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: $647 in El Jadida versus $810 in Essaouira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $978 in El Jadida versus $1,226 in Essaouira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,310 in El Jadida versus $1,642 in Essaouira.

Living in El Jadida costs roughly 20% less than in Essaouira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Jadida 52% lower, Essaouira 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 MAD 34.77

$4.34 MAD 39.86

-12.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 MAD 180

$24.74 MAD 227

-20.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 MAD 61.5

$4.99 MAD 45.88

34.07%

Cappuccino

$1.52 MAD 13.95

$1.84 MAD 16.91

-17.39%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.24

$0.45 MAD 4.13

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.93

$0.26 MAD 2.36

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 MAD 26.03

$3.85 MAD 35.40

-26.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 MAD 29.48

$3.57 MAD 32.83

-10.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.75

$0.85 MAD 7.80

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 MAD 4.02

$0.53 MAD 4.90

-16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MAD 16.21

$1.69 MAD 15.57

4.14%

Eggs

$1.78 MAD 16.38

$1.80 MAD 16.52

-1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.88 MAD 44.88

$9.59 MAD 88.1

-49.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 MAD 35.53

$5.34 MAD 49.08

-27.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.18 MAD 75.2

$11.51 MAD 106

-28.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 MAD 14.36

$1.37 MAD 12.55

13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 MAD 11.76

$1.27 MAD 11.70

0.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.58

$0.72 MAD 6.59

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.17

$0.93 MAD 8.56

-16.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.79

$0.69 MAD 6.36

7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 MAD 4.61

$0.92 MAD 8.47

-45.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MAD 3.04

$0.39 MAD 3.60

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MAD 5.20

$0.54 MAD 4.92

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MAD 38.45

$4.07 MAD 37.43

2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.47 MAD 41.04

$6.61 MAD 60.8

-32.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 MAD 21.83

$1.93 MAD 17.76

23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MAD 26.96

$2.16 MAD 19.83

35.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.69

$0.90 MAD 8.25

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.35 MAD 242

$16.40 MAD 151

60.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 MAD 9.91

$0.68 MAD 6.26

58.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$0.51 MAD 4.72

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 MAD 30.60

$8.69 MAD 79.8

-61.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MAD 13.91

$1.58 MAD 14.54

-4.43%

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

$32.5K MAD 298.7K

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

-13.59%

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

$30.1K MAD 276.3K

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

42.91%

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

$32.07 MAD 295

$28.04 MAD 258

14.37%

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

$11.03 MAD 101

$13.82 MAD 127

-20.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.95 MAD 303

$28.65 MAD 263

15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.12 MAD 249

$22.11 MAD 203

22.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.45 MAD 160

$23.63 MAD 217

-26.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 MAD 60.6

$6.71 MAD 61.7

-1.79%

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

$88.7 MAD 815

$75.6 MAD 695

17.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,576 MAD 23.7K

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

29.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.67 MAD 374

$31.43 MAD 289

29.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 MAD 373

$39.79 MAD 366

1.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 MAD 628

$48.84 MAD 449

39.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.3 MAD 563

$44.20 MAD 406

38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 MAD 2,052

$388 MAD 3,563

-42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 MAD 1,592

$345 MAD 3,173

-49.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MAD 3,493

$795 MAD 7,308

-52.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MAD 2,225

$545 MAD 5,011

-55.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 MAD 15.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 MAD 7,721

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 MAD 4,463

$268 MAD 2,462

81.25%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in El Jadida and $388 in Essaouira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Jadida pays 81% 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 $146 vs $179 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 25% 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.

El Jadida pays 81% more on average, 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: $223 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 23% 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 $647 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 25% less than in Essaouira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.