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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Rabat versus $679 in Ait Melloul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,515 in Rabat versus $1,068 in Ait Melloul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Rabat versus $1,457 in Ait Melloul.

Living in Rabat is roughly 28% more expensive than in Ait Melloul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rabat 37% lower, Ait Melloul 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 MAD 39.60

$3.82 MAD 35.85

10.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.15 MAD 406

$25.21 MAD 237

71.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MAD 69.4

$6.30 MAD 59.2

17.14%

Cappuccino

$1.93 MAD 18.12

$2.19 MAD 20.62

-11.87%

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

$0.64 MAD 6.01

$0.91 MAD 8.60

-29.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.25

$0.37 MAD 3.50

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.35 MAD 50.3

$5.22 MAD 49.03

2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 MAD 30.95

$4.67 MAD 43.89

-29.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MAD 8.03

$0.84 MAD 7.85

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MAD 6.40

$0.55 MAD 5.13

23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MAD 17.73

$1.55 MAD 14.56

21.94%

Eggs

$1.98 MAD 18.65

$1.73 MAD 16.26

14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.90 MAD 112

$8.19 MAD 76.9

45.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 MAD 62.7

$5.44 MAD 51.1

22.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 MAD 117

$11.88 MAD 112

4.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 MAD 16.05

$1.30 MAD 12.19

31.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MAD 13.73

$1.23 MAD 11.51

18.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.23

$0.93 MAD 8.71

-5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.61

$0.74 MAD 6.98

24.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 7.07

$0.75 MAD 7.09

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.20

$0.84 MAD 7.90

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$0.26 MAD 2.46

61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.54

$0.56 MAD 5.28

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MAD 39.71

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 MAD 73.7

$8.16 MAD 76.7

-3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MAD 25.18

$2.40 MAD 22.52

11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MAD 25.24

$3.39 MAD 31.87

-20.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MAD 5.19

$0.53 MAD 4.96

3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.52 MAD 249

$20.61 MAD 194

28.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MAD 6.74

$0.63 MAD 5.91

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 MAD 8.44

$0.62 MAD 5.86

45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 MAD 39.00

$7.31 MAD 68.7

-43.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MAD 14.80

$1.50 MAD 14.08

4.67%

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

$34.6K MAD 324.7K

$35.5K MAD 333.8K

-2.74%

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

$31.5K MAD 295.8K

$30.9K MAD 290.7K

1.76%

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

$35.38 MAD 333

$24.94 MAD 234

41.86%

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

$10.58 MAD 99.4

$9.62 MAD 90.4

9.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.25 MAD 312

$30.70 MAD 288

8.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 MAD 284

$23.77 MAD 223

26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.55 MAD 259

$23.72 MAD 223

16.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 MAD 61.3

$5.36 MAD 50.4

21.64%

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

$186 MAD 1,745

$73.0 MAD 686

154.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,068 MAD 66.4K

$1,878 MAD 17.6K

276.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 MAD 473

$33.13 MAD 311

51.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.47 MAD 418

$44.44 MAD 418

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 MAD 878

$60.3 MAD 566

55.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 MAD 648

$47.41 MAD 446

45.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 MAD 4,877

$283 MAD 2,656

83.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MAD 2,609

$153 MAD 1,433

81.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 MAD 10.5K

$481 MAD 4,524

131.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 MAD 6,329

$242 MAD 2,274

178.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,018 MAD 19.0K

$1,180 MAD 11.1K

71.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 MAD 11.2K

$918 MAD 8,630

29.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MAD 7,036

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

3.5

29.14%

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

Last update for Rabat: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ait Melloul: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $519 in Rabat and $283 in Ait Melloul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Rabat vs $25.00 in Ait Melloul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $182 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

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

Ait Melloul is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,303 in Rabat and $1,018 in Ait Melloul to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $519 in Rabat versus $283 in Ait Melloul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $186 in Rabat versus $73.0 in Ait Melloul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Rabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $679 in Ait Melloul versus $869 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, Rabat and Ait Melloul 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 28% less than in Rabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.