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: $837 in Essaouira versus $664 in El Jadida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Essaouira versus $986 in El Jadida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,671 in Essaouira versus $1,307 in El Jadida.

Living in Essaouira is roughly 26% more expensive than in El Jadida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Essaouira 37% lower, El Jadida 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 MAD 40.68

$3.85 MAD 35.91

13.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.14 MAD 234

$19.90 MAD 186

26.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MAD 46.37

$6.75 MAD 62.9

-26.37%

Cappuccino

$1.76 MAD 16.37

$1.52 MAD 14.15

15.79%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.26

$0.43 MAD 4.03

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.41

$0.32 MAD 2.98

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 MAD 35.36

$2.76 MAD 25.78

37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 MAD 34.69

$3.24 MAD 30.23

14.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.87

$0.88 MAD 8.21

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MAD 4.57

$0.47 MAD 4.39

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MAD 15.43

$1.85 MAD 17.21

-10.81%

Eggs

$1.81 MAD 16.90

$1.86 MAD 17.38

-2.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 MAD 86.1

$5.07 MAD 47.25

82.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 MAD 49.31

$3.84 MAD 35.83

37.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 MAD 107

$7.92 MAD 73.8

44.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 MAD 13.21

$1.58 MAD 14.74

-10.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 MAD 11.42

$1.27 MAD 11.83

-3.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.69

$0.76 MAD 7.04

-5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.22

$0.80 MAD 7.46

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$0.79 MAD 7.38

-11.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MAD 8.48

$0.49 MAD 4.61

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.66

$0.33 MAD 3.10

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MAD 4.97

$0.60 MAD 5.63

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MAD 38.66

$4.03 MAD 37.58

2.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 MAD 60.1

$4.42 MAD 41.17

45.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 18.03

$2.41 MAD 22.52

-19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MAD 20.52

$2.93 MAD 27.34

-24.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 MAD 8.11

$0.50 MAD 4.69

74.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.46 MAD 154

$25.83 MAD 241

-36.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 MAD 5.92

$1.07 MAD 10.00

-41.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$0.49 MAD 4.56

-2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 MAD 83.8

$3.32 MAD 30.94

170.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.70

$1.53 MAD 14.26

3.27%

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

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

$32.9K MAD 307.2K

12.79%

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

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

$30.0K MAD 280.0K

-29.86%

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

$27.86 MAD 260

$31.73 MAD 296

-12.20%

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

$13.90 MAD 130

$10.91 MAD 102

27.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.94 MAD 261

$33.07 MAD 308

-15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 MAD 202

$27.23 MAD 254

-20.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.76 MAD 212

$17.78 MAD 166

28.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 MAD 62.0

$6.68 MAD 62.3

-0.45%

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

$75.3 MAD 702

$89.2 MAD 832

-15.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

$2,638 MAD 24.6K

-25.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.88 MAD 288

$40.04 MAD 373

-22.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.68 MAD 370

$41.07 MAD 383

-3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.28 MAD 460

$66.4 MAD 619

-25.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.34 MAD 413

$60.2 MAD 561

-26.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,617

$231 MAD 2,155

67.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 MAD 3,229

$173 MAD 1,613

100.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 MAD 7,584

$390 MAD 3,633

108.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 MAD 5,209

$250 MAD 2,334

123.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,597 MAD 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$822 MAD 7,661

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,498

$473 MAD 4,411

-43.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

10.00%

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

Last update for Essaouira: July 12, 2026

Last update for El Jadida: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Essaouira and $231 in El Jadida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Jadida pays 77% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Essaouira vs $20.00 in El Jadida for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $148 per month, with El Jadida cheaper across the board.

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 26% 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 77% 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: $388 in Essaouira versus $231 in El Jadida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Essaouira. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in El Jadida – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $25.00 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 $664 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 26% less than in Essaouira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.