Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Essaouira Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Essaouira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $810 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,226 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,642 in Essaouira, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 81% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Essaouira is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.34 MAD 39.86

203.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$24.74 MAD 227

117.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.99 MAD 45.88

88.78%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.84 MAD 16.91

92.93%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.45 MAD 4.13

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.26 MAD 2.36

326.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.85 MAD 35.40

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$3.57 MAD 32.83

29.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$0.85 MAD 7.80

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.53 MAD 4.90

413.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.69 MAD 15.57

13.02%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.80 MAD 16.52

41.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.59 MAD 88.1

4.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.34 MAD 49.08

51.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.51 MAD 106

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.37 MAD 12.55

116.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.27 MAD 11.70

42.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.72 MAD 6.59

179.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.93 MAD 8.56

118.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.69 MAD 6.36

207.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.92 MAD 8.47

146.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.39 MAD 3.60

258.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.54 MAD 4.92

109.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.07 MAD 37.43

4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$6.61 MAD 60.8

135.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.93 MAD 17.76

-8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.16 MAD 19.83

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.90 MAD 8.25

-57.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$16.40 MAD 151

16.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.68 MAD 6.26

102.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.51 MAD 4.72

-45.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.69 MAD 79.8

-37.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.58 MAD 14.54

-17.72%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

-50.32%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

9.95%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$28.04 MAD 258

45.72%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$13.82 MAD 127

93.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$28.65 MAD 263

4.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$22.11 MAD 203

135.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$23.63 MAD 217

13.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.71 MAD 61.7

-6.11%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$75.6 MAD 695

476.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

423.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$31.43 MAD 289

80.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$39.79 MAD 366

11.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$48.84 MAD 449

110.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$44.20 MAD 406

138.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$388 MAD 3,563

163.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$345 MAD 3,173

82.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$795 MAD 7,308

168.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$545 MAD 5,011

127.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$268 MAD 2,462

316.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.5

106.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $388 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 316% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $25.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $179 – 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

Mexico City vs Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 81%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,215 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.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $25.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $810, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.