Is Morocco expensive? What things really cost in 2026
Short answer
Morocco is inexpensive for European visitors: a budget day is about 490 MAD per person (roughly €45) and a mid-range day about 1,250 MAD. Food, trains and buses are cheap; riads in Marrakech, desert camps, private drivers and paid guides are where the money goes.
Daily budget: backpacker, mid-range, luxury
| 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.
What things cost
| Item | Typical price* |
|---|---|
| Café lunch | about 50–100 MAD |
| Riad dinner | about 150–350 MAD |
| Petit taxi ride in a city | about 15–30 MAD on the meter |
| CTM bus Fes–Chefchaouen | about 80–100 MAD |
| Ben Youssef Madrasa ticket | about 50 MAD |
| Jardin Majorelle ticket | about 170 MAD |
| Private driver for the desert loop | about 1,000–1,500 MAD a day per car |
| Mid-range riad, double | about 800–1,500 MAD |
* Approximate prices, October 2026. They change with season and exchange rates.
Where the money goes
Accommodation is the largest cost: small riads and hostels start at about 300–600 MAD a room, mid-range riads 800–1,500 MAD and luxury riads or desert camps 2,000–5,000 MAD. Transport depends on your route; trains and buses are cheap, but a private driver for the Atlas and Sahara loop is a major expense. Entry tickets run about 50–170 MAD, and hammams, guides and souk purchases add up. A tourist tax of roughly 15–50 MAD per person per night is added to hotel bills.
When it is cheaper
Summer (July–August) and mid-winter are usually cheaper for riads in Marrakech and Fes than spring and autumn, often by roughly 20–30%, though summer is very hot inland. Christmas, New Year and Easter weeks are the most expensive.
How to spend less
- Insist that petit taxis use the meter, or agree the fare before you get in.
- Take ONCF trains and CTM or Supratours buses between cities instead of private transfers.
- Eat lunch in local cafés and at food stalls, and keep riad dinners for special evenings.
- Use fixed-price cooperatives to learn fair prices before haggling in the souks.
- Share a private driver for the desert with other travellers, or compare group tours.
- Book the Jardin Majorelle and Al Boraq tickets online to avoid paying agents.
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Common questions
Is Morocco expensive?
No: about 490 MAD a day on a budget and about 1,250 MAD mid-range. Riads, drivers and desert camps are the main costs.
How much does a desert tour cost?
Group tours from Marrakech to Merzouga often cost about 1,000–2,000 MAD for three days; a private driver is about 1,000–1,500 MAD a day per car.
How much should I tip in Morocco?
Small tips of about 10–20 MAD are usual for services, plus around 10% in restaurants.