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: $1,045 in Casablanca versus $816 in Essaouira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,601 in Casablanca versus $1,214 in Essaouira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in Casablanca versus $1,613 in Essaouira.

Living in Casablanca is roughly 28% more expensive than in Essaouira, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Casablanca 24% lower, Essaouira 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 MAD 50.2

$4.80 MAD 44.90

11.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 MAD 301

$19.41 MAD 182

65.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 MAD 80.0

$7.75 MAD 72.5

10.32%

Cappuccino

$2.14 MAD 20.03

$1.48 MAD 13.82

44.59%

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

$1.16 MAD 10.84

$0.48 MAD 4.51

141.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MAD 6.59

$0.39 MAD 3.68

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 MAD 46.46

$5.24 MAD 49.03

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 MAD 51.5

$4.57 MAD 42.76

20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 MAD 9.08

$0.90 MAD 8.45

7.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MAD 7.17

$0.51 MAD 4.81

50.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MAD 17.66

$1.82 MAD 17.01

3.85%

Eggs

$1.94 MAD 18.13

$1.69 MAD 15.80

14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 MAD 106

$8.60 MAD 80.5

32.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MAD 72.0

$6.26 MAD 58.5

23.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 MAD 120

$10.96 MAD 103

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 MAD 16.10

$1.31 MAD 12.29

31.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MAD 14.73

$1.18 MAD 11.04

33.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.45

$0.69 MAD 6.43

15.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.82

$0.80 MAD 7.50

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.28

$0.57 MAD 5.37

17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.58

$0.72 MAD 6.75

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 MAD 4.67

$0.36 MAD 3.38

38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MAD 4.87

$0.61 MAD 5.73

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MAD 39.82

$3.98 MAD 37.24

7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 MAD 81.8

$6.56 MAD 61.3

33.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MAD 25.96

$1.83 MAD 17.13

51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 MAD 29.64

$2.20 MAD 20.54

44.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MAD 7.75

$0.88 MAD 8.24

-5.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.44 MAD 257

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 MAD 7.73

$0.66 MAD 6.20

25.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 MAD 2.88

$0.64 MAD 5.96

-51.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 MAD 43.60

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MAD 14.55

$1.50 MAD 14.04

4.00%

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

$32.8K MAD 306.8K

$35.5K MAD 331.7K

-7.48%

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

$31.5K MAD 294.5K

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

2.31%

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

$50.7 MAD 475

$25.43 MAD 238

99.53%

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

$11.56 MAD 108

$18.07 MAD 169

-36.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.32 MAD 415

$30.61 MAD 286

44.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.76 MAD 316

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.16 MAD 217

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 MAD 70.3

$5.49 MAD 51.4

36.79%

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

$618 MAD 5,783

$71.3 MAD 667

766.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,665 MAD 53.0K

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

195.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MAD 578

$30.05 MAD 281

105.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 MAD 468

$45.60 MAD 427

9.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 989

$61.7 MAD 577

71.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.8 MAD 634

$42.99 MAD 402

57.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MAD 5,947

$406 MAD 3,801

56.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 MAD 3,582

$356 MAD 3,331

7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 MAD 10.1K

$970 MAD 9,072

11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 MAD 6,025

$594 MAD 5,555

8.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,323 MAD 21.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,331 MAD 12.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$705 MAD 6,596

$268 MAD 2,508

162.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.5

-22.92%

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

Last update for Casablanca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $636 in Casablanca and $406 in Essaouira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Casablanca pays 163% 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: $32.00 in Casablanca vs $19.00 in Essaouira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $177 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 163% higher in Casablanca, 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: $636 in Casablanca versus $406 in Essaouira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Casablanca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,045 per month in Casablanca versus $816 in Essaouira – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $816 in Essaouira versus $1,045 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 28% less than in Casablanca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.