Morocco Travel Costs: Budget Guide for an Affordable Trip

Morocco is known for its historical cities and architecture, desert landscapes, cultural experiences, coastal towns, gastronomy and more. We experienced it all, and while you can easily go for the 5-star treatment and splurge, we opted for the standards and experiences that have allowed us to live location-independently for over seven years. If you’re planning a trip to Morocco that’s sustainable AND doesn’t break the bank, our Morocco budget travel article is for you.

First of all: What currency is used in Morocco?

For those of you who’ve never been to Morocco: The country’s official currency is the Moroccan Dirham. The official currency code is MAD, though you may also find DH being used. The Moroccan Dirham was introduced as the national currency in 1960, replacing the Moroccan Franc.

During your travels, you might come across:

• Banknotes in denominations of 20, 50, 100 and 200 dirhams; and
• Coins in denominations of 1/2, 1, 2, 5 and 10 dirhams, as well as smaller denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 20 santimat.

There have been discussions about updating the design of the currency since 2010, but no major changes have been implemented yet.

How much is 1 Moroccan Dirham in my home currency?

Do you want to know how much to exchange from your home currency to MAD? We use the XE Currency Converter Calculator. Do be aware though that the Moroccan Dirham is a closed currency, which means you can only exchange your home currency into MAD once you get to Morocco. Likewise, you can only exchange any leftover MAD in Morocco.

And speaking of exchanging money… It’s also worth knowing: ATMs in Morocco do not always work (when you need them). Thus, it’s best to bring some extra EUR/GBP/USD notes with you to exchange if need be. Money changers are frequently used, and compared to other countries, their rates are decent.

Travel Cost Assumptions

When reading this article, please keep the following in mind:

• Our travel costs are based upon a couple travelling together.
• We are independent travellers, researching and organising our itineraries using our go-to travel planning tools.
• Our travel style is reasonably consistent wherever we go, which is excellent when you want to compare travel costs between countries:
  • Accommodation: We usually stay in self-catered accommodation (homestays, locally owned guesthouses, hostels and short-term rentals) - in our room with (preferably) our bathroom, though the kitchen may be shared.
  • Dining and Groceries: We eat at least two meals a day at home. We like to eat out once daily and every few days (and prefer locally owned restaurants and small eateries away from the tourist hotspots).
  • Transportation: We walk a lot and use public transportation whenever possible. We only occasionally hire a vehicle.
  • Experiences: Many of our activities are free or very low-cost. When we pay for attractions or activities, we are selective, as our funds are limited (just like everyone else's).
• In addition to the above expense categories, our total daily costs include mail scanning and forwarding service, mobile phone plans, and travel insurance—though only for the period we are in the country.
• We use a multi-currency personal account with Wise to manage our currencies and XE to transfer money as required.
• The entry or exit transportation costs into/out of the country are not included.

How much did it cost us to explore Morocco?

Considering the above assumptions, we spent on average MAD456.47 / USD45.47 per person per day which is below our Morocco travel budget of USD50 per person per day. Thanks, Nomadic Matt.

Below is a summary of the expenses we incurred during the 45 nights we stayed in Morocco:

One of the many reasons we visited Morocco was for me to run in the Marrakesh Marathon. Apart from Marrakesh, we also stayed in Taghazout, Essaouira, Meknes, Fes, Chefchaouen and Tangier. And we did a 10-day road trip around the Atlas Mountains and desert beyond, with one or two nights at each location.

How much to budget for Accommodation in Morocco?

During our 45 nights in Morocco, our accommodation costs averaged MAD347 / USD34.55 per room per night. We stayed in locally owned guesthouses/standard Riads, where we would have our own bedroom and bathroom (and shared living spaces), or in a short-term rental apartment (again locally owned) with a small kitchen (and laundry facilities where possible).

The table lists all accommodations we stayed at, including places we wouldn’t choose to stay again (a tick marks those we’d be happy to return to). All accommodations had free Wi-Fi (some faster than others). Where provided, breakfast is included in the below price. Where charged, tourism/city taxes are also included.

Our most expensive accommodation was Chez Jerome et Pamela, a (more fancy) Riad in Marrakesh’s medina. While more modern than other places we’ve stayed at, we wouldn’t stay there again, as it was very noisy/poorly soundproofed, and the service was transactional/indifferent.

Our most affordable accommodation was the Riad Dreams Dades, a family-run guesthouse close to the Dades Gorge hiking trails. The Riad was modern and clean, the food delicious with huge portions, and the service impeccable. Goes to show: expensive isn’t always better.

Laundry and Washroom use

During the 6 1/2 weeks in Morocco, we used laundromats/laundry services four times, costing us a total of MAD195.00 / USD19.42 (or MAD48.75 / USD4.86 per use).

Using mostly bathrooms in restaurants or museums when we were out and about (which were usually free of charge), we only had to pay for toilet use three times in 45 nights, costing us a total of MAD6.00 / 60 US cents (or MAD2.00 / 20 US cents per use).

How much to budget for Dining and Groceries in Morocco?

