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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $810 per month in Essaouira vs $596 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,226 per month in Essaouira vs $925 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Essaouira vs $1,253 in Mogadishu, rent included.

Essaouira costs about 36% more than Mogadishu, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Essaouira and Mogadishu are more affordable than the global median – Essaouira 40% lower, Mogadishu 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 MAD 39.86

$3.40 SOS 1,930

27.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.74 MAD 227

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

38.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MAD 45.88

$4.41 SOS 2,506

13.15%

Cappuccino

$1.84 MAD 16.91

$1.48 SOS 841

24.32%

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

$0.45 MAD 4.13

$0.48 SOS 271

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.36

$0.33 SOS 189

-21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 MAD 35.40

$3.93 SOS 2,233

-2.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MAD 32.83

$14.97 SOS 8,505

-76.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MAD 7.80

$1.45 SOS 822

-41.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.90

$1.35 SOS 764

-60.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MAD 15.57

$0.90 SOS 510

87.78%

Eggs

$1.80 MAD 16.52

$1.90 SOS 1,082

-5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 MAD 88.1

$5.02 SOS 2,851

91.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MAD 49.08

$3.92 SOS 2,227

36.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 MAD 106

$4.95 SOS 2,813

132.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.55

$3.33 SOS 1,891

-58.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.70

$0.99 SOS 560

28.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.59

$3.23 SOS 1,836

-77.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.56

$1.36 SOS 772

-31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$1.23 SOS 701

-43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.47

$1.51 SOS 858

-39.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.60

$1.36 SOS 774

-71.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MAD 4.92

$0.52 SOS 295

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MAD 37.43

$1.22 SOS 691

233.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 MAD 60.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$2.02 SOS 1,148

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MAD 19.83

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MAD 8.25

$0.48 SOS 273

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.40 MAD 151

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

-16.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.26

$1.02 SOS 582

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.72

$0.61 SOS 347

-16.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 MAD 79.8

$6.54 SOS 3,714

32.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.54

$1.01 SOS 571

56.44%

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

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

$7,566 SOS 4.3M

397.19%

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

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

$6,238 SOS 3.5M

237.26%

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

$28.04 MAD 258

$84.1 SOS 47.8K

-66.66%

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

$13.82 MAD 127

$5.12 SOS 2,909

169.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 MAD 263

$58.3 SOS 33.1K

-50.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.11 MAD 203

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

-29.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.63 MAD 217

$10.54 SOS 5,988

124.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 MAD 61.7

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

$75.6 MAD 695

$50.4 SOS 28.7K

49.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

$571 SOS 324.3K

248.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.43 MAD 289

$17.51 SOS 9,948

79.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MAD 366

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

62.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.84 MAD 449

$26.72 SOS 15.2K

82.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.20 MAD 406

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

-26.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,563

$158 SOS 89.7K

145.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MAD 3,173

$68.7 SOS 39.0K

402.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 MAD 7,308

$466 SOS 264.4K

70.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 MAD 5,011

$182 SOS 103.6K

199.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,462

$260 SOS 147.7K

3.05%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mogadishu: May 31, 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 3% 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: $179 vs $159 – 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 36%, 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 $1,215 per month in Essaouira and $894 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 12% 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 $810 in Essaouira and $596 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.