Rabat – Three Moroccan cities have featured on the list of Africa’s most expensive cities in 2025, according to Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index by City.
These include Casablanca in fourth place with a 31.4 cost of living index, Rabat in ninth (29.9 index), and Marrakech in 10th (29.4 index).
The report indicated that the cost of living in Rabat is 5.2% lower than in Casablanca, excluding rent. Meanwhile, rent prices in the capital are 2.2% higher than the economic hub and 34.1% higher than Marrakech.
Numbeo set the estimated monthly costs of a single person without rent at MAD 5.290 in Rabat, MAD 5,483 in Casablanca, and MAD 5,141 in Marrakech.
The ranking depends on how much people spend on basic needs like rent, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare. It was based on Numbeo’s data base of quality of life data, entered by 829,839 global contributors.
Leading the continent’s ranking are the capital of Zimbabwe Harare, South Africa’s Johannesburg, and Accra in Ghana, respectively.
Meanwhile, the ranking placed Cape Town and Pretoria in fifth and sixth place, followed by Nairobi and Lagos, respectively.
Read also: Inflation in Morocco to Slow to 0.8%, High Costs Set to Persist
The cost of living in Moroccan cities, especially Rabat and Casablanca, has been significantly increasing in recent years. Notably, prices of essential goods like food have risen due to inflation.
A 2023 survey conducted by market research firm Sunergia showed that more than 60% of Moroccaans have cut down on buying groceries due to rising prices. Food inflation reached dramatic levels in 2023, hitting 18.4% in February of the same year.
Overwhelmed by the rising inflation, Moroccans across the country have expressed frustration over the soaring prices amid what they perceived as the government’s unresponsiveness.
This led to several protests across cities like Tangier and Meknes, among others. At the time, vegetables and fruits reached dramatic prices, with one kilogram of tomatoes ranging between MAD 12 and 16.
Prices of basic goods significantly dropped in 2024, but the relief for households has been minimal, with many families still living paycheck to paycheck.
