Cape Town vs Essaouira
💰
Essaouira saves you $300/month
🌡️
Temperate vs Mediterranean climate
🛂
South Africa offers a digital nomad visa
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Cape Town
Essaouira
Total Budget
$1,700/mo
$1,400/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$700/mo
$380/mo ✓
Coworking
$120/mo
$80/mo ✓
Meal Out
$5
$4 ✓
Coffee
$3
$1.5 ✓
Essaouira is $300/mo cheaper (21% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇿🇦 Cape Town
📶 Internet50-100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+1
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West2h
🇺🇸 US East5h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🇲🇦 Essaouira
📶 Internet35 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-1
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West4h
🇺🇸 US East7h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Cape Town
ClimateTemperate
Avg Temp17°C
Rainy Days81/year
Best months: January, February, December, March
Essaouira
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp19°C
Rainy Days36/year
Best months: June, July, January, February
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
21°16°
Apr
18°19°
Jul
12°22°
Oct
17°21°
Cape TownEssaouira
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇿🇦Cape Town
🇲🇦Essaouira
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,700
$1,400
Winner📶
Internet Speed
50 Mbps
Winner35 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
2.5/5
4.8/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
4/10
4.2/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
Winner5/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
9/10
Winner👥
Community
large
Winnermedium
3
Cape Town wins
vs
3
Essaouira wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Essaouira
$300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Cape Town
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Essaouira
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Cape Town
World-famous nightlife scene
🇿🇦Cape Town
Pros
- +Stunning natural beauty with Table Mountain and beaches
- +Excellent food and wine scene at affordable prices
- +Strong digital nomad community with many coworking spaces
- +Mediterranean climate with warm, sunny summers
Cons
- −High crime rate requires constant vigilance
- −Load shedding (power cuts) can disrupt work
- −Not safe to walk alone after dark in most areas
- −Water tap not safe to drink in all areas
🇲🇦Essaouira
Pros
- +Safest city in Morocco with relaxed atmosphere
- +Very affordable cost of living under $1,500/month
- +Beautiful UNESCO-listed medina without the chaos of Marrakech
- +Excellent for kitesurfing and surfing with consistent winds
Cons
- −Constant strong wind can be challenging especially in summer
- −Internet speeds not as fast as larger cities
- −Limited nightlife compared to Marrakech
- −Fewer coworking options than major nomad hubs