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Marrakech on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Marrakech is very good on a budget if you eat where locals eat and skip the costly rooftops. A realistic daily minimum is about MAD 540 (roughly €50) per person when sharing a room.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | MAD250 | MAD600 | MAD2,000 |
| Food & drink | MAD150 | MAD350 | MAD900 |
| Sights & tickets | MAD100 | MAD400 | MAD1,000 |
| Local transport | MAD40 | MAD150 | MAD500 |
| Per person, per day | MAD540 | MAD1,500 | MAD4,400 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Marrakech day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Jemaa el-Fna at sunset, with storytellers, musicians and food stalls setting up
- Wandering the souks, including the dyers' souk
- The Koutoubia Mosque gardens
- The Mellah, the old Jewish quarter
- The Cyber Park and Menara Gardens
- Walking along the medina walls and gates such as Bab Agnaou
Cheap eats
- Harira soup, about MAD 5-15 a bowl
- Bissara (broad bean soup), about MAD 5-10
- Msemen or harcha for breakfast, about MAD 3-10 each
- Mechoui (roast lamb), roughly MAD 50-80 per 250 g with bread
- Kefta and brochettes at a casual grill, about MAD 40-80
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in simple riads and hostels in the southern medina near the Kasbah, about MAD 400-700 for a double with breakfast, and dorm beds for less.
Getting around cheaply
Walk in the medina. Use metered petit taxis for longer trips. Bus 19 runs from the airport to Jemaa el-Fna and Gueliz, much cheaper than a transfer. Shared grand taxis and buses reach the Ourika Valley cheaply.
A sample budget day
- Morning: msemen and mint tea (about MAD 20), then the Bahia Palace (about MAD 100)
- Lunch: harira and bread at a local counter, about MAD 20
- Afternoon: souks and the Koutoubia gardens (free), local hammam (about MAD 40)
- Evening: dinner at the Jemaa el-Fna stalls, agreeing the price first, about MAD 80
- Total: about MAD 540 including a shared riad room
More ways to save
- Carry small notes and coins; many vendors cannot change large bills.
- Bring your own black soap and glove to a public hammam to save extra charges.
- Visit paid sights at opening time to avoid the heat and the groups.
- Book Atlas day trips through your riad and compare prices.
- Drink mint tea at local cafés rather than on rooftop terraces over the square.
- Check the price per glass at orange juice stands before ordering.
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Common questions
Can you do Marrakech on a budget?
Yes. With a simple riad, local food and walking, about MAD 540 per person a day is realistic.
What is free in Marrakech?
Jemaa el-Fna, the souks, the Koutoubia gardens, the Mellah, the Cyber Park and the medina gates.
How do I get from the airport cheaply?
Bus 19 to Jemaa el-Fna and Gueliz, or a metered petit taxi; the airport is 15-20 minutes away.