Cost of Living in Marrakech

Marrakech's rental market splits into four distinct zones, each with a different character and price band. Gueliz, the modern Ville Nouvelle, is the default choice for most digital nomads -- wide boulevards, European-style cafes, supermarkets, and reliable infrastructure. Furnished one-bedroom apartments in Gueliz run 8,000-12,000 MAD ($800-1,200) per month, with two-bedrooms at 10,000-14,000 MAD ($1,000-1,400). Hivernage, the upscale quarter bordering the ramparts, commands a premium: expect 12,000-15,000 MAD ($1,200-1,500) for a furnished one-bedroom in a residence with pool and parking. The Medina offers the most atmospheric living -- traditional riads with interior courtyards, rooftop terraces, and zellige tilework. A small furnished riad or Medina house (2-3 rooms) rents for 4,500-7,000 MAD ($450-700), while unrenovated options can drop to 3,000 MAD ($300). Larger restored riads suitable for coliving or groups start at 15,000 MAD ($1,500). Palmeraie, the palm grove district northeast of the city, is villa territory at 25,000-45,000 MAD ($2,500-4,500) monthly -- appealing mostly to families or those wanting pools and gardens.

Marrakech is one of North Africa's most rewarding cities for eating on a budget, with an extraordinary range from 25 MAD ($2.50) street food to 500+ MAD ($50+) rooftop fine dining. The legendary Jemaa el-Fna square transforms into a massive open-air food court each evening, where stalls serve brochettes (4 skewers with bread) for 25-35 MAD ($2.50-3.50), bowls of spiced snail soup for 10 MAD ($1), and harira for 5-10 MAD ($0.50-1). Away from the square, local gargotes -- the no-frills neighborhood restaurants -- serve chicken or lamb tagine with bread for 25-35 MAD ($2.50-3.50) and Friday couscous for 30-40 MAD ($3-4). A bocadillo (Moroccan sandwich stuffed with meat, fries, and sauce) costs just 12-25 MAD ($1.20-2.50) and is the go-to quick lunch for locals. A nuss nuss (half coffee, half milk) at a traditional cafe runs 4-6 MAD ($0.40-0.60), and mint tea is 5-7 MAD ($0.50-0.70) -- though specialty coffee shops in Gueliz now charge 30-40 MAD ($3-4) for lattes and cortados.

Marrakech offers a clear split between supermarkets and traditional souks, and knowing where to shop makes a significant difference. The main chains are Marjane (the largest, with a big branch on the road to Casablanca), Carrefour (in the Al Mazar shopping centre in Gueliz), Acima (the budget option), and the Turkish discount chain BIM for pantry staples. Supermarket prices for basics include milk at 8.50-9.50 MAD ($0.85-0.95) per liter, eggs at 18 MAD ($1.80) per dozen, local rice at 12.50 MAD ($1.25) per kilo, pasta at 8.50 MAD ($0.85) per 500g, cooking oil at 20-22 MAD ($2-2.20) per liter, and chicken breast at 45-55 MAD ($4.50-5.50) per kilo. Bread is government-regulated at just 1.20 MAD ($0.12) per khobz loaf regardless of where you buy. Ground beef runs 70-85 MAD ($7-8.50) per kilo and lamb 90-110 MAD ($9-11) per kilo. Sugar and flour are also subsidized, keeping prices at around 9 MAD ($0.90) and 6.50 MAD ($0.65) per kilo respectively.

Marrakech is easy and cheap to navigate, with most digital nomads relying on petit taxis -- the yellow metered cabs that zip around the city carrying up to three passengers. The base fare is 7 MAD ($0.70) with a rate of roughly 2.80 MAD per kilometer during the day and 4.20 MAD per kilometer at night (after 8 PM). A typical ride across the Medina to Gueliz costs 20-30 MAD ($2-3), while the airport-to-city run is a fixed 70 MAD ($7) by day or 100 MAD ($10) at night. Always insist the driver uses the meter, as some will try to quote flat prices to tourists. Grand taxis -- shared white Mercedes sedans seating up to six -- charge a flat 5 MAD ($0.50) per seat regardless of distance within the city, making them the cheapest motorized option if you don't mind waiting for the cab to fill up. The ride-hailing app inDrive is widely used and lets you negotiate fares directly with drivers, often undercutting street taxis. Uber relaunched in Marrakech in late 2025 but is limited to licensed tourist transport operators, so availability remains patchy.

Morocco's internet infrastructure has improved dramatically since mid-2025, when Maroc Telecom doubled fiber speeds at no extra cost -- bumping 100 Mbps plans to 200 Mbps and 200 Mbps plans to a full 1 Gbps. Inwi and Orange quickly matched, so fiber subscribers across all three providers now enjoy faster connections at unchanged prices. Home fiber plans start at 299 MAD ($30/month) for 50 Mbps through Inwi, 349 MAD ($35/month) for 100 Mbps, and 449 MAD ($45/month) for 200 Mbps. Maroc Telecom's fiber starts higher at 500 MAD ($50/month) for 200 Mbps but delivers the most consistent speeds. Where fiber isn't available -- common in older Medina riads -- a 5G home box from Inwi or Orange at 299-349 MAD ($30-35/month) delivers around 50-100 Mbps. For mobile data, pick up a SIM at the airport from Inwi, Orange, or Maroc Telecom; prepaid packages run about 50-70 MAD ($5-7) for 5 GB, 80-100 MAD ($8-10) for 10 GB, or 120-150 MAD ($12-15) for 20 GB. Inwi tends to offer the best value in cities, while Maroc Telecom has the most reliable rural coverage if you plan trips outside Marrakech.

Marrakech has a solid private healthcare network that comfortably serves expats and remote workers, with costs running 30-50% below European equivalents. A general practitioner consultation at a private clinic costs 150-300 MAD ($15-30), while specialist visits run 250-500 MAD ($25-50), often with same-day availability. The city's top facilities include Clinique Internationale de Marrakech -- an award-winning hospital with 100 beds, 50+ physicians, and 24/7 emergency care -- plus Polyclinique du Sud for cardiology, orthopedics, and surgical services. Both have English-speaking staff. Dental care is a particular bargain: routine cleanings and checkups cost 200-400 MAD ($20-40), while dental implants run 9,000-13,000 MAD ($900-1,300), roughly half of European prices. Pharmacies are plentiful and well-stocked, with most common medications available over the counter -- Doliprane (paracetamol) costs under 20 MAD ($2), ibuprofen is similarly cheap, and a course of amoxicillin runs about 170 MAD ($17). Morocco's 2025 drug pricing reform slashed prices on 8,600+ generics, saving patients billions of dirhams annually.

Morocco grants visa-free entry for 90 days to citizens of about 70 countries including the US, Canada, UK, EU, and Australia -- no dedicated digital nomad visa exists yet, though one is reportedly in development. To stay beyond 90 days, visit the nearest police headquarters at least two weeks before expiry with your passport, bank statements, proof of accommodation, return ticket, and a written explanation for the extension request. Approval is discretionary, and you'll generally get one 90-day extension at most. Many nomads instead do a quick border run to Spain (Tarifa is a one-hour ferry from Tangier) to reset the clock. Ramadan significantly reshapes daily life -- in 2026 it falls roughly February 17 to March 19 -- with most restaurants and cafes closing during daylight hours. Avoid eating, drinking, or smoking in public during fasting hours, and expect reduced working hours at businesses and government offices. Three topics are genuinely off-limits in conversation: criticism of Islam, the King, or Morocco's claim to the Western Sahara.