Morocco on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Morocco is very doable on a budget: a careful day costs about 490 MAD per person (bed 200, food 150, sights 60, transport 80). Hostels, cafés, trains and buses keep it low; desert trips are the main extra.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | MAD200 | MAD500 | MAD1,300 |
| Food & drink | MAD150 | MAD300 | MAD600 |
| Sights & tickets | MAD60 | MAD150 | MAD300 |
| Local transport | MAD80 | MAD300 | MAD600 |
| Per person, per day | MAD490 | MAD1,250 | MAD2,800 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Morocco day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk in Marrakech, with musicians and storytellers
- The souks of Marrakech and the lanes of Fes el-Bali
- The gardens around the Koutoubia Mosque
- Walking into the ksar of Aït Benhaddou (residents may ask a small fee to see their homes)
- The blue lanes of Chefchaouen and the walk to the Spanish Mosque at sunset
- Sunset over Fes from the Merenid Tombs
Cheap eats
- Harira soup at a stall or café, a few dirhams to about 20 MAD
- Grilled meat or snails at Jemaa el-Fnaa, about 20–60 MAD (agree prices first)
- Café lunch of tagine or couscous, about 50–100 MAD
- Bissara fava-bean soup in Chefchaouen, about 20–40 MAD
- Mint tea in a café, a few dirhams to about 20 MAD
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels and small riads inside the Marrakech and Fes medinas, at about 300–600 MAD a room (dorm beds less). Riads include breakfast, which helps the budget.
Getting around cheaply
ONCF trains link Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Tangier; CTM and Supratours buses go to Chefchaouen, Essaouira and the south. Group desert tours from Marrakech are the cheapest way to reach the Sahara.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakech (about 50 MAD)
- Lunch: Café tagine, about 70 MAD
- Afternoon: Souks and mint tea on a terrace, about 20 MAD
- Evening: Jemaa el-Fnaa stalls, about 50 MAD
- Total: about 490 MAD including a hostel or small-riad room
More ways to save
- Travel in spring or autumn for good weather, and in shoulder weeks for lower riad rates.
- Carry small notes and coins for tips of 10–20 MAD and for taxis.
- Join a group desert tour if you are travelling alone.
- Book trains online a few days ahead for Al Boraq fares.
- Withdraw dirhams at bank ATMs rather than changing money at hotels.
- Ask your riad for fair prices for taxis, hammams and guides before going out.
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Common questions
Can I visit Morocco on a budget?
Yes: about 490 MAD a day per person with hostels or small riads, cafés and trains or buses.
What is the cheapest way to travel between cities?
ONCF trains and CTM or Supratours buses.
Do I need cash in Morocco?
Yes, for souks, taxis, small restaurants and tips; cards work in many hotels and larger shops.