Moving to Morocco from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Morocco — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Morocco, you would find that Morocco is 57.5% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly MAD310,192 in Morocco to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Berber.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to Morocco.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → MAD310,192
To maintain the same standard of living in Morocco
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 72.2% less
Groceries
pay 62.1% less
Transportation
pay 24.2% less
Housing
pay 75.9% less
Childcare
pay 89.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 59.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Morocco cost about 60% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from California to Morocco, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Morocco.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Morocco performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Morocco across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California generally does better on employment & economy, though Morocco leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Morocco across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Rabat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 65°/47°F (19°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Rabat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 63°/45°F (17.4°/7.2°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.8°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.5°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 70°/52°F (21.2°/10.9°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.3°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.9°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 82°/65°F (27.8°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.8°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 65°/48°F (18.6°/8.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Direction de la Météorologie Nationale
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Morocco. To live, work, or study long-term in Morocco, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Morocco's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Morocco
Visa Free
Morocco passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Morocco than California?
Yes — Morocco is on average about 56% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Morocco?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MAD77,548 in Morocco on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Morocco?
Usually fine from major cities in Morocco. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Morocco compared to California?
Morocco performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Morocco compared to California?
The average high temperature in Rabat is 73°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Rabat receives around 20.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Morocco?
The official languages in Morocco are Arabic and Berber. In California, the official language is English.