Groceries and dining in Morocco cost us on average MAD127.91 / USD12.74 per person per day. This does not include the cost for breakfast provided by locally owned guesthouses we stayed at.

Most of this expense category would be related to dining, as we would dine out at least once a day, even when we had a kitchen at our disposal, as we want to experience the different local dishes around the country. Dining out at local/non-touristy eateries is budget-friendly, with a meal at a simple local restaurant costing MAD50-100 / USD5-10 per person, even in tourist hotspots like Marrakesh.

We dined twice at La Table De La Kasbah [Google Maps location] and Le Nid´cigogne [Google Maps location], both family-owned Moroccan restaurants in the Kasbah area in Marrakesh. It always says something about the establishment if you return there, especially with so many other choices available. We also ate several times at the Clock Cafes – there are three in Morocco (in Marrakesh, Chefchaouen and Fes) – we dined in the first two.

Our most expensive meal out was at Yuba in Meknes, a Moroccan restaurant with a rooftop terrace overlooking the city. For two main meals, a beer and a Moroccan tea, the price was MAD330 / USD32.87 (the tea alone was MAD45 / USD4.48).

The cost of consumer staples also varied significantly pending the sales location (local market/shop vs international supermarket chain) and type of food (locally grown/made vs imported):

• Basic items like bread or (locally grown) fruit and vegetables are (very) reasonably priced at local markets/shops. For example, a loaf of (Moroccan white) bread cost MAD1-2 / 10-20 US cents and bananas MAD10-15 / USD1.00-1.49 per kilogram while we were there.
• On the flipside, imported goods like breakfast cereals, muesli bars, non-local cheeses, etc at supermarkets like Carrefour or Marjane may cost the same as (if not more than) at home. BIM supermarkets were the most affordable of the lot (but don’t stock a huge variety).

How much to budget for Transportation in Morocco?

Transportation in Morocco cost us MAD66.04 / USD6.58 per person per day. We explored the country mostly by public transportation (buses and trains).

Intercity Buses

Intercity, we travelled mostly on buses operated by Supratours and CTM. There was no real difference between the two operators when it came to reliability, price, cleanliness or comfort, and we would happily use either again. We would always choose whichever timetable suited us best, the exception being between Fes, Chefchaouen and Tangier – of the two companies, only CTM services that route.

You can check the schedules on the official websites (CTM | Supratours). I recommend buying your tickets in advance online. Seats fill up quickly, especially in peak periods. Alternatively, if you arrive at a destination by bus and have a few days until your departure, you could also buy a ticket for your onward journey in person before leaving the bus terminal.

The only other time we used an intercity bus that was not Supratours or CTM was between Taghazout and Essaouira (neither of them service the route). In this case, we walked to the roundabout above town [Google Maps location] to flag down a bus headed for Essaouira. We arrived at 9:30, and managed to flag down the first bus that went past at about 9:45 – faster and easier than we thought. The alternative would have been joining a collective taxi from the parking lot at the edge of town [Google Maps location], but that would have been a lot more cramped during the 2 hours 45 minutes’ ride along the coast.

Trains

Morocco has a decent railway network, and we would use the train over internal flights or intercity buses where possible.

Travelling by train in Morocco is not only comfortable but also affordable. For example, covering the 575 kilometres between Tangier and Marrakesh cost us MAD340 / USD33.86 per person (barely 6 US cents per kilometer). Trains are operated by ONCF (the same company Supratours belongs to).

Part of our final train journey in Morocco – from Tanger Ville to Casablanca Casa Voyageurs – was on the Al Boraq, Africa’s first and (so far) only high-speed train. Akeen to travelling on the TGV in France or ICE in Germany (though less crowded and on time), the journey was very comfortable. The Al Boraq travelled even faster than the Shinkansen in Japan: we recorded a maximum speed of 320km/h.

Local Buses

The Marrakesh city bus service operated by Alsa is reliable and easy to use – even for a foreigner. Wherever we coudn’t walk in Marrakesh, we used the bus. Do be aware though that the buses are old, don’t have airconditioning and are always packed with locals (with the exception of the L19 tourist bus between the airport and city centre). Alsa Bus timetables are available in Google Maps. The ticket fare (MAD4.00 / 40 US cents) is paid in cash to the bus driver when you enter via the front door. Change is generally given, but do bring smaller denominations as much as possible.

Fes City Buses are also regularly crowded (but a bit more modern than those in Marrakesh). And a ride is even cheaper than in Marrakesh: MAD2.50 / 25 US cents per single ride (again paid in cash). Very handy: The (Mini)Bus #19 goes from outside the train station [Google Maps location] to Place Rcif in the medina (and vice versa). This was the only bus we ever needed to use in Fes – we covered everything else on foot. Unfortunately, Google Maps does not show routes or timetables (only the bus stops). If unsure, it’s best is to ask your host (or a local at the bus stop) which bus to take.

In Meknes, we used local bus #15 to travel from Bab Berdieyinne [Google Maps location] to the roundabout near Volubilis [Google Maps location] (walking from there the final 2.5km to the archaeological site) and from Moulay Idriss Zerhoun [Google Maps location] back to Meknes. The bus ride cost us MAD7 / 70 US cents per person each way. In either direction, the bus was only half-full.

