Addis Ababa vs Asilah (Assilah): Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Asilah (Assilah) costs roughly 5.2x less than Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa leads on digital nomad infrastructure. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Asilah (Assilah) is approximately 121% less expensive than Addis Ababa based on cost of living including rent. This makes Asilah (Assilah) a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Asilah (Assilah) has a FIRE Score of 83/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 60, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Asilah (Assilah) is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is a cheap city on paper, with a cost of living index of 42/100 and a budget tier of $844/mo, but that average monthly net salary of $204/mo tells you the local economy and the expat economy barely share a planet. The rent spread is brutal and telling: $707/mo for a one-bedroom in the center versus $395/mo outside it, and $2,270/mo versus $774/mo for three bedrooms, so the center is a luxury good. Add $212/mo internet at 15 Mbps, a safety index of 45/100, and limited English proficiency, and this is a hardship post with a good climate, not a soft landing. Come for the FIRE score of 70/100 if you can earn remotely, but retirees at 48/100 and digital nomads at 51/100 should think hard before committing.
About Ethiopia
Political instability (-1.84) and no retirement visa or available digital nomad visa framework make Ethiopia a hard sell for most Americans. Only budget-focused adventurers who can work remotely without formal visa sponsorship should push past this, drawn by rent as low as $346.69/mo outside the center. With a 21.7/100 overall score and low expat safety rating, this is a high-risk, low-cost outlier, not a mainstream retirement play.
$1,900/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Asilah (Assilah)
Asilah is a cheap, low-key Atlantic town where a one-bedroom in the center runs $320/mo and a single adult can live on roughly $770/mo, so it punches far above its 36 thousand population on value. The catch is that this is a small place with a small expat community, limited English, fair healthcare, and 20 Mbps internet, which explains the middling digital nomad score of 53/100. Retirees do better on cost than on infrastructure, and the $1,500/mo income floor for the Morocco Retirement Visa sits above the comfortable tier of $1,550/mo only barely. Come for the mild Mediterranean climate and the Medina and Waterfront neighborhoods, not for big-city convenience.
About Morocco
A digital nomad visa exists and low English proficiency rule out remote workers wanting easy setup. Budget retirees willing to navigate a complex, unranked-income Carte de Sejour process get real value: $375/mo rents a city-center 1BR, and healthcare access includes English-speaking doctors despite a middling 46.8 index.
$1,900/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
Battle of Lifestyles
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| Metric | Addis Ababa | Asilah (Assilah) |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $706.95 | $320 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $394.55 | $240 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $2269.56 | $520 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $773.67 | $380 |
| Safety Index | 45 | 60 |
| Internet Speed | 15Mbps | 20Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Addis Ababa | Asilah (Assilah) |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $1,122/mo | N/A |
| Excluding rent | $727/mo | N/A |
| Rent | $395/mo | N/A |
| Groceries | $178/mo | N/A |
| Dining out | $40.00/mo | N/A |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $63.00/mo | N/A |
| Utilities & connectivity | $425/mo | N/A |
| Transport | $21.00/mo | N/A |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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Addis Ababa vs Asilah (Assilah) -- Frequently Asked Questions
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