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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $837 per month in Essaouira vs $677 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Essaouira vs $1,074 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,671 per month in Essaouira vs $1,472 in Chengdu, rent included.

Essaouira costs about 24% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Essaouira and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Essaouira 37% lower, Chengdu 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 MAD 40.68

$2.82 ¥19.09

54.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.14 MAD 234

$24.08 ¥163

4.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MAD 46.37

$4.97 ¥33.66

Cappuccino

$1.76 MAD 16.37

$2.76 ¥18.71

-36.23%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.26

$0.43 ¥2.92

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.41

$0.28 ¥1.88

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 MAD 35.36

$1.14 ¥7.70

232.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 MAD 34.69

$2.06 ¥13.97

80.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.87

$1.81 ¥12.28

-53.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MAD 4.57

$1.39 ¥9.39

-64.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MAD 15.43

$0.93 ¥6.31

77.42%

Eggs

$1.81 MAD 16.90

$1.94 ¥13.10

-6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 MAD 86.1

$13.76 ¥93.2

-32.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 MAD 49.31

$3.61 ¥24.41

46.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 MAD 107

$11.32 ¥76.6

0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 MAD 13.21

$1.91 ¥12.94

-25.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 MAD 11.42

$1.22 ¥8.28

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.69

$1.50 ¥10.18

-52.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.22

$1.02 ¥6.90

-13.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$0.71 ¥4.81

-1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MAD 8.48

$0.70 ¥4.76

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.66

$0.60 ¥4.09

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MAD 4.97

$0.61 ¥4.16

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MAD 38.66

$3.40 ¥23.02

22.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 MAD 60.1

$5.50 ¥37.19

17.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 18.03

$0.95 ¥6.42

103.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MAD 20.52

$1.85 ¥12.53

18.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 MAD 8.11

$0.43 ¥2.94

102.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.46 MAD 154

$27.94 ¥189

-41.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 MAD 5.92

$1.24 ¥8.38

-49.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$0.28 ¥1.91

71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 MAD 83.8

$4.16 ¥28.15

115.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.70

$1.17 ¥7.95

35.04%

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

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

$18.5K ¥125.0K

101.24%

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

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

$16.7K ¥112.7K

26.44%

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

$27.86 MAD 260

$44.66 ¥302

-37.62%

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

$13.90 MAD 130

$11.53 ¥78.1

20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.94 MAD 261

$11.33 ¥76.7

146.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 MAD 202

$24.18 ¥164

-10.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.76 MAD 212

$11.55 ¥78.2

97.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 MAD 62.0

$5.69 ¥38.53

16.87%

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

$75.3 MAD 702

$330 ¥2,232

-77.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

$12.3K ¥83.5K

-84.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.88 MAD 288

$37.54 ¥254

-17.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.68 MAD 370

$38.48 ¥260

3.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.28 MAD 460

$66.8 ¥452

-26.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.34 MAD 413

$50.0 ¥339

-11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,617

$320 ¥2,165

21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 MAD 3,229

$183 ¥1,237

89.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 MAD 7,584

$611 ¥4,138

33.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 MAD 5,209

$329 ¥2,224

69.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,785 ¥25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 ¥13.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,498

$1,278 ¥8,647

-79.03%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Essaouira versus $320 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 377% 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 – $176 in Essaouira vs $198 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: $837 in Essaouira, $677 in Chengdu – roughly 24% apart. Essaouira costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Essaouira and $1,015 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 $837 in Essaouira and $677 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 $837 in Essaouira and $677 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 $677 in Chengdu to $837 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.