If you’re planning a trip to this North African country and wondering whether Morocco is expensive, this is the guide for you. Covering the common expenses and trip outgoings, this post will ensure you budget for your Moroccan adventure accordingly.
Updated Jan 2023
Writing a post about the cost of travel, or prices in Morocco is difficult.
Firstly, depending on your travel style and how long you're in the country for, prices can vary wildly on your own Morocco experience. There are a plethora of luxury resorts, riads and spas, which charge accordingly, whilst backpackers can spend less than £5 on a dorm bed in some places and eat pretty cheaply. Thankfully, it's quite easy to slot into a groove and find something which will suit your budget wherever you roam.
So, is Morocco expensive? For us, it was an affordable destination which allowed us to spend a little more on certain activities - like an unforgettable road trip to the Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains.
The most challenging aspect for planning your travel budget and establishing the standard cost of living in Morocco however, is that certain day-to-day expenses actually come in three unofficial tiers:
The price in the tourist area
The price for a tourist in a local area
The normal price
Sounds confusing and possibly a little far-fetched, but trust us on this one. Fundamentally however, for many items, you'll find a wide range of prices being touted and, sometimes, it's up to you to determine how much something is really worth (and to play your part in that famous Moroccan haggle). If you can get somewhere between the last two, then you'll be doing well.
The costs below have been fully updated to reflect those you would encounter in 2023, and the individual items have been chosen for their popularity amongst travellers in Morocco. Note that prices may vary according to seasonality.
Currencies are Moroccan dirham (dh) / £GBP / $USD / €EUR, with conversion rate as at time of update.
mid-range private double at a riad in Marrakech
A riad is such a quintessentially Moroccan experience that you simply can't visit without staying in one. In the major cities like Fez and Marrakech, there are an abundance to choose from and many are staggeringly beautiful whilst still not costing the earth.
Read more about the riad we stayed at in Marrakech or check out our post on the best budget riads in Marrakech.
600-1500dh | £45-125 | $57-150 | €55-135
a budget double room
Costs vary wildly here depending if you opt for a private room in a backpacker hostel, a boutique hostel or a small hotel. On our road trip outside of Marrakech, we never paid more than 200dh for a basic private double with private bathroom and breakfast included.
180-380dh | £14-30 | $18-38 | €17-36
Whilst a few fancier backpacker hostels have popped up across the country, you really shouldn't expect to spend more than £10 for a dorm bed anywhere in the country (and as little as £5 in some cities like Fez)
Check out some of the best hostels in Morocco here.
62-190dh | £5-15 | $6-18 | €5.50-17
simple breakfast out
Expect bread, jams, coffee or tea, fresh juice, yoghurt and some cakes/pastires.
Whilst you can absolutely head out for your breakfast, it’s important to note that this meal is usually included in your nightly accommodation rate (often even at hostels).
In this situation, it’s usually quite a big affair with plenty to munch on and fill you up all morning.
20-25dh | £1.6-2.0 | $2-2.5 | €1.8-2.3
a pot of mint tea
Morrocans like their tea almost as much as us Brits. It may not be to everyone's immediate liking, but the ceremony and ritual attached to it is endearing.
In a number of riads, you will be greeted with tea upon arrival each day for free. However, out and about, a pot can cost anywhere from 5 to 20dh.
5-20dh | £0.4-1.6 | $0.5-1.9 | €0.47-1.87
a vegetarian tagine
As two mostly vegetarians, across our two visits to Morocco we’ve inevitably eaten an awful lot of vegetarian tagines; the quality and taste of which varied almost as dramatically as the prices on offer!
Even in the touristy areas in Marrakech, you can find somewhere selling it cheap at 25dh, but for anywhere a little more upmarket or catering to Europeans, expect to pay over 50dh.
Top Tip / Keep your eyes peeled for a set-lunch menu. More informal and cheaper than dinner, it’s usually a three course affair ideal for those watching the pennies.
25-80dh | £2-4.6 | $2.5-8 | €2.3-7.5
one litre bottle of water
Unfortunately, the tap water in Morocco is not safe to drink. Because of this you have two choices: buy a lot of single use plastic bottles, or invest in bottle with an in-built filter. We use, and swear by, our Water-to-Go filter bottles which make any source of water safe for human consumption - you can find our review here.
Of course, in certain situations (like if you go hiking or are on a long travel day where filling up is not possible), you will still have to rely on the bottled water variety - in this case try to stay at least a little green by buying large bottles of water, rather than lots and lots of small ones.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that many accommodations in Morocco offer filtered water free of charge to guests, so be sure to fill up any empty plastic bottles / refillable bottles before you head out for the day.
Keep Reading / You can find our review of the top filter water bottles on the market here.
