Cost of Living Comparison Between Casablanca and Essaouira Cost of Living Comparison Between Casablanca and Essaouira

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Casablanca versus $810 in Essaouira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,561 in Casablanca versus $1,226 in Essaouira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,108 in Casablanca versus $1,642 in Essaouira.

Living in Casablanca is roughly 25% more expensive than Essaouira, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Casablanca 24% lower, Essaouira 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MAD 51.2

$4.34 MAD 39.86

28.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 MAD 299

$24.74 MAD 227

31.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 MAD 73.6

$4.99 MAD 45.88

60.32%

Cappuccino

$2.30 MAD 21.13

$1.84 MAD 16.91

25.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MAD 6.29

$0.45 MAD 4.13

51.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MAD 4.27

$0.26 MAD 2.36

80.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 MAD 34.85

$3.85 MAD 35.40

-1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MAD 41.11

$3.57 MAD 32.83

25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 MAD 8.58

$0.85 MAD 7.80

9.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MAD 7.06

$0.53 MAD 4.90

45.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MAD 17.72

$1.69 MAD 15.57

14.20%

Eggs

$2.00 MAD 18.38

$1.80 MAD 16.52

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 MAD 106

$9.59 MAD 88.1

19.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 MAD 68.4

$5.34 MAD 49.08

39.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 MAD 108

$11.51 MAD 106

2.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 MAD 16.92

$1.37 MAD 12.55

34.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MAD 14.62

$1.27 MAD 11.70

25.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 7.87

$0.72 MAD 6.59

19.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.47

$0.93 MAD 8.56

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.12

$0.69 MAD 6.36

11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.84

$0.92 MAD 8.47

-19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MAD 4.14

$0.39 MAD 3.60

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.35

$0.54 MAD 4.92

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MAD 40.24

$4.07 MAD 37.43

7.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 MAD 75.9

$6.61 MAD 60.8

24.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MAD 25.63

$1.93 MAD 17.76

44.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MAD 26.82

$2.16 MAD 19.83

35.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MAD 6.80

$0.90 MAD 8.25

-17.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.24 MAD 232

$16.40 MAD 151

53.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MAD 8.40

$0.68 MAD 6.26

33.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.57

$0.51 MAD 4.72

60.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MAD 49.65

$8.69 MAD 79.8

-37.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MAD 13.41

$1.58 MAD 14.54

-7.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.7K MAD 337.6K

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

-2.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.1K MAD 267.6K

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

38.40%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$49.48 MAD 455

$28.04 MAD 258

76.46%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.14 MAD 112

$13.82 MAD 127

-12.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.05 MAD 386

$28.65 MAD 263

46.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.44 MAD 271

$22.11 MAD 203

33.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.26 MAD 379

$23.63 MAD 217

74.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 MAD 81.6

$6.71 MAD 61.7

32.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$207 MAD 1,907

$75.6 MAD 695

174.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,466 MAD 50.2K

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

174.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 MAD 613

$31.43 MAD 289

112.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MAD 501

$39.79 MAD 366

36.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MAD 1,010

$48.84 MAD 449

125.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MAD 850

$44.20 MAD 406

109.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 MAD 5,424

$388 MAD 3,563

52.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 MAD 3,177

$345 MAD 3,173

0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

$795 MAD 7,308

40.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 MAD 5,352

$545 MAD 5,011

6.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,245 MAD 20.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 MAD 11.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 MAD 5,881

$268 MAD 2,462

138.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.29

5.5

-3.82%

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

Last update for Casablanca: June 1, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Casablanca and $388 in Essaouira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Casablanca pays 139% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Casablanca vs $25.00 in Essaouira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $179 per month, with Essaouira cheaper across the board.

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

Casablanca vs Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Essaouira is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Casablanca pays 139% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $590 in Casablanca versus $388 in Essaouira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Essaouira – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Casablanca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,014 per month in Casablanca versus $810 in Essaouira – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Essaouira versus $1,014 in Casablanca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Essaouira but tight or insufficient in Casablanca. The gap between the two cities makes Essaouira the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Essaouira is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Casablanca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Casablanca and Essaouira are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Essaouira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Casablanca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.