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: $810 in Essaouira versus $647 in El Jadida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,226 in Essaouira versus $978 in El Jadida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Essaouira versus $1,310 in El Jadida.

Living in Essaouira is roughly 25% more expensive than El Jadida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Essaouira 40% lower, El Jadida 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 MAD 39.86

$3.78 MAD 34.77

14.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.74 MAD 227

$19.61 MAD 180

26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MAD 45.88

$6.69 MAD 61.5

-25.41%

Cappuccino

$1.84 MAD 16.91

$1.52 MAD 13.95

21.05%

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

$0.45 MAD 4.13

$0.46 MAD 4.24

-2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.36

$0.32 MAD 2.93

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 MAD 35.40

$2.83 MAD 26.03

36.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MAD 32.83

$3.21 MAD 29.48

11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MAD 7.80

$0.84 MAD 7.75

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.90

$0.44 MAD 4.02

20.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MAD 15.57

$1.76 MAD 16.21

-3.98%

Eggs

$1.80 MAD 16.52

$1.78 MAD 16.38

1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 MAD 88.1

$4.88 MAD 44.88

96.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MAD 49.08

$3.87 MAD 35.53

37.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 MAD 106

$8.18 MAD 75.2

40.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.55

$1.56 MAD 14.36

-12.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.70

$1.28 MAD 11.76

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.59

$0.72 MAD 6.58

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.56

$0.78 MAD 7.17

19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$0.74 MAD 6.79

-6.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.47

$0.50 MAD 4.61

84.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.60

$0.33 MAD 3.04

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MAD 4.92

$0.57 MAD 5.20

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MAD 37.43

$4.18 MAD 38.45

-2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 MAD 60.8

$4.47 MAD 41.04

47.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$2.38 MAD 21.83

-18.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MAD 19.83

$2.93 MAD 26.96

-26.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MAD 8.25

$0.51 MAD 4.69

76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.40 MAD 151

$26.35 MAD 242

-37.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.26

$1.08 MAD 9.91

-37.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.72

$0.48 MAD 4.43

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 MAD 79.8

$3.33 MAD 30.60

160.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.54

$1.51 MAD 13.91

4.64%

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

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

$32.5K MAD 298.7K

15.73%

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

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

$30.1K MAD 276.3K

-30.03%

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

$28.04 MAD 258

$32.07 MAD 295

-12.57%

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

$13.82 MAD 127

$11.03 MAD 101

25.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 MAD 263

$32.95 MAD 303

-13.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.11 MAD 203

$27.12 MAD 249

-18.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.63 MAD 217

$17.45 MAD 160

35.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 MAD 61.7

$6.59 MAD 60.6

1.82%

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

$75.6 MAD 695

$88.7 MAD 815

-14.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

$2,576 MAD 23.7K

-22.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.43 MAD 289

$40.67 MAD 374

-22.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MAD 366

$40.56 MAD 373

-1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.84 MAD 449

$68.4 MAD 628

-28.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.20 MAD 406

$61.3 MAD 563

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,563

$223 MAD 2,052

73.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MAD 3,173

$173 MAD 1,592

99.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 MAD 7,308

$380 MAD 3,493

109.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 MAD 5,011

$242 MAD 2,225

125.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 MAD 15.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 MAD 7,721

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,462

$486 MAD 4,463

-44.83%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for El Jadida: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Essaouira and $223 in El Jadida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Jadida pays 81% 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 $179 vs $146 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 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, El Jadida earns 81% less. 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 $223 in El Jadida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% 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 $647 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.