Travel budget guide

How Much Does a Trip to Morocco Cost?

Roughly 300–500 MAD a day on a budget, 800–1,500 MAD mid-range, and from 2,000 MAD for luxury. What beds, meals, taxis and trains cost, and where the extra money goes.

A lamp shop in the Marrakech souks. Photograph: Adam Harangozó, CC BY-SA 4.0

Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Budget day: About 300–500 MAD
Mid-range day: About 800–1,500 MAD
Pay with: Cash for most things; cards in hotels

How much does Morocco cost per day?

Budget roughly 300–500 MAD a day travelling cheaply, 800–1,500 MAD mid-range, and from 2,000 MAD upward for luxury. That covers a bed, food, local transport and sightseeing. International flights and multi-day tours are extra.

Budget: Roughly 300–500 MAD a day. Hostel dorms or simple guesthouses, local canteens and street food, buses and shared grand taxis.
Mid-range: Roughly 800–1,500 MAD a day. A riad room with breakfast, a mix of local and sit-down restaurants, trains and the odd guided visit.
Luxury: From roughly 2,000 MAD a day, with no real ceiling. Boutique riads or top hotels, restaurant dinners, private drivers and guides.

Approximate, checked October 2026. Per person; typical spending, not a quote.

Over ten days that comes to roughly 3,000–5,000 MAD on a budget, 8,000–15,000 MAD mid-range, and from 20,000 MAD for luxury, before flights.

What things cost

Everyday prices a visitor meets in the first few days. Prices vary by city and season, and tourist areas charge more.

Item	Typical price	Note
Bed in a hostel dorm	80–250 MAD	Per night
Mid-range riad or hotel room for two	600–1,200 MAD	Per night, often with breakfast
Simple meal or tagine at a local restaurant	50–100 MAD	Per person
Short petit-taxi ride in town	10–25 MAD	On the meter
Train, Marrakech to Fes (second class)	180–310 MAD	One way; first class costs more
Entry to a major monument	70–100 MAD	For example the Bahia Palace or Volubilis

Approximate, checked October 2026, in Moroccan dirhams. 10 MAD is roughly one euro or one US dollar.

Where the money goes

Getting there

Budget airlines fly to Moroccan cities from across Europe; fares depend heavily on the season and how early you book. From North America, Royal Air Maroc flies direct to Casablanca, and connecting through Europe is often cheaper.

Where you sleep

Accommodation is the biggest variable. Hostel dorms are cheapest, then guesthouses with private rooms, then riads: traditional courtyard houses run as small hotels, usually with breakfast. Boutique riads and international hotels sit at the top. In the Sahara, simple camps are usually sold as part of a tour, while luxury camps with private tents and bathrooms cost far more.

What you eat

Street food and local canteens are cheap, and a tagine with bread and salad makes a full meal. Restaurants aimed at visitors, hotel dining rooms and anywhere serving alcohol cost several times more.

Getting around

Trains link Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Tangier; CTM and Supratours coaches go where the railway does not. Shared grand taxis cover shorter hops between towns at a per-seat fare, and petit taxis work within each city. A rental car or private driver adds the most, but reaches the mountains and the desert on your own schedule.

Costs that catch people out

Tourist tax
Many hotels and riads add a city tourist tax per person per night at check-in, and online booking prices do not always include it. Ask when you book.
Tips
Tipping is expected for most services: waiters, porters, guides, drivers and hammam attendants. Keep small notes and coins for it.
Unofficial guides
People who offer to "help" you find your riad or show you the tanneries will ask for money afterwards. Decline politely, or agree a price before you accept.
Taxis without the meter
Petit taxis are supposed to run the meter, but drivers often quote a flat fare to visitors, especially at stations and airports. Ask for the meter or agree the fare before you get in.
ATM fees
Moroccan ATMs usually charge a fee on each foreign-card withdrawal, on top of what your own bank charges. Fewer, larger withdrawals keep this down.
Souk prices
The first price in a souk is an opening offer. Know roughly what you want to pay, never buy in the first shop, and be ready to walk away.
Checked bags on budget airlines
A cheap fare can rise sharply once a checked bag is added. Travel with cabin luggage only if you can.

