Cost Of Living For a Student in Marrakech 2025

Average monthly spending for students in Marrakech

How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Marrakech?

Students in Marrakech spend around 5,900 MAD per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 890 MAD or as high as 39,000 MAD. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.

How do students spend their money in Marrakech?

We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.

Housing and accomodation expenditure for students

Students in Marrakech typically spend from 13% to 24% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 18% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 1,400 MAD with expenditure ranging from 210 MAD to 9,400 MAD. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.

Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Marrakech ranges from 5% to 11% of total expenses with 7% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 230 MAD with 36 MAD and 1,600 MAD being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.

Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 63 MAD to 2,700 MAD in a month on commuting with 410 MAD being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.

Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students

The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Marrakech is 1,200 MAD. The cost of groceries can range between 180 MAD to 7,800 MAD. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.

Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students

Students in Marrakech allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 54 MAD to 2,300 MAD with 350 MAD being the norm for most students.

Leisure and shopping expenditure for students

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 45 MAD to 2,000 MAD with 290 MAD being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 2% for most students.

Education and schooling expenditure for students

Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 1,100 MAD per month with 170 MAD being the minimum spent amount and 7,400 MAD being the maximum.

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in Marrakech

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in Marrakech?

Around 61% of surveyed students think that living in Marrakech is affordable with proper budgeting while 39% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Low-cost alternatives in Marrakech

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options57%

Few low-cost options43%

Based on the survey, 57% of the students living in Marrakech have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 43% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

Emergency Funds For Students

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes61%

No39%

Based on the survey, 39% of the students living in Marrakech said that they don't have an emergency fund while 61% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy58%

We asked student guardians and parents in Marrakech whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 42% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 58% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether students of have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 34% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 66% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance34%

Easily manages finances66%

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Marrakech

Rent Cost in Marrakech

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

1,000 MAD

1,500 MAD

4,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$100

$150

$400

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

1,500 MAD

2,400 MAD

6,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$150

$240

$600

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

2,000 MAD

3,000 MAD

8,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$200

$300

$800

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

2,400 MAD

4,000 MAD

11,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$240

$400

$1,100

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

4,800 MAD

12,000 MAD

24,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$480

$1,200

$2,400

Townhouse monthly rent cost

4,000 MAD

6,000 MAD

17,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$400

$600

$1,700

House monthly rent cost

4,800 MAD

12,000 MAD

24,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$480

$1,200

$2,400

Villa monthly rent cost

6,000 MAD

15,000 MAD

24,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$600

$1,500

$2,400

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Marrakech ranges between 1,000 MAD and 4,000 MAD, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 1,500 MAD to 6,000 MAD. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 2,000 MAD and 8,000 MAD per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 2,400 MAD to 11,000 MAD. The average rent of a townhouse in Marrakech is around 6,000 MAD while house rental costs can be as high as 12,000 MAD per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 6,000 MAD to 24,000 MAD per month.

Apartment and house prices in Marrakech

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

200,000 MAD

300,000 MAD

600,000 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$20,000

$30,000

$60,000

1-bedroom apartment price

240,000 MAD

400,000 MAD

1.5M MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$24,000

$40,000

$150,000

2-bedroom apartment price

400,000 MAD

1.2M MAD

2.4M MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$40,000

$120,000

$240,000

3-bedroom apartment price

1.3M MAD

2M MAD

6M MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$130,000

$200,000

$600,000

Townhouse price

1.7M MAD

4M MAD

15M MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$170,000

$400,000

$1.5M

House price

2M MAD

12M MAD

17M MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$200,000

$1.2M

$1.7M

Villa price

2.4M MAD

13M MAD

20M MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$240,000

$1.3M

$2M

The average price of a studio apartment in Marrakech can range from 200,000 MAD to 600,000 MAD depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 240,000 MAD to 1.5M MAD. A villa can cost you 13M MAD on average with prices ranging from 2.4M MAD to 20M MAD.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in Marrakech can be x99 to x195 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x99 multiples of the average monthly salary in Marrakech.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in Marrakech is around 29%. This means that people pay 29% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 19% to 39% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Marrakech

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Marrakech

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student

36 MAD

230 MAD

1,600 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.6

$23

$160

Internet and cable cost

60 MAD

120 MAD

160 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$5.9

$12

$16

Mobile phone bill and charges

48 MAD

79 MAD

240 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$4.7

$7.9

$24

The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 230 MAD. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 60 MAD to 160 MAD with 120 MAD being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 79 MAD but can range between 48 MAD and 240 MAD depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in Marrakech is around 5.8%. This means that people pay 5.8% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 2.9% to 9.7% depending on salary and location.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Marrakech

Prices and cost of goods and services in Marrakech

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

12 MAD

24 MAD

40 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.2

$2.4

$4

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Marrakech is approximatly 24 MAD with meal cost ranging from 12 MAD to 40 MAD. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

40 MAD

60 MAD

120 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$4

$6

$12

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 40 MAD and 120 MAD with 60 MAD being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Marrakech.

Fine dining meal for one price

80 MAD

120 MAD

480 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$8

$12

$48

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 80 MAD to 480 MAD with the average cost being 120 MAD for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Marrakech.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

9.9 MAD

16 MAD

24 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.99

$1.6

$2.4

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Marrakech is around 16 MAD. Price ranges between 9.9 MAD and 24 MAD depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

7.9 MAD

9.5 MAD

12 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.79

$0.95

$1.2

The average price of a large bottle of milk in Marrakech is 9.5 MAD. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 12 MAD and the minimum being 7.9 MAD depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

6 MAD

7.9 MAD

12 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.59

$0.79

$1.2

A dozen eggs costs around 7.9 MAD on average with 6 MAD and 12 MAD being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

14 MAD

18 MAD

25 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.3

$1.7

$2.5

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Marrakech is between 14 MAD and 25 MAD depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 18 MAD.

Pack of beef price

16 MAD

24 MAD

48 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.6

$2.4

$4.7

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 24 MAD. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

6.4 MAD

8.8 MAD

12 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.64

$0.87

$1.2

A bag of rice in Marrakech costs around 8.8 MAD on average with prices rangeing between 6.4 MAD and 12 MAD depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

2.4 MAD

3.2 MAD

6 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.24

$0.32

$0.59

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 2.4 MAD to 6 MAD. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

4.3 MAD

5.6 MAD

9.2 MAD

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.42

$0.55

$0.91

A bag of apples costs 5.6 MAD on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for students