Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marrakech and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Marrakech: $872 a month against $1,568 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Marrakech
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Marrakech Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index

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Marrakech

🇲🇦 Morocco

$872

/mo nomad

Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,568

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Marrakech and in Cape Town

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Marrakech and in Cape Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $872 per month in Marrakech vs $1,568 in Cape Town, rent included.

Marrakech $872
Cape Town $1,568

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Marrakech vs $2,438 in Cape Town, rent included.

Marrakech $1,299
Cape Town $2,438

A family of three spends $1,726 per month in Marrakech vs $3,307 in Cape Town, rent included.

Marrakech $1,726
Cape Town $3,307

Marrakech is about 44% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Marrakech sits 35% below the global median, while Cape Town is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MAD 33.53

$11.78 R 194

-70.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.44 MAD 296

$46.55 R 768

-34.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 MAD 57.3

$5.96 R 98.4

-1.34%

Cappuccino

$2.14 MAD 20.85

$2.47 R 40.80

-13.36%

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

$1.85 MAD 17.96

$1.33 R 21.91

39.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.79

$1.03 R 16.99

-42.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.56 MAD 63.9

$3.01 R 49.72

117.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 MAD 54.0

$3.66 R 60.4

51.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 MAD 7.79

$1.39 R 22.96

-42.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MAD 7.61

$1.19 R 19.60

-34.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MAD 14.56

$2.11 R 34.84

-28.91%

Eggs

$1.93 MAD 18.82

$3.01 R 49.58

-35.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 MAD 73.1

$8.96 R 148

-16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 MAD 50.0

$6.65 R 110

-22.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.06 MAD 108

$9.29 R 153

19.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 MAD 15.52

$1.83 R 30.13

-13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MAD 12.84

$1.90 R 31.31

-30.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.99

$1.75 R 28.83

-47.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.37

$2.09 R 34.41

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.39

$1.55 R 25.64

-57.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.51

$1.49 R 24.53

-48.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 MAD 2.14

$1.30 R 21.41

-83.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.72

$1.16 R 19.19

-49.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 MAD 38.93

$3.71 R 61.2

7.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 MAD 73.5

$6.06 R 100

24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 MAD 21.04

$1.39 R 22.85

55.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 MAD 30.77

$2.20 R 36.32

43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MAD 3.76

$1.51 R 24.98

-74.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 MAD 243

$61.0 R 1,006

-59.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 MAD 7.81

$0.63 R 10.33

26.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 MAD 5.59

$1.53 R 25.29

-62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.97 MAD 67.9

$4.81 R 79.4

44.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MAD 13.98

$1.58 R 26.08

-8.86%

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

$33.1K MAD 322.4K

$35.5K R 585.7K

-6.72%

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

$29.1K MAD 283.0K

$31.7K R 523.8K

-8.44%

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

$34.25 MAD 333

$116 R 1,920

-70.57%

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

$8.91 MAD 86.8

$28.37 R 468

-68.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.28 MAD 353

$40.69 R 671

-10.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.95 MAD 272

$48.85 R 806

-42.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.22 MAD 197

$11.13 R 184

81.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 MAD 62.7

$8.83 R 146

-27.07%

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

$98.8 MAD 962

$261 R 4,314

-62.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,253 MAD 80.3K

$6,702 R 110.6K

23.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.84 MAD 300

$55.4 R 914

-44.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.10 MAD 429

$32.27 R 532

36.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 MAD 774

$118 R 1,939

-32.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 MAD 779

$107 R 1,766

-25.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 MAD 4,473

$1,015 R 16.7K

-54.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 MAD 2,915

$715 R 11.8K

-58.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 MAD 6,866

$1,801 R 29.7K

-60.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 MAD 4,253

$1,330 R 22.0K

-67.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,846 MAD 18.0K

$2,331 R 38.5K

-20.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$899 MAD 8,750

$1,513 R 25.0K

-40.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 MAD 4,706

$1,636 R 27.0K

-70.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

10.97

-58.98%

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

Last update for Marrakech: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Marrakech

$299 34.9%

Cape Town

$715 45.3% 139% $416

Groceries & Markets

Marrakech

$178 20.8%

Cape Town

$222 14.1% 25% $44

Eating Out

Marrakech

$125 14.5%

Cape Town

$174 11% 39.4% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Marrakech

$106 12.3%

Cape Town

$141 8.9% 33.2% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Marrakech

$79 9.3%

Cape Town

$185 11.7% 133% $106

Sport & Entertainment

Marrakech

$41 4.8%

Cape Town

$67 4.2% 62.9% $26

Getting Around

Marrakech

$30 3.5%

Cape Town

$75 4.8% 150% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Marrakech versus $1,015 in Cape Town. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 238% higher in Cape Town, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Marrakech versus $47.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $222 – making Marrakech the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇦 Marrakech

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🕒 Local time

11:24 11:24 AM

12:24 12:24 PM

1 h ahead of Marrakech

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,002,697

3,740,026 Capital

💱 Currency

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

100 MAD = 10.27 USD

100 MAD = 9.17 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.06 USD

100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇦 Moroccan Dirham (د.م.)

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.74 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.91 MAD (100 MAD = 9.17 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.49 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

USD to MAD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Marrakech Cape Town 7,800 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Marrakech
Cape Town

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Marrakech vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 80% more than Marrakech, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,309 per month in Marrakech and $2,352 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marrakech, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $872 in Marrakech and $1,568 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 80%.

Public transport costs about 144% less in Marrakech. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Marrakech, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Cape Town at $1,568. In Marrakech it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Marrakech costs $872 versus $1,568 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Marrakech. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.