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: $919 in Rabat versus $691 in Ait Melloul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,621 in Rabat versus $1,084 in Ait Melloul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,323 in Rabat versus $1,477 in Ait Melloul.

Living in Rabat is roughly 33% more expensive than in Ait Melloul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rabat 31% lower, Ait Melloul 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 MAD 44.46

$4.37 MAD 40.84

8.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.07 MAD 459

$25.22 MAD 236

94.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 MAD 62.1

$6.95 MAD 65.0

-4.46%

Cappuccino

$2.00 MAD 18.72

$2.17 MAD 20.32

-7.83%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.87

$0.62 MAD 5.76

1.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.53

$0.32 MAD 3.03

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 MAD 49.83

$3.86 MAD 36.10

38.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 MAD 38.87

$3.68 MAD 34.47

13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 MAD 7.75

$0.87 MAD 8.15

-4.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.70

$0.52 MAD 4.91

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MAD 18.13

$1.65 MAD 15.41

17.58%

Eggs

$2.02 MAD 18.94

$1.81 MAD 16.89

11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 MAD 123

$9.38 MAD 87.8

40.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 MAD 65.8

$5.11 MAD 47.81

37.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MAD 112

$10.98 MAD 103

8.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 MAD 14.82

$1.36 MAD 12.69

16.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MAD 13.35

$1.21 MAD 11.30

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.12

$0.94 MAD 8.81

-19.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.90

$0.82 MAD 7.67

2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.71

$0.73 MAD 6.84

-1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 MAD 6.06

$0.78 MAD 7.32

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.65

$0.39 MAD 3.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.61

$0.60 MAD 5.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MAD 41.54

$4.23 MAD 39.54

4.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 MAD 71.3

$7.11 MAD 66.5

7.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 MAD 24.32

$2.71 MAD 25.34

-4.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 MAD 22.76

$3.02 MAD 28.29

-19.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.37

$0.50 MAD 4.70

14.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.65 MAD 259

$16.20 MAD 152

70.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 5.00

$0.67 MAD 6.30

-20.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 MAD 7.59

$0.52 MAD 4.85

55.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 MAD 41.90

$5.63 MAD 52.7

-20.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.19

$1.59 MAD 14.84

-4.40%

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

$37.5K MAD 351.2K

$37.8K MAD 354.0K

-0.79%

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

$29.7K MAD 277.8K

$20.3K MAD 190.1K

46.15%

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

$41.16 MAD 385

$28.39 MAD 266

44.98%

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

$10.98 MAD 103

$10.85 MAD 101

1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.88 MAD 382

$28.46 MAD 266

43.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.60 MAD 286

$24.78 MAD 232

23.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MAD 270

$22.93 MAD 214

26.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 MAD 60.8

$6.43 MAD 60.1

1.09%

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

$160 MAD 1,494

$77.0 MAD 720

107.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,542 MAD 61.2K

$1,983 MAD 18.6K

229.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 MAD 500

$42.02 MAD 393

27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.69 MAD 446

$39.70 MAD 371

20.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MAD 981

$47.67 MAD 446

119.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 MAD 922

$47.56 MAD 445

107.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MAD 4,148

$275 MAD 2,574

61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MAD 2,486

$175 MAD 1,640

51.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 MAD 10.6K

$508 MAD 4,757

122.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MAD 6,789

$305 MAD 2,855

137.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,046 MAD 19.1K

$1,336 MAD 12.5K

53.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 MAD 11.2K

$1,006 MAD 9,410

18.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$721 MAD 6,747

$374 MAD 3,500

92.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

4.75

1.26%

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

Last update for Rabat: July 19, 2026

Last update for Ait Melloul: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Rabat and $275 in Ait Melloul. 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: $49.00 in Rabat vs $25.00 in Ait Melloul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $183 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, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 93% higher in Rabat, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $443 in Rabat versus $275 in Ait Melloul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $160 in Rabat versus $77.0 in Ait Melloul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $691 in Ait Melloul versus $919 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 33% less than in Rabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.