Tangier is roughly 50–60% cheaper than Madrid or Lisbon for an equivalent lifestyle. Expect 12,000 MAD/month (~€1,100) for a comfortable single life, 25,000–35,000 MAD (~€2,300–3,200) for a family of four with private school.
Rent (unfurnished, monthly)
- Studio in Centre Ville — 3,500–5,000 MAD
- 1-bed in Iberia or Marshan — 4,500–7,000 MAD
- 2-bed sea-view apartment in Malabata — 7,000–12,000 MAD
- 3-bed family apartment with parking — 8,000–15,000 MAD
- Villa in Cap Spartel with garden — 15,000–35,000 MAD
- Furnished short-term (Airbnb) is 2–3× the unfurnished long-let price
Utilities (monthly, family of 4)
- Electricity (Amendis) — 400–900 MAD (1,500+ in winter with electric heaters)
- Water (Amendis) — 150–250 MAD
- Gas bottle (butane) — 40 MAD per 12 kg cylinder, lasts ~1 month for cooking
- Internet 200 Mbps fibre — 299 MAD
- Mobile (20 GB + unlimited national) — 100 MAD
- Building syndic (apartment) — 200–600 MAD
Groceries (couple, weekly)
Marjane / Carrefour: 700–1,200 MAD/week.
BIM (discount chain): 30–40% cheaper for staples.
Local souk (Casabarata, Souk Beni Makada): vegetables and fruit 50–70% cheaper than supermarkets, fresh fish 60–100 MAD/kg.
Imported European products (cheese, wine, cereal) carry a 50–150% premium.
Eating out
- Tagine + bread + mint tea at a local — 50–80 MAD
- Sandwich + drink, neighbourhood café — 30–50 MAD
- Mid-range restaurant for two with wine — 400–700 MAD
- El Morocco Club, La Saveur du Poisson, Le Saveur — fine dining 600–1,000 MAD/person
- Espresso — 12 MAD; cappuccino — 18 MAD; mint tea — 10–15 MAD
- 0.5L domestic beer (Casablanca, Flag Speciale) at a bar — 35–50 MAD
Transport
- Petit taxi short ride — 8–25 MAD
- Petit taxi airport to centre — 150 MAD (fixed)
- Litre of petrol — ~14 MAD; diesel ~12 MAD
- LGV (high-speed train) Tangier–Casablanca 2nd class — 224 MAD
- Ferry FRS Tangier Ville–Tarifa, foot passenger — €40 single
- Long-term car hire small SUV — 4,500–6,500 MAD/month
Schools (annual, per child)
- Public school — free
- Bilingual private (Al Jabr, Al Khawarizmi) — 8,000–25,000 MAD
- Spanish (Ramón y Cajal) — 25,000–40,000 MAD
- French AEFE (Lycée Régnault) — 35,000–55,000 MAD
- American School of Tangier — 90,000–140,000 MAD
Healthcare (annual)
- AMO TNS (mandatory if self-employed) — 5% of declared income, capped
- Private Moroccan family insurance — 3,000–20,000 MAD
- International insurance (Cigna, Allianz Care) — €2,000–5,000
- GP visit — 200–350 MAD; specialist 400–700 MAD; MRI ~2,500 MAD
Sample monthly budgets
Single, comfortable: 12,000 MAD (~€1,100) — 1-bed apartment, eat out 3×/week, gym, weekend trips.
Couple, mid-range: 18,000 MAD (~€1,650) — 2-bed sea view, car, eating out.
Family of 4, private bilingual school: 25,000–30,000 MAD (~€2,300–2,750).
Family of 4, French/American school: 35,000–50,000 MAD (~€3,200–4,600).
FAQ
- Is Tangier cheaper than Marrakech?
- Slightly more for housing in central neighbourhoods, similar for groceries, cheaper for transport (no domestic flights needed). Overall comparable.
- What's the minimum income to live comfortably?
- Around €1,000/month for a frugal single; €2,500/month for a family with kids in private school. Add a buffer for the dirham being a closed currency — keep savings abroad.
- Are property taxes high?
- Annual taxe d'habitation and taxe de services communaux on a 1.5M MAD apartment is typically under 3,000 MAD/year. New properties get a 5-year exemption.