Cost of Living Comparison Between Ait Melloul and Rabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Ait Melloul and Rabat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $673 in Ait Melloul versus $900 in Rabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,062 in Ait Melloul versus $1,571 in Rabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,450 in Ait Melloul versus $2,242 in Rabat.

Living in Ait Melloul costs roughly 25% less than in Rabat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ait Melloul 50% lower, Rabat 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 MAD 40.86

$4.69 MAD 43.34

-5.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 MAD 236

$49.21 MAD 455

-48.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 MAD 65.7

$6.53 MAD 60.4

8.88%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MAD 19.68

$1.96 MAD 18.14

8.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.80

$0.61 MAD 5.68

3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.02

$0.38 MAD 3.48

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 MAD 34.96

$5.51 MAD 51.0

-31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MAD 34.19

$4.00 MAD 37.04

-7.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 MAD 8.73

$0.89 MAD 8.19

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.60

$0.50 MAD 4.63

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MAD 15.08

$1.95 MAD 18.00

-16.41%

Eggs

$1.88 MAD 17.43

$1.96 MAD 18.10

-4.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 MAD 87.9

$13.01 MAD 120

-26.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 MAD 46.96

$7.14 MAD 66.1

-28.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 MAD 103

$11.97 MAD 111

-7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 MAD 13.20

$1.62 MAD 14.95

-11.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.76

$1.39 MAD 12.82

-8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.36

$0.76 MAD 7.04

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.65

$0.80 MAD 7.39

3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.83

$0.73 MAD 6.76

1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.33

$0.66 MAD 6.11

19.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.61

$0.39 MAD 3.65

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.86

$0.63 MAD 5.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MAD 37.40

$4.40 MAD 40.67

-8.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 MAD 65.9

$7.92 MAD 73.3

-9.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.07

$2.71 MAD 25.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MAD 27.05

$2.45 MAD 22.68

19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.70

$0.57 MAD 5.24

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.18 MAD 150

$27.67 MAD 256

-41.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 MAD 6.22

$0.53 MAD 4.94

26.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.85

$0.82 MAD 7.59

-36.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MAD 49.97

$4.47 MAD 41.39

20.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.71

$1.53 MAD 14.19

3.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.9K MAD 341.3K

$37.7K MAD 349.0K

-2.20%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.4K MAD 189.0K

$29.7K MAD 274.9K

-31.27%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$28.46 MAD 263

$41.01 MAD 379

-30.60%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.82 MAD 100

$11.17 MAD 103

-3.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.00 MAD 259

$40.41 MAD 374

-30.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.12 MAD 223

$30.55 MAD 283

-21.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.92 MAD 212

$28.23 MAD 261

-18.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 MAD 62.5

$6.40 MAD 59.2

5.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$75.7 MAD 701

$161 MAD 1,487

-52.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,959 MAD 18.1K

$6,610 MAD 61.1K

-70.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.21 MAD 400

$53.5 MAD 495

-19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 MAD 368

$48.11 MAD 445

-17.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.57 MAD 440

$109 MAD 1,007

-56.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.11 MAD 436

$101 MAD 930

-53.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MAD 2,588

$449 MAD 4,152

-37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MAD 1,612

$262 MAD 2,422

-33.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 MAD 4,747

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

-54.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MAD 2,873

$724 MAD 6,699

-57.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 MAD 14.7K

$2,099 MAD 19.4K

-24.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$947 MAD 8,763

$1,186 MAD 11.0K

-20.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$376 MAD 3,481

$726 MAD 6,717

-48.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

4.81

-1.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ait Melloul: June 8, 2026

Last update for Rabat: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Ait Melloul and $449 in Rabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rabat pays 93% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Ait Melloul vs $49.00 in Rabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $210 per month, with Ait Melloul cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ait Melloul vs Rabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ait Melloul is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rabat earns 93% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Ait Melloul versus $449 in Rabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.7 in Ait Melloul versus $161 in Rabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Rabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $673 in Ait Melloul versus $900 in Rabat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ait Melloul but tight or insufficient in Rabat. The gap between the two cities makes Ait Melloul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ait Melloul and Rabat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ait Melloul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Rabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.