Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Essaouira Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Essaouira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $816 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $1,214 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,613 in Essaouira, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 184% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Essaouira is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$4.80 MAD 44.90

260.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$19.41 MAD 182

225.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$7.75 MAD 72.5

46.97%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.48 MAD 13.82

115.54%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.48 MAD 4.51

410.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.39 MAD 3.68

351.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$5.24 MAD 49.03

-31.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$4.57 MAD 42.76

-25.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.90 MAD 8.45

37.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.51 MAD 4.81

288.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.82 MAD 17.01

-16.48%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.69 MAD 15.80

139.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$8.60 MAD 80.5

57.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$6.26 MAD 58.5

34.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$10.96 MAD 103

66.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.31 MAD 12.29

74.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.18 MAD 11.04

47.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.69 MAD 6.43

169.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.80 MAD 7.50

228.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.57 MAD 5.37

236.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.72 MAD 6.75

190.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.36 MAD 3.38

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.61 MAD 5.73

37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$3.98 MAD 37.24

70.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$6.56 MAD 61.3

-12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.83 MAD 17.13

-24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.20 MAD 20.54

0.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.88 MAD 8.24

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.66 MAD 6.20

531.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.64 MAD 5.96

78.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.50 MAD 14.04

54.67%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$35.5K MAD 331.7K

-0.33%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

34.68%

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

$170 €147

$25.43 MAD 238

569.80%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$18.07 MAD 169

7.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$30.61 MAD 286

9.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$5.49 MAD 51.4

80.69%

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

$717 €617

$71.3 MAD 667

905.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

810.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$30.05 MAD 281

248.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$45.60 MAD 427

2.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$61.7 MAD 577

67.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$42.99 MAD 402

188.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$406 MAD 3,801

312.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$356 MAD 3,331

256.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$970 MAD 9,072

207.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$594 MAD 5,555

235.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$268 MAD 2,508

490.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

6.5

-41.69%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $406 in Essaouira. 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 490% higher in Lisbon, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $177 – making Essaouira 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

Lisbon vs Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 184%, 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 $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $1,224 in Essaouira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Essaouira, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon and $19.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $816, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Essaouira – 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 Essaouira. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.