Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Essaouira Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Essaouira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $763 per month in Chengdu vs $816 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Chengdu vs $1,214 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,688 per month in Chengdu vs $1,613 in Essaouira, rent included.

Chengdu is about 7% cheaper than Essaouira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chengdu and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 44% lower, Essaouira 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 ¥19.43

$4.80 MAD 44.90

-39.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.18 ¥135

$19.41 MAD 182

3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥34.75

$7.75 MAD 72.5

-33.16%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ¥19.68

$1.48 MAD 13.82

98.65%

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

$0.48 ¥3.19

$0.48 MAD 4.51

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.39 MAD 3.68

-28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$5.24 MAD 49.03

-72.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ¥16.73

$4.57 MAD 42.76

-45.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.80

$0.90 MAD 8.45

95.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥10.98

$0.51 MAD 4.81

221.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.31

$1.82 MAD 17.01

-48.35%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.29

$1.69 MAD 15.80

-8.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 ¥95.1

$8.60 MAD 80.5

65.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ¥23.51

$6.26 MAD 58.5

-43.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 ¥74.0

$10.96 MAD 103

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.20

$1.31 MAD 12.29

38.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.46

$1.18 MAD 11.04

6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.10

$0.69 MAD 6.43

53.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.38

$0.80 MAD 7.50

56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.63

$0.57 MAD 5.37

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.83

$0.72 MAD 6.75

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$0.36 MAD 3.38

102.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$0.61 MAD 5.73

-3.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 ¥24.29

$3.98 MAD 37.24

-8.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.47 ¥36.63

$6.56 MAD 61.3

-16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.28

$1.83 MAD 17.13

-56.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ¥10.26

$2.20 MAD 20.54

-30.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.88 MAD 8.24

-51.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 ¥167

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 ¥8.81

$0.66 MAD 6.20

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$0.64 MAD 5.96

-54.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥29.33

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.21

$1.50 MAD 14.04

-18.00%

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

$19.4K ¥129.8K

$35.5K MAD 331.7K

-45.37%

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

$17.4K ¥116.7K

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

-43.39%

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

$41.04 ¥275

$25.43 MAD 238

61.38%

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

$9.46 ¥63.4

$18.07 MAD 169

-47.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.83 ¥86.0

$30.61 MAD 286

-58.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.45 ¥184

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ¥73.9

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ¥40.35

$5.49 MAD 51.4

9.65%

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

$410 ¥2,748

$71.3 MAD 667

474.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥99.0K

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

669.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.78 ¥193

$30.05 MAD 281

-4.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.21 ¥196

$45.60 MAD 427

-35.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 ¥407

$61.7 MAD 577

-1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 ¥353

$42.99 MAD 402

22.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ¥3,260

$406 MAD 3,801

19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,714

$356 MAD 3,331

-28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 ¥5,692

$970 MAD 9,072

-12.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ¥3,655

$594 MAD 5,555

-8.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,813 ¥25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ¥12.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,284 ¥8,602

$268 MAD 2,508

378.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

6.5

-48.00%

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

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Chengdu versus $406 in Essaouira. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 379% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chengdu versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $177 – making Essaouira the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chengdu vs Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $763 in Chengdu, $816 in Essaouira – roughly 7% apart. Essaouira costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,145 per month in Chengdu and $1,224 in Essaouira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chengdu and $19.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Essaouira – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $763 in Chengdu and $816 in Essaouira, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Essaouira has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $763 in Chengdu to $816 in Essaouira. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Essaouira makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.