How to visit Morocco on a budget

Morocco offers excellent value for travelers of all budgets.

Rest assured, you'll be offered a warm welcome and authentic hospitality regardless of what you spend. Take some time to learn a few basic Moroccan Arabic phrases to connect with locals, and discover the value that comes from something being real and priceless.

Here are our top tips to make your money go further on a visit to Morocco.

A guide to daily costs in Morocco

• Bed in a shared hostel room: Dh100–250

• Room in a riad for two: Dh750

• Car hire per day: Dh500

• Short petit taxi ride: Dh15–20

• Train Fez to Marrakesh: Dh290

• Mid-range hammam: Dh250–500

• Tajine at a canteen: Dh50

• Beer/pint at the bar: Dh30-60

• Mint tea: Dh6–12

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Do your accommodation research in advance

Accommodation in Morocco is more affordable than in Europe or North America, and the value for money is often much higher. There are plentiful budget accommodation options, from hostels to homestays. For those with more to spend, charming riads and luxury palatial hotels are well-priced and offer a memorable experience. Book ahead during the high season (November to March), as well as the period around Easter. Some hotels offer discounts for direct bookings.

Eat your breakfast out

If you're in a city, consider opting out of your accommodation breakfast and venturing instead to a local cafe for a cheaper deal. A variety of breakfast menus are usually available until midday.

A typical Moroccan breakfast of freshly squeezed orange juice, a hot drink, pastries, eggs and homemade bread will cost around Dh50 per person.

Experience local life with a meander in a medina

There's no better way to soak up the history and heart of a Moroccan city than pottering in its medina. The historic centers of Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat, Essaouira, Tangier and Meknes are well-preserved, thriving, and completely free to visit.

Be spellbound by the pastel blue streets of the charming blue city of Chefchaouen perched high in the Rif Mountains. Join people going about their daily life, get lost in myriad alleyways, take in the fix-this-and-that stores, seasonal juice stands, homes alongside guesthouses, and observe artists at work using ancient craft techniques. Or, just enjoy the freedom of wandering without purpose or plan.

Internal flights are good value

Morocco is bigger than most people think, and if you're combining the north, south, and/or Sahara on one itinerary, it may be worth taking an internal flight. Royal Air Maroc and Air Arabia have a good network catering to a rise in demand, and for longer journeys, it can feel a bit like hopping on and off a coach, with prices to match.

There are a couple of routes that are good money-savers. Casablanca to Zagora (one of the access points to the Sahara) is a 2-hour flight compared to a 9-hour non-stop/600km drive. Casablanca to Dakhla in the far, far south, is also around a 2-hour flight or is a 20-hour drive (1600km). Once you add fuel and food stops the flights look very attractive. 

You can do Marrakesh on a budget

Marrakesh has been welcoming travelers for many years, and has evolved into a city that caters for all budgets. There are a number of free experiences in the city too.

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When booking accommodation in Marrakesh, a few things to consider are that some hotels include private airport transfers in their rates; saving on money and logistics. There is also a new taxi booking system at the airport: buy your ticket at the counter before exiting Arrivals. The price goes up after 9pm. The cheapest way to travel into town is on the Alsa bus from the airport to Djemma el Fna.

July and August are low season with some hotels offering 20% off their usual rates. With an average temperature 35°C to 40°C summer in Morocco is not for everyone, but if you find accommodation with a shaded swimming pool, fans, gardens and spa, it could be perfect!

Among the most popular and expensive attractions are the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and Jardins Marjorelle. Hop online and purchase a combined entry ticket in advance – you'll save queuing time and money if you qualify for the generous discount options available (children under 10 go for free).

Less expensive places to visit include the Badia Palace, Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs. Read up on the history in your guidebook if you want to visit without a tour guide.

See archaeological sites for less – or free

Morocco is full of historic sites with ancient ruins and centuries-old civilizations, many without crowds or steep entry fees. Morocco's nine UNESCO Heritage Sites include the free-to-visit medinas of Marrakesh, Fez and Essaouira.

