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: $810 in Essaouira versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,226 in Essaouira versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Essaouira versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Essaouira costs roughly 66% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Essaouira is 40% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 MAD 39.86

$17.58 €15.12

-75.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.74 MAD 227

$68.4 €58.9

-63.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MAD 45.88

$14.06 €12.09

-64.51%

Cappuccino

$1.84 MAD 16.91

$2.78 €2.39

-33.81%

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

$0.45 MAD 4.13

$2.80 €2.41

-83.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.36

$2.06 €1.78

-87.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 MAD 35.40

$4.46 €3.84

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MAD 32.83

$4.61 €3.96

-22.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MAD 7.80

$1.24 €1.07

-31.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.90

$2.03 €1.74

-73.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MAD 15.57

$1.92 €1.65

-11.98%

Eggs

$1.80 MAD 16.52

$3.31 €2.85

-45.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 MAD 88.1

$18.43 €15.85

-47.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MAD 49.08

$9.49 €8.16

-43.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 MAD 106

$19.16 €16.48

-39.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.55

$2.64 €2.27

-48.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.70

$2.45 €2.11

-48.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.59

$2.12 €1.82

-66.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.56

$2.85 €2.45

-67.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$2.04 €1.75

-66.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.47

$1.85 €1.59

-50.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.60

$1.47 €1.26

-73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MAD 4.92

$0.84 €0.73

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MAD 37.43

$7.14 €6.14

-43.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 MAD 60.8

$7.88 €6.78

-16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$1.38 €1.19

39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MAD 19.83

$2.31 €1.99

-6.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MAD 8.25

$2.98 €2.56

-69.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.40 MAD 151

$29.26 €25.17

-43.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.26

$4.60 €3.95

-85.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.72

$2.07 €1.78

-75.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 MAD 79.8

$29.18 €25.10

-70.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.54

$1.84 €1.58

-14.13%

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

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

$39.0K €33.6K

-3.58%

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

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

$32.7K €28.1K

-35.66%

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

$28.04 MAD 258

$188 €162

-85.07%

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

$13.82 MAD 127

$22.93 €19.73

-39.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 MAD 263

$36.71 €31.58

-21.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.11 MAD 203

$57.4 €49.35

-61.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.63 MAD 217

$20.70 €17.80

14.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 MAD 61.7

$11.19 €9.63

-40.04%

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

$75.6 MAD 695

$721 €620

-89.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

$15.0K €12.9K

-86.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.43 MAD 289

$86.2 €74.2

-63.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MAD 366

$37.07 €31.89

7.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.84 MAD 449

$102 €87.8

-52.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.20 MAD 406

$116 €99.7

-61.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,563

$1,534 €1,319

-74.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MAD 3,173

$1,220 €1,050

-71.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 MAD 7,308

$2,696 €2,319

-70.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 MAD 5,011

$2,013 €1,732

-72.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,462

$2,359 €2,029

-88.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

3.39

62.24%

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

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Essaouira and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 781% 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: $25.00 in Essaouira vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $318 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 192% in total monthly costs ($810 vs $2,367 including rent). Essaouira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 781% less. 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: $388 in Essaouira versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.6 in Essaouira versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $810 in Essaouira versus $2,367 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 192% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.