Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and El Jadida Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and El Jadida

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $817 in Essaouira versus $651 in El Jadida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,212 in Essaouira versus $967 in El Jadida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,606 in Essaouira versus $1,282 in El Jadida.

Living in Essaouira is roughly 25% more expensive than in El Jadida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Essaouira 41% lower, El Jadida 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 MAD 46.45

$2.87 MAD 27.01

72.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 MAD 182

$21.20 MAD 199

-8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 MAD 68.5

$6.21 MAD 58.4

17.39%

Cappuccino

$1.39 MAD 13.04

$1.59 MAD 14.96

-12.58%

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

$0.47 MAD 4.46

$0.47 MAD 4.43

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.31

$0.29 MAD 2.68

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.23 MAD 49.17

$2.79 MAD 26.24

87.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 MAD 44.90

$2.63 MAD 24.67

81.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.40

$0.96 MAD 9.01

-7.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MAD 5.22

$0.42 MAD 3.92

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MAD 16.27

$1.97 MAD 18.53

-12.18%

Eggs

$1.74 MAD 16.36

$1.94 MAD 18.19

-10.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 MAD 77.9

$6.56 MAD 61.6

26.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 MAD 57.8

$4.20 MAD 39.49

46.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 MAD 105

$8.20 MAD 77.0

36.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 MAD 12.25

$1.59 MAD 14.94

-18.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MAD 10.94

$1.47 MAD 13.84

-21.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.41

$0.72 MAD 6.74

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.16

$0.67 MAD 6.32

13.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 MAD 5.28

$0.69 MAD 6.46

-18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.30

$0.48 MAD 4.48

39.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 MAD 3.60

$0.33 MAD 3.14

15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.68

$0.54 MAD 5.07

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 MAD 37.70

$3.98 MAD 37.44

0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.57 MAD 61.7

$4.15 MAD 38.99

58.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MAD 16.77

$2.61 MAD 24.52

-31.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 MAD 19.78

$3.02 MAD 28.42

-30.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 MAD 7.87

$0.47 MAD 4.38

78.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.20 MAD 162

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 MAD 5.82

$1.08 MAD 10.17

-42.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MAD 5.90

$1.09 MAD 10.25

-42.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 MAD 51.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MAD 14.21

$1.56 MAD 14.65

-3.21%

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

$35.7K MAD 335.5K

$34.9K MAD 327.8K

2.36%

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

$31.0K MAD 291.5K

$31.2K MAD 293.1K

-0.55%

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

$24.66 MAD 232

$29.29 MAD 275

-15.81%

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

$17.62 MAD 166

$10.52 MAD 98.9

67.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 MAD 291

$32.46 MAD 305

-4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.84 MAD 280

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.61 MAD 118

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 MAD 49.52

$6.58 MAD 61.8

-19.91%

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

$72.7 MAD 683

$116 MAD 1,086

-37.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,893 MAD 17.8K

$3,239 MAD 30.4K

-41.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.74 MAD 279

$28.85 MAD 271

3.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.02 MAD 432

$37.71 MAD 354

22.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 MAD 581

$66.7 MAD 627

-7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.77 MAD 402

$74.0 MAD 695

-42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 MAD 3,732

$211 MAD 1,987

87.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MAD 3,269

$173 MAD 1,624

101.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MAD 8,913

$369 MAD 3,465

157.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 MAD 5,525

$237 MAD 2,227

148.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,570 MAD 14.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$818 MAD 7,688

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 MAD 2,464

$482 MAD 4,530

-45.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.5

18.18%

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

Last update for Essaouira: September 8, 2026

Last update for El Jadida: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $397 in Essaouira and $211 in El Jadida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Jadida pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Essaouira vs $21.00 in El Jadida. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $156, with El Jadida 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 El Jadida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Jadida wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Essaouira. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making El Jadida the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 84% lower in El Jadida. 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: $397 in Essaouira versus $211 in El Jadida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $72.7 in Essaouira versus $116 in El Jadida. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Jadida – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $19.00 in Essaouira. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though El Jadida gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but El Jadida delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $651 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes El Jadida hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Essaouira and El Jadida 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 El Jadida gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Essaouira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.