Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Oued Zem Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Oued Zem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Rabat vs $783 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,571 per month in Rabat vs $1,295 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,242 per month in Rabat vs $1,808 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Rabat costs about 15% more than Oued Zem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rabat and Oued Zem are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 33% lower, Oued Zem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 MAD 43.35

$4.63 MAD 42.81

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.21 MAD 455

$49.13 MAD 454

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 MAD 60.4

$6.81 MAD 63.0

-4.11%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.14

$2.04 MAD 18.87

-3.92%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.68

$0.58 MAD 5.35

5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.48

$0.41 MAD 3.77

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.51 MAD 51.0

$5.38 MAD 49.78

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MAD 37.05

$4.05 MAD 37.46

-1.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.19

$0.89 MAD 8.21

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.64

$0.50 MAD 4.65

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MAD 18.00

$1.87 MAD 17.30

4.28%

Eggs

$1.96 MAD 18.10

$2.02 MAD 18.73

-2.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 MAD 120

$13.04 MAD 121

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 MAD 66.1

$6.95 MAD 64.3

2.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 MAD 111

$11.61 MAD 107

3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MAD 14.95

$1.60 MAD 14.78

1.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 12.82

$1.39 MAD 12.89

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.04

$0.78 MAD 7.23

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.39

$0.86 MAD 7.96

-6.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.76

$0.72 MAD 6.70

1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.11

$0.69 MAD 6.39

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.65

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.80

$0.58 MAD 5.38

8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MAD 40.67

$4.40 MAD 40.70

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 MAD 73.3

$7.73 MAD 71.5

2.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.10

$2.74 MAD 25.34

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 MAD 22.68

$2.43 MAD 22.48

0.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.24

$0.47 MAD 4.38

21.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MAD 256

$16.59 MAD 153

66.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.94

$0.56 MAD 5.22

-5.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.59

$0.88 MAD 8.11

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MAD 41.39

$4.33 MAD 40.08

3.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.19

$1.53 MAD 14.16

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

$37.7K MAD 349.0K

$36.5K MAD 338.0K

3.25%

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

$29.7K MAD 275.0K

$29.0K MAD 268.1K

2.55%

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

$41.01 MAD 379

$41.67 MAD 385

-1.58%

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

$11.17 MAD 103

$10.86 MAD 100

2.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 MAD 374

$39.64 MAD 367

1.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.55 MAD 283

$23.97 MAD 222

27.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.23 MAD 261

$23.10 MAD 214

22.21%

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

$160 MAD 1,480

0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,610 MAD 61.1K

$6,473 MAD 59.9K

2.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 MAD 495

$53.4 MAD 494

0.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.11 MAD 445

$47.87 MAD 443

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MAD 1,007

$106 MAD 979

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MAD 930

$101 MAD 931

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 MAD 4,153

$279 MAD 2,584

60.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 MAD 2,422

$176 MAD 1,632

48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

$509 MAD 4,707

119.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 MAD 6,700

$307 MAD 2,841

135.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,099 MAD 19.4K

$1,380 MAD 12.8K

52.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MAD 11.0K

$1,050 MAD 9,710

12.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MAD 6,717

$246 MAD 2,274

195.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

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

Last update for Rabat: June 6, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Rabat versus $279 in Oued Zem. 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 195% higher in Rabat, 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 $49.00 in Rabat versus $49.00 in Oued Zem. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Rabat vs $208 in Oued Zem – so Oued Zem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Oued Zem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $900 in Rabat, $783 in Oued Zem – roughly 15% apart. Rabat costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,349 per month in Rabat and $1,174 in Oued Zem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oued Zem, 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 $900 in Rabat and $783 in Oued Zem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Oued Zem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oued Zem, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Rabat at $900. In Oued Zem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oued Zem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Oued Zem. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rabat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.