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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Mogadishu is about 24% cheaper than Essaouira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 SOS 1,671

$4.80 MAD 44.90

-38.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.31 SOS 19.5K

$19.41 MAD 182

76.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 SOS 2,504

$7.75 MAD 72.5

-43.10%

Cappuccino

$2.02 SOS 1,148

$1.48 MAD 13.82

36.49%

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

$1.19 SOS 678

$0.48 MAD 4.51

147.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 SOS 285

$0.39 MAD 3.68

28.21%

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)

$1.31 SOS 746

$0.90 MAD 8.45

45.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 SOS 894

$0.51 MAD 4.81

207.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 SOS 431

$1.82 MAD 17.01

-58.24%

Eggs

$1.94 SOS 1,103

$1.69 MAD 15.80

14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.94 SOS 2,805

$8.60 MAD 80.5

-42.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 SOS 2,233

$6.26 MAD 58.5

-37.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.54 SOS 2,576

$10.96 MAD 103

-58.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 SOS 2,188

$1.31 MAD 12.29

193.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 SOS 561

$1.18 MAD 11.04

-16.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 SOS 1,748

$0.69 MAD 6.43

346.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 SOS 712

$0.80 MAD 7.50

56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SOS 828

$0.57 MAD 5.37

156.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SOS 1,009

$0.72 MAD 6.75

147.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 SOS 877

$0.36 MAD 3.38

327.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SOS 287

$0.61 MAD 5.73

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 MAD 37.24

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 MAD 61.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SOS 1,119

$1.83 MAD 17.13

7.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MAD 20.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 274

$0.88 MAD 8.24

-45.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SOS 555

$0.66 MAD 6.20

48.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 SOS 305

$0.64 MAD 5.96

-15.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 SOS 1,667

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 SOS 522

$1.50 MAD 14.04

-38.67%

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)

$6,464 SOS 3.7M

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

-79.00%

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

$157 SOS 89.1K

$25.43 MAD 238

516.71%

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

$5.02 SOS 2,849

$18.07 MAD 169

-72.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 SOS 37.7K

$30.61 MAD 286

116.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.89 SOS 18.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 MAD 51.4

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

$78.6 SOS 44.7K

$71.3 MAD 667

10.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$751 SOS 426.6K

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

-60.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.26 SOS 8,102

$30.05 MAD 281

-52.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.25 SOS 8,096

$45.60 MAD 427

-68.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.29 SOS 14.4K

$61.7 MAD 577

-59.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.84 SOS 18.7K

$42.99 MAD 402

-23.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 SOS 109.6K

$406 MAD 3,801

-52.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.9 SOS 44.8K

$356 MAD 3,331

-77.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 SOS 274.7K

$970 MAD 9,072

-50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 SOS 107.4K

$594 MAD 5,555

-68.14%

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)

$275 SOS 156.3K

$268 MAD 2,508

2.66%

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 Mogadishu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $193 in Mogadishu 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 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 $34.00 in Mogadishu versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Groceries tell a different story – $162 in Mogadishu vs $177 in Essaouira – 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

Mogadishu vs Essaouira: 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 $932 per month in Mogadishu 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 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 $34.00 in Mogadishu 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 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 $621 in Mogadishu and $816 in Essaouira, 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.