5-10dh | £0.4-0.8 | $0.5-1 | €0.5-1
cup of coffee
On our road trip, we had a lovely little daily routine of stopping off a couple of times in a random place to have coffee out on a roadside terrace. It often led to nice little conversations or interactions and, in the cities, it offered a cheap way to waste an hour in the sun, watching the daily life of Morocco unfold before us.
The French attitude towards cafe culture remains strong here - with pure, strong black stuff with sugar (no milk) the most popular way to consume it.
7-20dh | £0.6-1.2 | $0.7-1.5 | €0.65-1.4
litre of petrol
Diesel is a dirham or so cheaper than petrol but, across the country, you'll find fuel prices remain pretty constant.
Bizarrely, a petrol station by the Sahara desert was one of the cheapest.
Just be sure to confirm with the car rental place whether your vehicle takes diesel or petrol!
Keep Reading / Our top advice for renting a car in Morocco.
14.50dh | £1.15 | $1.38 | €1.31
Desert camp in the sahara
The first time we visited Morocco, we weren't able to make it to the Sahara.
We are so, so glad that we made the effort to reach it this time around on our own - even if it was for only one night. We stayed in a gorgeous and secluded camp (Ali and Sara’s Desert Camp - find in on Booking.com or Airbnb). The nightly rate includes transport to and from the camp and all meals.
Prices have increased a fair bit since we stayed there but the reviews remain excellent.
Keep Reading / You can find out more about our sumptuous desert experience here.
1750dh | £140 | $167 | €159
(prices for two people)
day of car rental
There are many tour companies offering to take you from Marrakech to the Sahara for 2 nights, 3 days (like this super popular, highly rated one). Prices start at around £85 per person, however it involves a lot of driving in a short space of time. It is also possible to reach the Sahara with public transport, but this is really only an option for people with a lot of time to spare on 12+ hour bus rides.
So, we feel that we definitely made the right choice by renting a car.
It gave us more time to experience the country at our own pace, the chance to take roads less travelled and, importantly, it was incredibly good value.
Prices for car hire in 2023 are now even cheaper than what we paid - as little as £67 for six days! This is obviously for the most economical car, but even if you splurge on something a little fancier it still won’t cost more than £100 for the same time frame.
Travel Tip / The most convenient way to quickly get a gauge on general availability and prices for your own travel dates is doing a search on Rentalcars.com and AutoEurope, which aggregate and list most of the local companies as well as the main international brands. We always look + book via them for our rentals.
Keep Reading / Marrakech to Merzouga | Our Moroccan Road Trip Itinerary
138dh | £11 | $13 | €12.50
bus from marrakech to essaouira
If you're visiting Morocco, we definitely recommend spending at least one night in Essaouira. The easiest way to get therefrom Marrakech? A very comfortable and affordable bus.
The main bus companies running this route and others across the country are CTM and Supratours, each of which have good route planners (with prices) on their websites.
Note | For reasons we’re not entirely sure of, CTM are a little cheaper than Supratours, but offer a similar standard of bus. However they only offer one departure per day.
100dh | £8 | $9.50 | €9
museum entry
Thankfully, museums or sites of historical interest are very affordable throughout Morocco, so you shouldn't really have to miss out due to your budget.
The only notable exception to this is the Jardin Majorelle, where a combined entry ticket costs 220 dh per person (or separately at a cost of 120 dH for Jardin Majorelle, and 100 dH for the museum).
Top Tip / If you have even a passing interest in photography, don’t miss the Maison de la Photographie - it was a real highlight during our time in Marrakech. For more things to do in Marrakech, check out our post ‘13 Wonderful Things to Do in Marrakech’.
10-20dh | £0.8-1.6 | $1-2 | €1-2
can of coke
In a country where alcohol is pretty hard to come by, we found ourselves drinking a lot of coke!
3-7dh | £0.25-0.55 | $0.3-0.7 | €0.3-0.6
glass of freshly squeezed orange juice
Now, a wonderful surprise in Morocco is the ubiquity of freshly squeezed orange juice from colourful carts or stands.
Delicious and refreshing, you'll also find that the price fluctuates quite a lot depending upon which city or street you are in. The cheapest we found was 5dh, but we were quoted as high as 20dh.
5-20dh | £0.4-1.6 | $0.5-2 | €0.47-1.9
bowl of harina soup
Now, you remember how we said that Morocco has three price ranges? Well, nothing highlighted this more to us than our harina soup experience.
In touristy parts of Marrkech, it was around 20-30dh a bowl. In less touristy Essaouira, it was 10-20dh a bowl.
In a local ma n' pa restaurnt in a town in the middle of nowhere on the last night of our roadtrip, we paid 3.5dh for the biggest, most delicious bowl ever.
