Safi vs Chefchaouen: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?

Safi is a budget traveler's dream, with a one-bedroom in the city center running just $275/mo and a full mid-range lifestyle for a single adult at $407/mo, but the trade-off is brutal: healthcare is poor, English is limited, and the expat community is very few. The numbers scream affordability, yet the retiree score of 41/100 and a safety index of 45/100 should give anyone pause, especially since the nearest airport is 200 km away in CMN. If you're chasing FIRE, the 74/100 score and $10/mo public transport pass are tempting, but you'll need to speak Arabic or French and accept a slower pace. For most expats, this is a place to visit, not to settle, unless you're dead set on stretching every dollar.

Chefchaouen is a cheap, pretty mountain town that rewards people who do not need fast internet or a big social scene. At $375/mo for a one-bedroom in the Medina and $5 restaurant meals, your money goes far, and the Mediterranean mountain climate at 564 m keeps summers bearable. But 5 Mbps average internet and a 39/100 digital nomad score mean remote work will be a daily fight, and limited English plus fair healthcare add friction. Come for the low costs and the 60/100 safety index, not for convenience.