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: $900 in Rabat versus $673 in Ait Melloul.

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

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

Living in Rabat is roughly 34% more expensive than Ait Melloul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 MAD 43.34

$4.42 MAD 40.86

6.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.21 MAD 455

$25.47 MAD 236

93.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 MAD 60.4

$7.11 MAD 65.7

-8.16%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.14

$2.13 MAD 19.68

-7.98%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.68

$0.63 MAD 5.80

-3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.48

$0.33 MAD 3.02

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.51 MAD 51.0

$3.78 MAD 34.96

45.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MAD 37.04

$3.70 MAD 34.19

8.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.19

$0.94 MAD 8.73

-5.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.63

$0.50 MAD 4.60

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MAD 18.00

$1.63 MAD 15.08

19.63%

Eggs

$1.96 MAD 18.10

$1.88 MAD 17.43

4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 MAD 120

$9.50 MAD 87.9

36.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 MAD 66.1

$5.08 MAD 46.96

40.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 MAD 111

$11.13 MAD 103

7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MAD 14.95

$1.43 MAD 13.20

13.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 12.82

$1.27 MAD 11.76

9.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.04

$0.90 MAD 8.36

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.39

$0.83 MAD 7.65

-3.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.76

$0.74 MAD 6.83

-1.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.11

$0.79 MAD 7.33

-16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.65

$0.39 MAD 3.61

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.80

$0.63 MAD 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MAD 40.67

$4.04 MAD 37.40

8.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 MAD 73.3

$7.13 MAD 65.9

11.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.09

$2.71 MAD 25.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 MAD 22.68

$2.92 MAD 27.05

-16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.24

$0.51 MAD 4.70

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MAD 256

$16.18 MAD 150

71.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.94

$0.67 MAD 6.22

-20.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.59

$0.52 MAD 4.85

57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MAD 41.39

$5.40 MAD 49.97

-17.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.19

$1.59 MAD 14.71

-3.77%

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

$37.7K MAD 349.0K

$36.9K MAD 341.3K

2.25%

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

$29.7K MAD 274.9K

$20.4K MAD 189.0K

45.49%

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

$41.01 MAD 379

$28.46 MAD 263

44.10%

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

$11.17 MAD 103

$10.82 MAD 100

3.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 MAD 374

$28.00 MAD 259

44.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.55 MAD 283

$24.12 MAD 223

26.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.23 MAD 261

$22.92 MAD 212

23.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MAD 59.2

$6.76 MAD 62.5

-5.33%

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

$161 MAD 1,487

$75.7 MAD 701

112.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,610 MAD 61.1K

$1,959 MAD 18.1K

237.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 MAD 495

$43.21 MAD 400

23.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.11 MAD 445

$39.80 MAD 368

20.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MAD 1,007

$47.57 MAD 440

128.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MAD 930

$47.11 MAD 436

113.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 MAD 4,152

$280 MAD 2,588

60.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 MAD 2,422

$174 MAD 1,612

50.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

$513 MAD 4,747

117.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 MAD 6,699

$311 MAD 2,873

133.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,099 MAD 19.4K

$1,591 MAD 14.7K

31.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MAD 11.0K

$947 MAD 8,763

25.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MAD 6,717

$376 MAD 3,481

92.96%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Ait Melloul: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Rabat and $280 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 $210 vs $185 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 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rabat pays 93% more on average, 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: $449 in Rabat versus $280 in Ait Melloul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $161 in Rabat versus $75.7 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 $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, 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 34% less than in Rabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.