Taxis

During our time in Morocco, we only took a taxi a handful of times. Payment was always in cash.

Our first taxi experience was in Agadir. On a day with pouring rain, the local Alsa Buses to Taghazout didn’t turn up, and after waiting for over an hour, we ended up sharing a taxi with three other stranded travellers. As we learned later, MAD200 / USD19.92 for the journey was way overpriced. Though, given we were cold and wet, and just wanted to get to our destination, MAD40 / USD3.98 per person was a price we were willed to pay.

If you don’t want to haggle with a taxi driver or be overcharged, use the Roby app (Morocco’s version of Uber) – currently available in Agadir (yes, we didn’t know it back then), Casablanca and Marrakesh (more cities are in the pipeline).

Rental Car

We also hired a car for a 10-day road trip around the Atlas Mountains and desert beyond, travelling a total of 1,291 kilometres. The total costs (including vehicle hire, fuel and parking fees) averaged MAD308.90 / USD30.77 per day (or MAD2.39 / 23 US cents per kilometre).

At MAD15.00 / USD1.49, parking overnight outside the KasbahTaourirt was the most expensive. Using a diesel vehicle, we paid on average MAD13.02 / USD1.30 per litre of fuel.

How much to budget for Experiences in Morocco?

Our average spend for experiences was MAD28.08 / USD2.80 per person per day.

Most of this expense category is made up of entry fees to museums (in the broadest sense of the word), with fees ranging from MAD30.00 / USD2.99 to MAR100.00 / USD9.96 per adult. Our favourite museums were

• the Medresa Ben Youssef, Musée MACMA and the Moroccan Culinary Arts Museum in Marrakesh;
• the Tiwirga Art Museum in Aït Benhaddou (for the variety of artworks exhibited and the opportunity to meet resident artist Hafida Zizi);
• the Casbah Des Arts in Agdz (for its character and gorgeous views);
• the Bibliothèque Coranique in Tamegroute (for its treasure of ancient books);
• the Dar Jamai Museum in Meknes and nearby archaeological site of Volubilis.

We also joined Free Walking Tours in Marrakesh, Essaouira and Fes (all very different in character). While FREE by name, the local guides earn a living from the tips received, and we always tip at the end of the walk based on the quality of the experience.

What other costs should you budget for when planning a trip to Morocco?

During our 45-night stay in Morocco, we incurred miscellaneous expenses totalling MAD58.74 / USD5.85 per person daily. Since we are location-independent, some expenses may not apply to you.

Communication

Upon arrival at Marrakesh Airport, we purchased two physical SIM cards for MAD100.00 (USD9.96) each, providing us with 20GB of data for 30 days. Given that our trip was extended by 15 days, we topped up each SIM card with another MAD100.00 (USD 9.96) to ensure uninterrupted connectivity. Alternatively, if you prefer to sort out your communication needs before arrival, consider using an eSIM like Airalo’s eSIM, which offers 5GB of data for USD31 for 30 days or Unlimited data for 10 days for USD35. This option is particularly convenient for travellers who want to avoid dealing with physical SIM cards or visiting local shops.

Wellbeing

While not cheap at MAD725.00 / USD72.21, a massage, taken before the Marrakesh Marathon, was very beneficial in preparing my muscles for the strenuous event, an experience detailed in our Marrakesh Marathon guide.

Sandra and I also had annual dental checkups in Marrakesh, which cost MAD500.00 / USD49.80 each. Unfortunately, unlike our very positive experience with dental treatments in Türkiye, the experience did not meet our expectations.

I also spent a total of MAD150.00 / USD14.94 on two haircuts.

Travel Insurance

During our trip to Morocco, we relied on a comprehensive travel insurance plan, covering a wide range of potential issues – from medical emergencies to travel disruptions and loss of luggage. The total cost of our travel insurance for the 45 nights in Morocco (pro-rated from our annual policy) was NZD465.13 / USD284.73 (or NZD5.17 / USD3.16 per person per day).

What else is worth knowing?

Should you tip in Morocco?

In Morocco, the question should rather be: When are you not expected to tip? as tipping is often even expected when someone helps you in the slightest way (like pointing out directions) or in exchange for a photo. But I’m getting cynical here.

In general, when it comes to tipping in Morocco, we would recommend using common sense:

• Leave a tip if you’ve been happy with the service in a restaurant or hammam (and it’s not already included on the bill as a service charge). In those cases, we would recommend 10% of your spend onsite.
• On the flip side, if a stranger follows you around, pretending to be your guide, and you can’t shake them off, walk away without a tip or pay the smallest amount you get away with (MAD20 / USD1.99 did the trick in cases we encountered).

How much cash do you need in Morocco?

Morocco is a cash society, so unsurprisingly, we paid 46% of our expenses in cash throughout our stay.

We recommend using Al Barid Bank to withdraw cash without incurring ATM withdrawal fees (charged by a Moroccan bank). These ATMs are often attached to Post Offices (Al Barid is the Financial Services subsidiary of Poste Maroc/the Moroccan Postal Service) and are thus available nationwide.

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