Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $816 in Essaouira versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,214 in Essaouira versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,613 in Essaouira versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Essaouira costs roughly 67% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Essaouira is 41% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 MAD 44.90

$18.39 €15.83

-73.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 MAD 182

$69.2 €59.5

-71.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 MAD 72.5

$14.13 €12.16

-45.15%

Cappuccino

$1.48 MAD 13.82

$3.13 €2.70

-52.72%

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

$0.48 MAD 4.51

$3.02 €2.59

-84.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MAD 3.68

$1.96 €1.69

-80.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.24 MAD 49.03

$4.00 €3.44

31.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 MAD 42.76

$4.76 €4.10

-3.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.45

$1.25 €1.07

-28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MAD 4.81

$2.16 €1.86

-76.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 MAD 17.01

$1.69 €1.45

7.69%

Eggs

$1.69 MAD 15.80

$4.93 €4.24

-65.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 MAD 80.5

$17.88 €15.39

-51.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MAD 58.5

$9.61 €8.27

-34.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 MAD 103

$19.34 €16.64

-43.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 MAD 12.29

$3.24 €2.78

-59.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 MAD 11.04

$2.18 €1.87

-45.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.43

$2.67 €2.30

-74.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.50

$2.77 €2.39

-71.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 MAD 5.37

$2.21 €1.90

-74.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.75

$2.19 €1.88

-67.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MAD 3.38

$1.52 €1.31

-76.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.73

$0.92 €0.79

-33.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 MAD 37.24

$7.12 €6.13

-44.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 MAD 61.3

$8.14 €7.00

-19.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 MAD 17.13

$1.50 €1.29

22.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MAD 20.54

$2.78 €2.39

-20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 MAD 8.24

$3.15 €2.71

-72.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 MAD 6.20

$3.25 €2.80

-79.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MAD 5.96

$1.50 €1.29

-57.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MAD 14.04

$1.75 €1.50

-14.29%

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

$35.5K MAD 331.7K

$36.7K €31.5K

-3.29%

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

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

$30.9K €26.6K

-0.53%

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

$25.43 MAD 238

$188 €161

-86.45%

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

$18.07 MAD 169

$15.44 €13.29

17.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 MAD 286

$37.80 €32.52

-19.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.45

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 MAD 51.4

$11.58 €9.96

-52.59%

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

$71.3 MAD 667

$1,003 €863

-92.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

$17.0K €14.6K

-88.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.05 MAD 281

$89.2 €76.8

-66.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.60 MAD 427

$40.87 €35.17

11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 MAD 577

$110 €94.6

-43.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.99 MAD 402

$123 €106

-64.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MAD 3,801

$1,673 €1,440

-75.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MAD 3,331

$1,331 €1,146

-73.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 MAD 9,072

$2,596 €2,234

-62.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 MAD 5,555

$1,950 €1,678

-69.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,517

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,621

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,508

$2,402 €2,067

-88.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

3.16

105.70%

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

Last update for Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $406 in Essaouira and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 796% 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: $19.00 in Essaouira vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $332 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

Essaouira vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Essaouira and Barcelona differ by about 206% in total monthly costs ($816 vs $2,495 including rent). Essaouira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 796% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $406 in Essaouira versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $71.3 in Essaouira versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Essaouira – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $816 in Essaouira versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Essaouira but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Essaouira the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Essaouira and Barcelona 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 206% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.