Perhaps lesser-known are the impressive Roman ruins at Volubilis, considered to be the best-preserved archaeological site in Morocco (and you'll pay only a Dh100 entrance fee to see it). Ksar Ait-Ben-Haddou, a striking example of architecture in southern Morocco, is a village that is open to the public with no entry fee required.

Use your card wisely and carry cash

The Moroccan dirham is a closed currency which means you cannot use or get it outside Morocco. When you withdraw dirhams from ATMs in Morocco, they usually charge a transaction fee of around Dh30 per withdrawal for international cards regardless of the amount you take out.

Consider withdrawing as much cash as you are comfortable carrying with you, and using your card for purchases when offered. Contactless card payment is available in most larger establishments in cities and towns.

Keep small change handy: 10 dirham coins are useful for tips, and small notes 20, 50 and 100 dirham notes for small purchases.

Enjoy delicious Moroccan cuisine

Food plays a big part in Moroccan culture, and if you go where the locals go, it's accessible and inexpensive. Tasty street-food is served up in stalls all over. At a simple roadside cafe you can pick up a sizzling tagine for around Dh50.

At the other end of the scale, there are plentiful fine-dining experiences offered in major city restaurants, with innovative chefs serving up main courses that would be two to three times more expensive in other countries.

If you are self-catering or picking up snacks, check out the fruit and vegetable souq – there's one in every neighborhood. Prices are usually discounted towards the end of the day, and if you really like to get the best price, ask for the price per kilo and shop around different vendors.

Go for a hammam scrub at a no-frills bathhouse

Nothing beats a scrub down and relaxing massage after a long day of sightseeing, and the popular and traditional Moroccan hammam experience can be enjoyed at all budget levels. Hammams can be found all over the country, from a simple steam-and-scrub at a no-frills public bathhouse to a private hammam at a luxury spa with mud masks and massages on offer too.

Inexpensive public hammams look like a public toilet or swimming baths from the outside and they don't tend to be well signposted from the street. There will be two separate entrances: one for men and one for women. There's no private room or luxury ritual on offer here – the public hammam is about bathing as an everyday activity not a special experience, and the prices reflect that.

Connect with a local network for mobile savings

There's a good 4G/5G network across Morocco, except for some far-flung rural areas. Calls and internet roaming can be very expensive on international networks so you may want to buy a prepaid Moroccan mobile SIM card on arrival. During your stay you can top-up directly with the local network provider (Inwi, Maroc Telecom and Orange) on their websites. WhatsApp is often used to organize things in Morocco.

Electronic devices and imported items are usually more expensive if purchased in Morocco versus Europe or North America, so bring what you need (and take care of them). Having said that, it is easy to get repairs and secondhand phones in many souqs.

Car hire is cheapest at the airport

Vehicle hire is obviously going to eat into your budget significantly. You can usually find the best rates when you pick-up and drop-off at the same airport where a number of international and local car-rental agencies are located.

Autoroutes are toll roads and you will need to pay to use them. Save a little time at the toll booths by buying a Jawaz Pass – you can top it up online and pass through the dedicated lanes.

Morocco lends itself well to van life with plentiful free wild camping opportunities and designated campsites with low rates. Campers or motor homes can be hired from Zig Zag Campers, and inexpensive overnight parking options can be found on Park4night.

Public transportation is affordable

In northern Morocco, there is an excellent rail network linking the cities, with affordable prices and a punctual service, including Africa's first high-speed train, Al Boraq. The 2-hour journey makes it possible to visit Tangier on a day trip from Casablanca. Book in advance on the ONCF website, or at a train station. Discounts are available depending on fare availability.

A comfortable and reliable coach network is operated across the country by Supratours and CTM, linking most cities and towns, north and south. 

Grands taxis are an alternative way of getting between towns without using regular public transport, but unless you pay for every seat in the car you'll be sharing with others. Agree the price with the driver before you get in.

Alsa is the major bus operator within the cities and towns and fares are inexpensive. Rabat and Casablanca also have user-friendly tramway systems with similar prices to the bus. Petit taxis (their color varies depending on the city) are taxis that only travel within the city limits. There's no haggling or set prices here – the fare is determined by a meter.