Money, cards and cash

Currency: The Moroccan dirham (MAD) is a closed currency: you cannot buy it before you arrive.
ATMs: Widespread in cities and towns. Bank ATMs in the city centre are the most reliable.
Cards: Visa and Mastercard work in hotels, upscale restaurants and some shops. Souks, taxis and street food are cash only.
Backup: Euros or US dollars change easily at banks and exchange bureaus.
Small change: Keep 20 and 50 MAD notes and 10-dirham coins: small vendors and taxis often cannot break a 200.

How to spend less

Eat where locals eat
Restaurants on the main squares charge more. Walk a few streets further into the medina, or eat in the ville nouvelle.
Sleep in the new town
Hotels in the ville nouvelle are often cheaper than medina riads for a comparable room.
Take CTM or Supratours buses
Air-conditioned intercity coaches that are often cheaper than the train, and the only option on routes the railway does not reach.
Book multi-day tours carefully
Compare Sahara trips online or through your riad rather than buying from a tout in the medina, and get the inclusions in writing.
Pay in dirhams
When a card machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pay in MAD; the conversion rate offered is usually worse.
Avoid airport exchange desks
Change only what you need for the ride into town, then use a bank ATM in the city.
Buy a local SIM
Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi sell prepaid SIMs with data at the airport and in town, usually far cheaper than roaming.
Self-guide at monuments
Most major sites can be visited without a guide. Read up beforehand and download offline maps.
Travel outside the holidays
Christmas, New Year and Easter are the busiest and most expensive weeks. Book early if you travel then.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a 10-day trip to Morocco cost?

Per person and excluding international flights and multi-day tours, roughly 3,000–5,000 MAD on a budget, 8,000–15,000 MAD mid-range, and from 20,000 MAD upward for luxury travel. These are approximate figures based on typical daily spending.

Is Morocco expensive compared to other destinations?

Day-to-day costs are modest for most visitors. A budget traveller sleeping in dorms and eating at local canteens typically spends roughly 300–500 MAD a day. Costs rise quickly with boutique riads, private drivers and guided tours.

What currency should I bring to Morocco?

The Moroccan dirham (MAD) is a closed currency: you cannot buy it outside Morocco. Bring euros or US dollars as a backup and withdraw dirhams from ATMs, which are widespread in cities and towns. Hotels and upscale restaurants take cards, but souks, taxis, street food and small businesses want cash.

How much should I budget per day in Morocco?

Roughly 300–500 MAD a day on a budget, 800–1,500 MAD mid-range, and from 2,000 MAD upward for luxury. That covers accommodation, food, local transport and sightseeing; international flights and multi-day tours are extra.

Do I need to tip in Morocco?

Tipping is customary. In upscale restaurants 5–15% is usual if service is not already included, and porters typically get 10–20 MAD per bag. Guides, drivers, hammam attendants and riad staff are tipped too; see our tipping guide for each case.

What are the hidden costs of traveling in Morocco?

The usual extras are a city tourist tax charged per person per night at many hotels and riads, tips, fees on foreign-card ATM withdrawals, unofficial guides who ask for money after "helping", taxis that skip the meter, and souk prices that start high and expect haggling.

Is it cheaper to book Morocco tours in advance or on arrival?

Both can work. Multi-day trips such as Sahara tours are easier to compare online or through your riad than through touts in the medina. Small day activities can often be arranged locally. Whichever you choose, confirm in writing what the price includes.

Should I carry cash or use cards in Morocco?

Carry both, and expect to use cash most. Souks, taxis, street food, small restaurants and most local businesses are cash-only; hotels, upscale restaurants and some shops accept Visa and Mastercard. Keep small notes (20 and 50 MAD) and 10-dirham coins for taxis and tips.