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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Chengdu vs $810 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Chengdu vs $1,226 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,477 per month in Chengdu vs $1,642 in Essaouira, rent included.

Chengdu is about 15% cheaper than Essaouira, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chengdu and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 49% lower, Essaouira 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.30

$4.34 MAD 39.86

-34.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ¥162

$24.74 MAD 227

-2.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.72

$4.99 MAD 45.88

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥18.73

$1.84 MAD 16.91

50.54%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.45 MAD 4.13

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.26 MAD 2.36

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$3.85 MAD 35.40

-70.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$3.57 MAD 32.83

-40.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$0.85 MAD 7.80

111.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.38

$0.53 MAD 4.90

162.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$1.69 MAD 15.57

-46.75%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.59

$1.80 MAD 16.52

3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.1

$9.59 MAD 88.1

42.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$5.34 MAD 49.08

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥76.0

$11.51 MAD 106

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.61

$1.37 MAD 12.55

35.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.27 MAD 11.70

-7.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$0.72 MAD 6.59

108.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.01

$0.93 MAD 8.56

11.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.73

$0.69 MAD 6.36

1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$0.92 MAD 8.47

-23.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.39 MAD 3.60

43.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.54 MAD 4.92

12.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ¥21.91

$4.07 MAD 37.43

-20.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.77

$6.61 MAD 60.8

-17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.78

$1.93 MAD 17.76

-48.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.67

$2.16 MAD 19.83

-13.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.90 MAD 8.25

-54.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.31 ¥185

$16.40 MAD 151

66.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.68 MAD 6.26

79.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.51 MAD 4.72

-49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ¥27.62

$8.69 MAD 79.8

-52.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.58 MAD 14.54

-27.85%

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

$18.7K ¥126.6K

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

-50.24%

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

$16.0K ¥108.4K

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

-23.76%

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

$45.05 ¥305

$28.04 MAD 258

60.66%

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

$11.69 ¥79.1

$13.82 MAD 127

-15.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥77.0

$28.65 MAD 263

-60.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 ¥166

$22.11 MAD 203

10.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ¥75.5

$23.63 MAD 217

-52.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ¥37.45

$6.71 MAD 61.7

-17.44%

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

$333 ¥2,249

$75.6 MAD 695

339.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥82.1K

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

509.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.92 ¥256

$31.43 MAD 289

20.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.57 ¥261

$39.79 MAD 366

-3.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$48.84 MAD 449

37.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 ¥343

$44.20 MAD 406

14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥2,149

$388 MAD 3,563

-18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,213

$345 MAD 3,173

-48.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,128

$795 MAD 7,308

-23.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥2,263

$545 MAD 5,011

-38.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 ¥25.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 ¥13.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,257 ¥8,501

$268 MAD 2,462

369.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

5.5

-23.45%

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

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Chengdu versus $388 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 369% 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 $24.00 in Chengdu versus $25.00 in Essaouira. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Chengdu vs $179 in Essaouira – so Essaouira wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $689 in Chengdu, $810 in Essaouira – roughly 18% apart. Essaouira costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Chengdu and $1,215 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 $24.00 in Chengdu and $25.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $689 in Chengdu and $810 in Essaouira. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $689 in Chengdu and $810 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 $689 in Chengdu to $810 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.