Cost Of Living For a Student in Rabat 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: MAD
Average monthly spending for students in Rabat
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Rabat?
Students in Rabat spend around 6,100 MAD per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 920 MAD or as high as 40,000 MAD. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Rabat
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 33,000 MAD | 65,000 MAD | 87,000 MAD |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 1,000 MAD | 1,600 MAD | 4,100 MAD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 1,600 MAD | 2,500 MAD | 6,200 MAD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 2,100 MAD | 3,100 MAD | 8,300 MAD |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 210,000 MAD | 310,000 MAD | 620,000 MAD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 250,000 MAD | 410,000 MAD | 1.6M MAD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 410,000 MAD | 1.2M MAD | 2.5M MAD |
| $41,000 | $120,000 | $250,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 1,300 MAD | 1,600 MAD | 2,200 MAD |
Double Bed
| 870 MAD | 1,300 MAD | 1,600 MAD |
Single Bed
| 770 MAD | 1,000 MAD | 1,300 MAD |
Living Room
| 1,400 MAD | 1,900 MAD | 6,500 MAD |
Dining Table
| 650 MAD | 870 MAD | 1,600 MAD |
Sofa or Couch
| 870 MAD | 1,200 MAD | 2,600 MAD |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 870 MAD | 1,300 MAD | 2,600 MAD |
Fridge or Freezer
| 770 MAD | 1,200 MAD | 1,600 MAD |
Washing Machine
| 1,000 MAD | 1,400 MAD | 2,600 MAD |
Stove or Cooker
| 930 MAD | 1,200 MAD | 1,600 MAD |
Mobile Phone
| 1,100 MAD | 1,300 MAD | 1,900 MAD |
Laptop or Computer
| 1,200 MAD | 1,400 MAD | 2,600 MAD |
How do students spend their money in Rabat?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost19%
19% of total expenses on average (14% to 25%)
| LOW | $22 220 MAD |
| AVERAGE | $140 1,500 MAD |
| HIGH | $960 9,700 MAD |
| Per Month |
Students in Rabat typically spend from 14% to 25% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 19% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 1,500 MAD with expenditure ranging from 220 MAD to 9,700 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
Cost of utilities6%
6% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $3.7 37 MAD |
| AVERAGE | $24 240 MAD |
| HIGH | $160 1,600 MAD |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Rabat ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 240 MAD with 37 MAD and 1,600 MAD being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel5%
5% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $6.4 64 MAD |
| AVERAGE | $42 420 MAD |
| HIGH | $280 2,800 MAD |
| Per Month |
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 64 MAD to 2,800 MAD in a month on commuting with 420 MAD being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 5% of total spending on average but can go as low as 5% or as high as 11%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost22%
22% of total expenses on average (16% to 26%)
| LOW | $18 180 MAD |
| AVERAGE | $120 1,200 MAD |
| HIGH | $800 8,100 MAD |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Rabat is 1,200 MAD. The cost of groceries can range between 180 MAD to 8,100 MAD. Students spend on average about 22% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 16% and 26% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare8%
8% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $5.5 55 MAD |
| AVERAGE | $36 360 MAD |
| HIGH | $240 2,400 MAD |
| Per Month |
Students in Rabat allocate 5% to 11% 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 8%. The range of medical expenses range from 55 MAD to 2,400 MAD with 360 MAD being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping3%
3% of total expenses on average (2% to 7%)
| LOW | $4.6 46 MAD |
| AVERAGE | $30 300 MAD |
| HIGH | $200 2,000 MAD |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 46 MAD to 2,000 MAD with 300 MAD being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling19%
19% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $17 180 MAD |
| AVERAGE | $110 1,200 MAD |
| HIGH | $760 7,700 MAD |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 19% of the monthly expenditure of students with 12% and 24% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 1,200 MAD per month with 180 MAD being the minimum spent amount and 7,700 MAD being the maximum.
Other Expenses18%
18% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $14 140 MAD |
| AVERAGE | $90 910 MAD |
| HIGH | $600 6,100 MAD |
| Per Month |
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
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Low-cost alternatives in Rabat
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 options59%
Few low-cost options41%
Based on the survey, 59% of the students living in Rabat have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 41% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Affordable living in Rabat
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Rabat?
Around 63% of surveyed students think that living in Rabat is affordable with proper budgeting while 37% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
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.
Yes63%
No37%
Based on the survey, 37% of the students living in Rabat said that they don't have an emergency fund while 63% 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 Rabat 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%
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Rabat
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Rabat
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Rabat is approximatly 26 MAD with meal cost ranging from 13 MAD to 43 MAD. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 42 MAD and 130 MAD with 64 MAD being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Rabat.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 85 MAD to 510 MAD with the average cost being 130 MAD for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Rabat.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Rabat is around 17 MAD. Price ranges between 11 MAD and 26 MAD depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Rabat is 10 MAD. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 13 MAD and the minimum being 8.7 MAD depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 8.7 MAD on average with 6.5 MAD and 13 MAD being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Rabat is between 15 MAD and 27 MAD depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 19 MAD.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 26 MAD. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Rabat costs around 9.6 MAD on average with prices rangeing between 7 MAD and 14 MAD depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 2.6 MAD to 6.5 MAD. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 6.1 MAD on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 180 MAD to 8,100 MAD with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Rabat
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Rabat
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,000 MAD | 1,600 MAD | 4,100 MAD |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,600 MAD | 2,500 MAD | 6,200 MAD |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,100 MAD | 3,100 MAD | 8,300 MAD |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,500 MAD | 4,100 MAD | 11,000 MAD |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 5,000 MAD | 12,000 MAD | 25,000 MAD |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 4,100 MAD | 6,200 MAD | 18,000 MAD |
House monthly rent cost
| 5,000 MAD | 12,000 MAD | 25,000 MAD |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 6,200 MAD | 16,000 MAD | 25,000 MAD |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Rabat ranges between 1,000 MAD and 4,100 MAD, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 1,600 MAD to 6,200 MAD. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 2,100 MAD and 8,300 MAD per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 2,500 MAD to 11,000 MAD. The average rent of a townhouse in Rabat is around 6,200 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 6,200 MAD to 25,000 MAD per month.
Apartment and house prices in Rabat
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 210,000 MAD | 310,000 MAD | 620,000 MAD |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 250,000 MAD | 410,000 MAD | 1.6M MAD |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 410,000 MAD | 1.2M MAD | 2.5M MAD |
| $41,000 | $120,000 | $250,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 1.4M MAD | 2.1M MAD | 6.2M MAD |
| $140,000 | $210,000 | $620,000 |
Townhouse price
| 1.8M MAD | 4.1M MAD | 16M MAD |
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Rabat can range from 210,000 MAD to 620,000 MAD depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 250,000 MAD to 1.6M MAD. A villa can cost you 14M MAD on average with prices ranging from 2.5M MAD to 21M MAD.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Rabat will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 36 | x102 monthly income | 201 |
Property prices in Rabat can be x102 to x201 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x102 multiples of the average monthly salary in Rabat.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Rabat is around 30%. This means that people pay 30% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 20% to 40% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
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.
Housing Affordability Index
27% 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 Rabat
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Rabat
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 240 MAD. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 65 MAD to 170 MAD with 130 MAD being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 87 MAD but can range between 52 MAD and 260 MAD depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Rabat is around 6%. This means that people pay 6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3% to 10% depending on salary and location.
