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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $837 per month in Essaouira vs $600 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Essaouira vs $944 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,671 per month in Essaouira vs $1,289 in Mogadishu, rent included.

Essaouira costs about 40% more than Mogadishu, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Essaouira and Mogadishu are more affordable than the global median – Essaouira 37% lower, Mogadishu 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 MAD 40.68

$3.55 SOS 2,016

22.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.14 MAD 234

$18.03 SOS 10.2K

39.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MAD 46.37

$4.38 SOS 2,487

13.47%

Cappuccino

$1.76 MAD 16.37

$1.47 SOS 835

19.73%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.26

$0.49 SOS 278

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.41

$0.33 SOS 187

-21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 MAD 35.36

$4.04 SOS 2,293

-6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 MAD 34.69

$15.09 SOS 8,570

-75.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.87

$1.45 SOS 822

-42.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MAD 4.57

$1.35 SOS 768

-63.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MAD 15.43

$0.93 SOS 528

77.42%

Eggs

$1.81 MAD 16.90

$1.91 SOS 1,087

-5.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 MAD 86.1

$5.04 SOS 2,865

83.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 MAD 49.31

$4.06 SOS 2,305

30.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 MAD 107

$5.01 SOS 2,847

127.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 MAD 13.21

$3.47 SOS 1,972

-59.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 MAD 11.42

$0.97 SOS 551

25.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.69

$3.23 SOS 1,834

-77.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.22

$1.36 SOS 772

-35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$1.19 SOS 676

-41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MAD 8.48

$1.51 SOS 860

-39.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.66

$1.34 SOS 762

-70.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MAD 4.97

$0.48 SOS 273

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MAD 38.66

$1.21 SOS 688

242.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 MAD 60.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 18.03

$1.99 SOS 1,128

-3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MAD 20.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 MAD 8.11

$0.48 SOS 274

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.46 MAD 154

$20.18 SOS 11.5K

-18.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 MAD 5.92

$1.01 SOS 575

-37.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$0.58 SOS 330

-17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 MAD 83.8

$6.42 SOS 3,646

39.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.70

$1.02 SOS 579

54.90%

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

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

$7,519 SOS 4.3M

394.21%

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

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

$6,136 SOS 3.5M

243.19%

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

$27.86 MAD 260

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

-66.98%

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

$13.90 MAD 130

$5.04 SOS 2,860

175.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.94 MAD 261

$57.0 SOS 32.4K

-50.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 MAD 202

$30.90 SOS 17.6K

-30.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.76 MAD 212

$10.41 SOS 5,912

118.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 MAD 62.0

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

$75.3 MAD 702

$49.70 SOS 28.2K

51.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

$577 SOS 327.5K

239.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.88 MAD 288

$17.37 SOS 9,864

77.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.68 MAD 370

$24.39 SOS 13.9K

62.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.28 MAD 460

$26.34 SOS 15.0K

87.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.34 MAD 413

$60.3 SOS 34.3K

-26.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,617

$158 SOS 89.5K

146.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 MAD 3,229

$66.7 SOS 37.9K

419.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 MAD 7,584

$466 SOS 264.9K

74.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 MAD 5,209

$177 SOS 100.3K

216.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,226 SOS 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,498

$262 SOS 148.6K

2.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

-31.25%

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

Last update for Essaouira: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mogadishu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Essaouira versus $158 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 2% higher in Essaouira, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Essaouira versus $18.00 in Mogadishu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $160 – making Mogadishu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 40%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Essaouira and $900 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.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Essaouira and $18.00 in Mogadishu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $837 in Essaouira and $600 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.