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: $837 in Essaouira versus $734 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Essaouira versus $1,085 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,671 in Essaouira versus $1,437 in Damascus.

Living in Essaouira is roughly 14% more expensive than in Damascus, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Essaouira 37% lower, Damascus 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 MAD 40.68

$5.93 SYP 720

-26.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.14 MAD 234

$27.18 SYP 3,303

-7.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MAD 46.37

$5.65 SYP 686

-12.04%

Cappuccino

$1.76 MAD 16.37

$1.49 SYP 182

18.12%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.26

$1.12 SYP 136

-58.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.41

$0.68 SYP 82.1

-61.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 MAD 35.36

$1.58 SYP 193

139.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 MAD 34.69

$2.48 SYP 302

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.87

$1.04 SYP 126

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MAD 4.57

$0.59 SYP 71.7

-16.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MAD 15.43

$1.67 SYP 203

-1.20%

Eggs

$1.81 MAD 16.90

$1.92 SYP 233

-5.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 MAD 86.1

$3.02 SYP 367

205.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 MAD 49.31

$7.54 SYP 917

-29.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 MAD 107

$11.18 SYP 1,358

2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 MAD 13.21

$0.88 SYP 107

61.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 MAD 11.42

$1.79 SYP 218

-31.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.69

$1.03 SYP 125

-30.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.22

$0.94 SYP 114

-6.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$0.61 SYP 74.2

14.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MAD 8.48

$0.66 SYP 79.8

37.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.66

$0.40 SYP 49.06

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MAD 4.97

$0.61 SYP 74.6

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MAD 38.66

$3.05 SYP 371

36.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 MAD 60.1

$8.20 SYP 996

-21.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 18.03

$0.98 SYP 119

96.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MAD 20.52

$1.75 SYP 212

25.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 MAD 8.11

$0.10 SYP 11.69

770.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.46 MAD 154

$16.85 SYP 2,048

-2.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 MAD 5.92

$0.97 SYP 118

-35.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$1.21 SYP 147

-60.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 MAD 83.8

$6.26 SYP 761

43.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.70

$3.61 SYP 439

-56.23%

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

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

99.87%

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

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

0.93%

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

$27.86 MAD 260

$102 SYP 12.3K

-72.56%

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

$13.90 MAD 130

$8.25 SYP 1,003

68.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.94 MAD 261

$54.4 SYP 6,611

-48.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 MAD 202

$15.48 SYP 1,881

39.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.76 MAD 212

$7.39 SYP 897

207.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 MAD 62.0

$2.95 SYP 359

125.42%

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

$75.3 MAD 702

$43.49 SYP 5,285

73.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

8.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.88 MAD 288

$29.75 SYP 3,615

3.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.68 MAD 370

$25.42 SYP 3,089

56.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.28 MAD 460

$45.65 SYP 5,548

7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.34 MAD 413

$56.1 SYP 6,814

-20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,617

$265 SYP 32.2K

46.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 MAD 3,229

$170 SYP 20.6K

103.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 MAD 7,584

$532 SYP 64.6K

52.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 MAD 5,209

$281 SYP 34.2K

98.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,714 SYP 208.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$596 SYP 72.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,498

$59.5 SYP 7,235

350.04%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Damascus: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Essaouira and $265 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Essaouira pays 350% 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 $176 vs $172, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($837 vs $734 including rent). Damascus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 350% higher in Essaouira, 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 $265 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 $837 per month in Essaouira versus $734 in Damascus – a 14% 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 14% less than in Essaouira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.