Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Damascus Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Damascus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $810 in Essaouira versus $723 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,226 in Essaouira versus $1,081 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Essaouira versus $1,439 in Damascus.

Living in Essaouira is roughly 12% more expensive than Damascus, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Essaouira 40% lower, Damascus 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 MAD 39.86

$6.07 SYP 670

-28.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.74 MAD 227

$27.25 SYP 3,011

-9.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MAD 45.88

$5.45 SYP 602

-8.44%

Cappuccino

$1.84 MAD 16.91

$1.49 SYP 165

23.49%

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

$0.45 MAD 4.13

$1.12 SYP 124

-59.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.36

$0.72 SYP 80.0

-63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 MAD 35.40

$1.62 SYP 179

137.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MAD 32.83

$2.46 SYP 272

45.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MAD 7.80

$0.98 SYP 108

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.90

$0.62 SYP 69.0

-14.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MAD 15.57

$1.70 SYP 188

-0.59%

Eggs

$1.80 MAD 16.52

$1.88 SYP 208

-4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 MAD 88.1

$3.04 SYP 336

215.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MAD 49.08

$7.67 SYP 847

-30.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 MAD 106

$11.26 SYP 1,244

2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.55

$0.92 SYP 102

48.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.70

$1.79 SYP 198

-29.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.59

$1.00 SYP 110

-28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.56

$0.87 SYP 96.6

6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$0.66 SYP 72.7

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.47

$0.65 SYP 72.2

41.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.60

$0.38 SYP 41.96

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MAD 4.92

$0.57 SYP 63.3

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MAD 37.43

$3.03 SYP 335

34.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 MAD 60.8

$6.00 SYP 663

10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$0.98 SYP 109

96.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MAD 19.83

$1.82 SYP 201

18.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MAD 8.25

$0.10 SYP 11.54

800.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.40 MAD 151

$17.18 SYP 1,899

-4.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.26

$0.98 SYP 109

-30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.72

$1.26 SYP 139

-59.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 MAD 79.8

$6.39 SYP 706

35.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.54

$3.59 SYP 397

-55.99%

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

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

102.93%

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

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

-0.74%

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

$28.04 MAD 258

$103 SYP 11.4K

-72.85%

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

$13.82 MAD 127

$8.22 SYP 908

68.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 MAD 263

$54.6 SYP 6,036

-47.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.11 MAD 203

$15.20 SYP 1,679

45.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.63 MAD 217

$7.41 SYP 819

218.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 MAD 61.7

$3.07 SYP 339

118.57%

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

$75.6 MAD 695

$43.11 SYP 4,763

75.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

10.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.43 MAD 289

$29.40 SYP 3,248

6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MAD 366

$26.02 SYP 2,876

52.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.84 MAD 449

$45.85 SYP 5,067

6.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.20 MAD 406

$56.4 SYP 6,230

-21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,563

$259 SYP 28.6K

49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MAD 3,173

$169 SYP 18.6K

104.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 MAD 7,308

$522 SYP 57.7K

52.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 MAD 5,011

$290 SYP 32.1K

87.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,694 SYP 187.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 SYP 66.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,462

$44.01 SYP 4,863

508.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

13.75

-60.00%

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

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Last update for Damascus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Essaouira and $259 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Essaouira pays 509% 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 $27.00 in Damascus. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $168, with Damascus cheaper for home cooking.

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 Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Essaouira and Damascus differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($810 vs $723 including rent). Damascus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Essaouira pays 509% 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: $388 in Essaouira versus $259 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Damascus – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $25.00 in Essaouira. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $810 per month in Essaouira versus $723 in Damascus – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Damascus gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Damascus 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 Damascus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Essaouira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.