3.5-30dh | £0.28-2.4 | $0.33-2.85 | €0.32-2.7
bunch of bananas
Fruit and veg is plentiful, delicious and, usually, quite affordable across Morocco. However, the prices you'll be quoted for anything from a bunch of bananas to a kilo of tomatoes or a fistful of fresh olives from a huge bucket will vary quite dramatically from person to person and place to place. If you're travelling here for a while, try to ask around at your hostel to get an idea of fair prices.
Keep Reading / 16 Really Useful Tips for Visiting Marrakech.
5-20dh | £0.4-1.6 | $0.5-2 | €0.47-1.9
cooking class experience
We try to take a cooking class in every country we visit - they offer a unique multi-sensory insight into a country's identity and history (and, you know, you get to stuff your face).
You can find classes on offer in many cities across the country, and they’re most abundant in Marrakech - including this super popular, and highly-rated option.
Keep Reading / You can learn more about the cooking class we took in this post.
565dh | £45 | $54 | €51
taxi ride
Um, yeah, basically this comes down to how much the taxi driver feels like ripping you off for that day. As Lahcen, our fantastic host in Marrakech told us, 10dh for him would probably be 50dh for us! In the middle of an afternoon downpour, he was proven to be absolutely right (although we did manage to get the man down to 20dh). From the bus station to the airport, we got from 150dh to 50dh!
As with much in Morocco, negotiation is therefore really key with taxis. Have a rough idea of price and don't be afraid to say no at least three times - never get in the cab without first fully agreeing what you'll pay.
Top tip / Flying in to Marrakech? Don't bother with a taxi negotiation, you're much better off taking a airport shuttle service like this one. (unless you're travelling in a group, in which case a taxi may be cheaper).
?dh | £? | $? | €?
luxury hammam experience
Now, it's worth noting that that a proper local place (without any frills whatsoever) can cost as little as 10-20dh.
However, at a more tourist-focussed luxury spa, you can expect to pay from an average of 200dh for a 30 minute hammam to 600dh if you pair it with an hour-long massage.
As ever in Marrakech, you can also find very high-end spas which would make 600dh look cheap.
200-600dh | £16-48 | $20-60 | €19-56
souvenirs
Yep, good luck with that.
The Moroccan salesman knows his hustle and, after watching local men try to wholesale carpets to shops, even amongst eachother a hard-negotiated deal is part of the buying/selling process.
Our advice? Never ever take the first price if you're buying from a souvenir stall (or the second or the third) and, fundamentally, have an idea of what you are happy to pay and aim for that. The goal is to come to a price everyone is happy with, rather than drive the seller down to the lowest price possible.
?dh | £? | $? | €?
pack of local cigarettes
Perhaps it’s the fact that the men can’t really drink, but smoking is a big thing here.
20dh | £1.6 | $2 | €1.87
beer
If you're reading this and aren't already aware that Morocco is a strictly Islamic country, then get yourself ready for a shock. Although alcohol is available in the country (and beer and wine is actually brewed there), it is not commonly drunk by Moroccans, widely available or easily accessible.
In Essaouria, it was quite easy to find places selling it whilst our Desert Camp had plentiful stocks for guests. However, day to day, you are going to be drinking coca-cola, coffee or mint tea rather than an ice-cold beer (although non-alcoholic beer is available in some western-focused hangouts).
On the right, the lower price is for a local beer and the higher for an imported beer. Note that this prices have the potential to go quite a bit higher if you drink at a super fancy hotel or bar.
Top Tip / Our tip if you like a tipple? Make sure you bring something from duty free and enjoy it in the privacy of your riad.
25-45dh | £2-3.6 | $2.4-4.3 | €2.25-4
A TUNA PANINI
Our go-to snack when buses made their lunch stops or we just needed something quick and cheap to keep us going was the ubiquitous tuna panini.
20-30dh | £2-3 | $0.1-0.5 | €1.9-2.8
local snacks
From little carts you'll find a lovely array of fresh sticky pastries and cakes, whilst small shops sell local crisps and sweets pretty cheaply.
For imported goods, always expect to pay considerably more.
1-5dh | £0.1-0.4 | $0.1-0.5 | €0.1-0.5
bicycle rental
A new bike-sharing company has set up in Marrakech (the first in Africa), with day passes costing of 50 dh allowing three hours worth of rides for a 24 hour period. You can find full details on the service here.
If the idea of whizzing around the narrow streets of the Medina by bike makes you break our in a cold sweat, consider instead hiring a bike for the day and exploring the coast.
Keep Reading / Our guide to the sleepy surf town of Sidi Kouki
50-150dh | £4-12 | $4.75-14 | €4.5-13.5
Where to Next?
We hope this article has helped you answer the question ‘is Morocco expensive?’. If you’d like to read more of our guides to this incredible country either head over to our dedicated ‘Morocco Page’ or take a look at one of these related articles.
13 Wonderful Things to Do in Marrakech
Marrakech to Merzouga | Our Moroccan Road Trip Itinerary
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