Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Mogadishu Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Mogadishu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $816 per month in Essaouira vs $621 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,214 per month in Essaouira vs $948 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,613 per month in Essaouira vs $1,274 in Mogadishu, rent included.

Essaouira costs about 31% more than Mogadishu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Essaouira and Mogadishu are more affordable than the global median – Essaouira 41% lower, Mogadishu 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 MAD 44.90

$2.94 SOS 1,671

63.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 MAD 182

$34.31 SOS 19.5K

-43.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 MAD 72.5

$4.41 SOS 2,504

75.74%

Cappuccino

$1.48 MAD 13.82

$2.02 SOS 1,148

-26.73%

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

$0.48 MAD 4.51

$1.19 SOS 678

-59.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MAD 3.68

$0.50 SOS 285

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.24 MAD 49.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 MAD 42.76

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.45

$1.31 SOS 746

-31.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MAD 4.81

$1.57 SOS 894

-67.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 MAD 17.01

$0.76 SOS 431

139.47%

Eggs

$1.69 MAD 15.80

$1.94 SOS 1,103

-12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 MAD 80.5

$4.94 SOS 2,805

74.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MAD 58.5

$3.93 SOS 2,233

59.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 MAD 103

$4.54 SOS 2,576

141.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 MAD 12.29

$3.85 SOS 2,188

-65.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 MAD 11.04

$0.99 SOS 561

19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.43

$3.08 SOS 1,748

-77.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.50

$1.25 SOS 712

-36.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 MAD 5.37

$1.46 SOS 828

-60.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.75

$1.78 SOS 1,009

-59.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MAD 3.38

$1.54 SOS 877

-76.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.73

$0.50 SOS 287

22.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 MAD 37.24

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 MAD 61.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 MAD 17.13

$1.97 SOS 1,119

-7.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MAD 20.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 MAD 8.24

$0.48 SOS 274

83.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 MAD 6.20

$0.98 SOS 555

-32.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MAD 5.96

$0.54 SOS 305

18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 SOS 1,667

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MAD 14.04

$0.92 SOS 522

63.04%

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

$35.5K MAD 331.7K

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

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

$6,464 SOS 3.7M

376.09%

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

$25.43 MAD 238

$157 SOS 89.1K

-83.78%

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

$18.07 MAD 169

$5.02 SOS 2,849

259.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 MAD 286

$66.3 SOS 37.7K

-53.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.89 SOS 18.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 MAD 51.4

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

$71.3 MAD 667

$78.6 SOS 44.7K

-9.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

$751 SOS 426.6K

155.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.05 MAD 281

$14.26 SOS 8,102

110.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.60 MAD 427

$14.25 SOS 8,096

220.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 MAD 577

$25.29 SOS 14.4K

144.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.99 MAD 402

$32.84 SOS 18.7K

30.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MAD 3,801

$193 SOS 109.6K

110.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MAD 3,331

$78.9 SOS 44.8K

351.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 MAD 9,072

$484 SOS 274.7K

100.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 MAD 5,555

$189 SOS 107.4K

213.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,230 SOS 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,437 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,508

$275 SOS 156.3K

-2.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update for Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mogadishu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $406 in Essaouira versus $193 in Mogadishu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Mogadishu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Essaouira versus $34.00 in Mogadishu. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Essaouira vs $162 in Mogadishu – so Mogadishu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mogadishu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Essaouira is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,224 per month in Essaouira and $932 in Mogadishu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mogadishu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Essaouira and $34.00 in Mogadishu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Essaouira, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $816 in Essaouira and $621 in Mogadishu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mogadishu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mogadishu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Essaouira makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.