Moving to United States from Morocco

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Morocco to United States — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Morocco to United States, you would find that United States is 3.9 times more expensive than Morocco overall. A MAD701,348 salary in Morocco would need to be roughly $169,578 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Morocco to United States.

What does your salary buy?

MAD701,348 $169,578

To maintain the same standard of living in United States

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 4.0 times more

Groceries

pay 3.5 times more

Transportation

pay 94.1% more

Housing

pay 5.0 times more

Childcare

pay 9.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MAD = 0.1069 USD (July 2026)

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 United States cost about 163% more than cities in Morocco.

Morocco

Kenitra 32%
Tetouan 31%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Morocco to United States, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
5,810 ↑ 26% vs 2022

people moved from Morocco to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Morocco to United States.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MA
1.7
US
6.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MA
18.6
US
14.2

Morocco generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MA
$606
US
$13,473
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MA
7.3
US
36.1

Morocco generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MA
59.0
US
14.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MA
1.8t
US
13.6t

Morocco generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MA
6.4
US
37.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MA
50.8%
US
28.2%

United States performs significantly better than Morocco across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
9.1%
US
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$8,800
US
$73,600

Morocco generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MA
73.7 yrs
US
80.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MA
19.2
US
5.2

United States generally does better on family life, though Morocco leads in education spending.

Data: Direction Générale des Impôts, Morocco, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rabat Rain: 20.6 in/yr (522 mm)
73° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rabat Washington
Jan–Mar 65°/47°F (19°/8°C) 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 85°/62°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) 57°/35°F (14°/2°C)
View all months
Month Rabat Washington
Jan 63°/45°F (17.4°/7.2°C) 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C)
Feb 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.8°C) 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C)
Mar 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.5°C) 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C)
Apr 70°/52°F (21.2°/10.9°C) 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C)
May 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.3°C) 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C)
Jun 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C)
Jul 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.9°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C)
Aug 82°/65°F (27.8°/18.3°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C)
Sep 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C)
Oct 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.4°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C)
Nov 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.8°C) 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C)
Dec 65°/48°F (18.6°/8.8°C) 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C)

Data: Direction de la Météorologie Nationale Direction de la Météorologie Nationale, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Morocco and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Morocco passport

Morocco passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Morocco passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Morocco

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Morocco without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in United States than Morocco?

No — United States is on average about 126% more expensive than Morocco. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to United States?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $42,394 in United States on a MAD701,348 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United States?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United States has 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is United States safe for expats?

Morocco generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.7 in Morocco.

How is healthcare in United States compared to Morocco?

Morocco generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 7.3 in Morocco. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Morocco: 69).

What's the weather like in United States compared to Morocco?

The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 73°F in Rabat. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Rabat gets 20.6 in.

What language do they speak in United States?

The official language in United States is English. In Morocco, the official languages are Arabic and Berber.

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At a Glance

MA US
Population 36,738,229 337,341,954
Currency Moroccan Dirham (MAD) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Arabic, Berber English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +212 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 15 911