAD 5.65
$1.52 €1.33
-60.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.80 MAD 16.91
$1.67 €1.46
7.78%
Eggs
$1.37 MAD 12.84
$2.98 €2.60
-54.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.54 MAD 108
$14.42 €12.58
-19.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.44 MAD 32.24
$8.59 €7.49
-59.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.42 MAD 88.4
$15.95 €13.91
-40.94%
Apples (1kg)
$1.52 MAD 14.23
$2.51 €2.19
-39.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.14 MAD 10.68
$2.07 €1.81
-44.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.68 MAD 6.38
$2.04 €1.78
-66.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 MAD 5.29
$2.64 €2.30
-78.79%
Potato (1kg)
$0.48 MAD 4.50
$1.76 €1.53
-72.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.36 MAD 3.41
$1.98 €1.73
-81.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 MAD 8.52
$1.35 €1.17
-32.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 MAD 5.30
$0.74 €0.65
-24.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$6.27 €5.46
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$5.75 €5.01
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.30 €1.14
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 MAD 32.95
$2.06 €1.80
70.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MAD 5.62
$1.77 €1.54
-66.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.75 MAD 110
$34.49 €30.07
-65.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.76 MAD 7.15
$4.49 €3.91
-83.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 MAD 6.03
$1.32 €1.15
-51.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$27.12 €23.64
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 MAD 12.00
$1.80 €1.57
-28.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.1K MAD 366.7K
$38.2K €33.3K
2.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K MAD 247.7K
$30.8K €26.9K
-14.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$33.34 MAD 313
$149 €130
-77.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$20.14 €17.56
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.48 MAD 211
$33.50 €29.21
-32.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.92 MAD 215
$46.30 €40.37
-50.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.39 MAD 332
$15.61 €13.61
126.71%
Cinema Ticket
$3.49 MAD 32.78
$9.40 €8.20
-62.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$290 MAD 2,719
$522 €455
-44.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,502 MAD 32.9K
$9,880 €8,613
-64.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.23 MAD 321
$88.1 €76.8
-61.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.3 MAD 547
$35.98 €31.36
62.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.5 MAD 718
$89.0 €77.6
-14.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.6 MAD 765
$108 €94.2
-24.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$350 MAD 3,282
$1,039 €906
-66.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$177 MAD 1,659
$820 €715
-78.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$702 MAD 6,587
$1,689 €1,472
-58.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$289 MAD 2,714
$1,214 €1,058
-76.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,301 €3,750
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,604 €2,270
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Western Sahara
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,982 €1,728
-
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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Spain: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $349 in Western Sahara, $898 in Spain. Capital cities: $349 in Laayoune vs $1,561 in Madrid.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 157% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 83% more in Spain.

Public transport is 175% 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 $2,188 per month in Spain and $641 in Western Sahara, there's a 241% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Western Sahara: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 compared to Western Sahara?
In Western Sahara, $800 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 Spain and in 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

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