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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Essaouira costs about 18% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 MAD 39.86

$2.85 ¥19.30

52.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.74 MAD 227

$24.00 ¥162

3.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MAD 45.88

$4.99 ¥33.72

Cappuccino

$1.84 MAD 16.91

$2.77 ¥18.73

-33.57%

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

$0.45 MAD 4.13

$0.46 ¥3.14

-2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.36

$0.30 ¥2.06

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 MAD 35.40

$1.13 ¥7.62

240.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MAD 32.83

$2.13 ¥14.43

67.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MAD 7.80

$1.80 ¥12.18

-52.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.90

$1.39 ¥9.38

-61.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MAD 15.57

$0.90 ¥6.09

87.78%

Eggs

$1.80 MAD 16.52

$1.86 ¥12.59

-3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 MAD 88.1

$13.62 ¥92.1

-29.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MAD 49.08

$3.56 ¥24.07

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 MAD 106

$11.23 ¥76.0

2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.55

$1.86 ¥12.61

-26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.70

$1.18 ¥7.99

7.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.59

$1.50 ¥10.15

-52.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.56

$1.04 ¥7.01

-10.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$0.70 ¥4.73

-1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.47

$0.70 ¥4.71

31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.60

$0.56 ¥3.81

-30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MAD 4.92

$0.61 ¥4.12

-11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MAD 37.43

$3.24 ¥21.91

25.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 MAD 60.8

$5.44 ¥36.77

21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$1.00 ¥6.78

93.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MAD 19.83

$1.87 ¥12.67

15.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MAD 8.25

$0.41 ¥2.77

119.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.40 MAD 151

$27.31 ¥185

-39.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.26

$1.22 ¥8.28

-44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.72

$0.26 ¥1.75

96.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 MAD 79.8

$4.09 ¥27.62

112.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.54

$1.14 ¥7.69

38.60%

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

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

$18.7K ¥126.6K

100.97%

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

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

$16.0K ¥108.4K

31.17%

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

$28.04 MAD 258

$45.05 ¥305

-37.76%

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

$13.82 MAD 127

$11.69 ¥79.1

18.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 MAD 263

$11.38 ¥77.0

151.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.11 MAD 203

$24.49 ¥166

-9.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.63 MAD 217

$11.16 ¥75.5

111.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 MAD 61.7

$5.54 ¥37.45

21.12%

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

$75.6 MAD 695

$333 ¥2,249

-77.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

$12.1K ¥82.1K

-83.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.43 MAD 289

$37.92 ¥256

-17.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MAD 366

$38.57 ¥261

3.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.84 MAD 449

$67.4 ¥456

-27.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.20 MAD 406

$50.7 ¥343

-12.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,563

$318 ¥2,149

21.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MAD 3,173

$179 ¥1,213

92.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 MAD 7,308

$610 ¥4,128

30.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 MAD 5,011

$335 ¥2,263

62.96%

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)

$268 MAD 2,462

$1,257 ¥8,501

-78.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

4.21

30.64%

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

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Essaouira versus $318 in Chengdu. 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 $25.00 in Essaouira versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Essaouira vs $196 in Chengdu – 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

Essaouira vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $810 in Essaouira and $689 in Chengdu. 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 $810 in Essaouira and $689 in Chengdu, 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.