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: $1,017 in Casablanca versus $837 in Essaouira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,578 in Casablanca versus $1,254 in Essaouira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,139 in Casablanca versus $1,671 in Essaouira.

Living in Casablanca is roughly 21% more expensive than in Essaouira, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Casablanca 24% lower, Essaouira 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.41 MAD 50.5

$4.36 MAD 40.68

24.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 MAD 311

$25.14 MAD 234

32.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 MAD 76.3

$4.97 MAD 46.37

64.59%

Cappuccino

$2.32 MAD 21.61

$1.76 MAD 16.37

31.82%

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

$0.70 MAD 6.51

$0.46 MAD 4.26

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MAD 4.64

$0.26 MAD 2.41

92.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 MAD 35.09

$3.79 MAD 35.36

-0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MAD 42.15

$3.72 MAD 34.69

21.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 MAD 8.51

$0.84 MAD 7.87

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MAD 7.14

$0.49 MAD 4.57

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MAD 18.94

$1.65 MAD 15.43

23.03%

Eggs

$1.91 MAD 17.78

$1.81 MAD 16.90

5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 MAD 104

$9.24 MAD 86.1

20.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 MAD 69.2

$5.29 MAD 49.31

40.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 MAD 110

$11.42 MAD 107

3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 MAD 17.81

$1.42 MAD 13.21

34.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MAD 14.05

$1.22 MAD 11.42

23.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 MAD 8.11

$0.72 MAD 6.69

20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.64

$0.88 MAD 8.22

-6.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.68

$0.70 MAD 6.52

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.52

$0.91 MAD 8.48

-10.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MAD 4.20

$0.39 MAD 3.66

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.48

$0.53 MAD 4.97

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 MAD 41.46

$4.15 MAD 38.66

7.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 MAD 75.2

$6.45 MAD 60.1

25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 MAD 26.90

$1.93 MAD 18.03

49.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MAD 26.14

$2.20 MAD 20.52

27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MAD 6.88

$0.87 MAD 8.11

-14.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.46 MAD 237

$16.46 MAD 154

54.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MAD 8.45

$0.63 MAD 5.92

44.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 MAD 7.17

$0.48 MAD 4.43

60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MAD 48.58

$8.98 MAD 83.8

-41.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.15

$1.58 MAD 14.70

-3.80%

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

$37.5K MAD 349.7K

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

0.91%

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

$28.8K MAD 268.8K

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

36.88%

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

$49.48 MAD 461

$27.86 MAD 260

77.60%

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

$11.91 MAD 111

$13.90 MAD 130

-14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.90 MAD 400

$27.94 MAD 261

53.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 MAD 277

$21.61 MAD 202

37.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.59 MAD 379

$22.76 MAD 212

78.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 MAD 82.6

$6.65 MAD 62.0

33.08%

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

$209 MAD 1,947

$75.3 MAD 702

177.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 MAD 49.7K

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

172.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 MAD 612

$30.88 MAD 288

112.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 MAD 501

$39.68 MAD 370

35.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MAD 1,040

$49.28 MAD 460

126.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 MAD 854

$44.34 MAD 413

106.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 MAD 5,464

$388 MAD 3,617

51.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 MAD 3,176

$346 MAD 3,229

-1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 MAD 10.5K

$813 MAD 7,584

38.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 MAD 5,422

$559 MAD 5,209

4.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,263 MAD 21.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 MAD 11.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 MAD 5,689

$268 MAD 2,498

127.73%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $586 in Casablanca and $388 in Essaouira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Casablanca pays 128% 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 $214 vs $176 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 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 128% 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: $586 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 $1,017 per month in Casablanca versus $837 in Essaouira – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $837 in Essaouira versus $1,017 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 21% less than in Casablanca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.