Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Essaouira Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Essaouira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $873 per month in Rabat vs $816 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,492 per month in Rabat vs $1,214 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,110 per month in Rabat vs $1,613 in Essaouira, rent included.

Rabat costs about 7% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rabat and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 36% lower, Essaouira 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.20 MAD 39.32

$4.80 MAD 44.90

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 MAD 421

$19.41 MAD 182

131.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 MAD 71.0

$7.75 MAD 72.5

-2.19%

Cappuccino

$2.06 MAD 19.30

$1.48 MAD 13.82

39.19%

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

$0.67 MAD 6.30

$0.48 MAD 4.51

39.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MAD 3.33

$0.39 MAD 3.68

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 MAD 49.49

$5.24 MAD 49.03

0.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 MAD 30.52

$4.57 MAD 42.76

-28.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 MAD 8.71

$0.90 MAD 8.45

3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MAD 6.01

$0.51 MAD 4.81

25.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MAD 18.43

$1.82 MAD 17.01

8.24%

Eggs

$1.90 MAD 17.74

$1.69 MAD 15.80

12.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.01 MAD 112

$8.60 MAD 80.5

39.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 MAD 62.8

$6.26 MAD 58.5

7.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MAD 120

$10.96 MAD 103

16.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 MAD 15.27

$1.31 MAD 12.29

24.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MAD 13.76

$1.18 MAD 11.04

24.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.81

$0.69 MAD 6.43

36.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.39

$0.80 MAD 7.50

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.67

$0.57 MAD 5.37

24.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.82

$0.72 MAD 6.75

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 MAD 3.87

$0.36 MAD 3.38

13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.70

$0.61 MAD 5.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 MAD 41.33

$3.98 MAD 37.24

11.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 MAD 72.3

$6.56 MAD 61.3

17.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MAD 26.31

$1.83 MAD 17.13

53.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MAD 25.75

$2.20 MAD 20.54

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.30

$0.88 MAD 8.24

-35.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.43 MAD 247

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 MAD 7.32

$0.66 MAD 6.20

18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 MAD 8.85

$0.64 MAD 5.96

48.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 MAD 39.56

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.25

$1.50 MAD 14.04

1.33%

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

$35.6K MAD 332.7K

$35.5K MAD 331.7K

0.31%

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

$32.8K MAD 306.7K

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

6.54%

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

$35.43 MAD 331

$25.43 MAD 238

39.32%

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

$10.46 MAD 97.9

$18.07 MAD 169

-42.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.16 MAD 320

$30.61 MAD 286

11.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.58 MAD 286

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.97 MAD 262

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 MAD 62.0

$5.49 MAD 51.4

20.77%

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

$189 MAD 1,769

$71.3 MAD 667

165.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,239 MAD 67.7K

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

277.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 MAD 476

$30.05 MAD 281

69.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.30 MAD 424

$45.60 MAD 427

-0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 MAD 860

$61.7 MAD 577

48.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 MAD 643

$42.99 MAD 402

59.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MAD 4,805

$406 MAD 3,801

26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MAD 2,549

$356 MAD 3,331

-23.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 MAD 10.5K

$970 MAD 9,072

15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 MAD 6,373

$594 MAD 5,555

14.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 MAD 19.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,212 MAD 11.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$745 MAD 6,974

$268 MAD 2,508

178.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

6.5

-30.46%

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

Last update for Rabat: August 30, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Rabat 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 178% higher in Rabat, 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 $45.00 in Rabat versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 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

Rabat vs Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rabat is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,309 per month in Rabat 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 $45.00 in Rabat 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 20% more in Rabat, 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 Rabat at $873. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabat 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, Rabat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.