Teresina vs. Roquetas de Mar: Detailed 2026 Cost of Living & Quality Comparison

Teresina, Brazil, with a population of approximately 868,000, presents a significantly lower cost of living compared to Roquetas de Mar, Spain, which is home to around 109,000 residents. While Teresina offers substantially lower prices for housing, food, transportation, and general goods, its quality of life metrics are considerably lower. Teresina's Quality of Life Index stands at 109.91, well below the threshold of 100, indicating a below-average quality of life. In contrast, Roquetas de Mar boasts higher quality metrics, including a Safety Index of 85.00 and a Health Care Index of 80.00, both above the 100-point benchmark for average quality. However, Roquetas de Mar's overall Cost of Living Index is considerably higher at 196.48, reflecting significantly higher expenses for daily necessities, housing, and transportation compared to Teresina's index of 46.00.

Economically, Roquetas de Mar demonstrates a much stronger position. The average monthly net salary in Spain is $1,341.96, nearly three times higher than Teresina's $417.20. This higher income partially offsets the increased cost of living in Roquetas de Mar, but the city's GDP per capita ($47,100) is also more than double that of Teresina ($19,000). Despite the higher income, Roquetas de Mar offers a lower GDP growth rate (2.68%) and a slower population growth rate (0.12%) compared to Teresina's 2.00% GDP growth and 0.00% population growth. The lower mortgage rates in Roquetas de Mar (3.2%) compared to Teresina (12.00%) further favor property investment in Spain, though the high cost of living must be considered.

Housing represents a stark contrast between the two cities. While Teresina offers significantly more affordable housing, the property-to-income ratio is extremely high at 12.47, making homeownership challenging despite lower prices. In Roquetas de Mar, the average price per square meter is $2,100.47 in the city center and $1,692.04 outside, which is substantially higher than Teresina's $1,334.84 and $1,055.31 respectively. However, the higher average net salary in Roquetas de Mar ($1,341.96) makes these properties more relatively affordable than in Teresina, where the lower salary ($417.20) makes the high property prices even less attainable.

Daily living expenses also differ significantly. Food costs are considerably lower in Teresina, with fast food for two people averaging $3.50 per meal compared to $6.68 in Roquetas de Mar. Transportation expenses reflect this disparity as well, with gasoline at $0.41 per liter in Teresina versus $0.56 in Roquetas de Mar, and public transport tickets being much cheaper in Brazil. However, utilities for an 85m² apartment are higher in Roquetas de Mar ($143.92) than in Teresina ($80.00). Similarly, childcare costs are higher in Spain ($466.77 monthly) than in Brazil ($166.67).

In summary, while Teresina offers a substantially lower cost of living and potentially more affordable property options, Roquetas de Mar provides a significantly higher quality of life, better economic indicators, and more favorable mortgage rates. The decision between the two cities depends on individual priorities: those prioritizing lower daily expenses and property affordability may prefer Teresina, while those valuing higher quality metrics, income levels, and economic stability should consider Roquetas de Mar, despite the higher living costs.