Cost of Living Comparison Between El Jadida and Essaouira Cost of Living Comparison Between El Jadida and Essaouira

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $664 in El Jadida versus $837 in Essaouira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $986 in El Jadida versus $1,254 in Essaouira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,307 in El Jadida versus $1,671 in Essaouira.

Living in El Jadida costs roughly 21% less than in Essaouira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Jadida 50% lower, Essaouira 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.85 MAD 35.91

$4.36 MAD 40.68

-11.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.90 MAD 186

$25.14 MAD 234

-20.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 MAD 62.9

$4.97 MAD 46.37

35.81%

Cappuccino

$1.52 MAD 14.15

$1.76 MAD 16.37

-13.64%

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

$0.43 MAD 4.03

$0.46 MAD 4.26

-6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.98

$0.26 MAD 2.41

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MAD 25.78

$3.79 MAD 35.36

-27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MAD 30.23

$3.72 MAD 34.69

-12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 MAD 8.21

$0.84 MAD 7.87

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.39

$0.49 MAD 4.57

-4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 MAD 17.21

$1.65 MAD 15.43

12.12%

Eggs

$1.86 MAD 17.38

$1.81 MAD 16.90

2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 MAD 47.25

$9.24 MAD 86.1

-45.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 MAD 35.83

$5.29 MAD 49.31

-27.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 MAD 73.8

$11.42 MAD 107

-30.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 MAD 14.74

$1.42 MAD 13.21

11.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.83

$1.22 MAD 11.42

4.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.04

$0.72 MAD 6.69

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.46

$0.88 MAD 8.22

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.38

$0.70 MAD 6.52

12.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 MAD 4.61

$0.91 MAD 8.48

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MAD 3.10

$0.39 MAD 3.66

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.63

$0.53 MAD 4.97

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MAD 37.58

$4.15 MAD 38.66

-2.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.42 MAD 41.17

$6.45 MAD 60.1

-31.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 MAD 22.52

$1.93 MAD 18.03

24.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MAD 27.34

$2.20 MAD 20.52

33.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MAD 4.69

$0.87 MAD 8.11

-42.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.83 MAD 241

$16.46 MAD 154

56.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 MAD 10.00

$0.63 MAD 5.92

69.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MAD 4.56

$0.48 MAD 4.43

2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 MAD 30.94

$8.98 MAD 83.8

-63.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.26

$1.58 MAD 14.70

-3.16%

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

$32.9K MAD 307.2K

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

-11.34%

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

$30.0K MAD 280.0K

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

42.57%

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

$31.73 MAD 296

$27.86 MAD 260

13.89%

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

$10.91 MAD 102

$13.90 MAD 130

-21.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.07 MAD 308

$27.94 MAD 261

18.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.23 MAD 254

$21.61 MAD 202

26.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 MAD 166

$22.76 MAD 212

-21.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 MAD 62.3

$6.65 MAD 62.0

0.45%

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

$89.2 MAD 832

$75.3 MAD 702

18.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,638 MAD 24.6K

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

34.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.04 MAD 373

$30.88 MAD 288

29.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.07 MAD 383

$39.68 MAD 370

3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 MAD 619

$49.28 MAD 460

34.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.2 MAD 561

$44.34 MAD 413

35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 MAD 2,155

$388 MAD 3,617

-40.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 MAD 1,613

$346 MAD 3,229

-50.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MAD 3,633

$813 MAD 7,584

-52.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 MAD 2,334

$559 MAD 5,209

-55.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,597 MAD 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$822 MAD 7,661

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 MAD 4,411

$268 MAD 2,498

76.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

-9.09%

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

Last update for El Jadida: July 12, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in El Jadida and $388 in Essaouira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Jadida pays 77% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in El Jadida vs $25.00 in Essaouira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $176 per month, with El Jadida 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

El Jadida vs Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Jadida wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Essaouira. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making El Jadida the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 77% higher in El Jadida, 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: $231 in El Jadida versus $388 in Essaouira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Essaouira. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in El Jadida – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $25.00 in Essaouira. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though El Jadida gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but El Jadida delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $664 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes El Jadida hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, El Jadida 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 El Jadida gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Essaouira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.