Moving to Morocco from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to Morocco? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to Morocco, you would find that Morocco is 41.5% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €65,577 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly MAD431,191 in Morocco to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Berber.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Portugal and Morocco.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → MAD431,191
To maintain the same standard of living in Morocco
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 60.2% less
Groceries
pay 40.5% less
Transportation
pay 29.8% less
Housing
pay 54.8% less
Childcare
pay 69.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.4% 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 34% less than cities in Portugal.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Morocco compared to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs better than Morocco across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal generally does better on environment, though Morocco leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Morocco leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though Morocco leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Portugal generally does better on family life, though Morocco leads in education spending.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lisbon | Rabat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 65°/47°F (19°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Rabat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 63°/45°F (17.4°/7.2°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.8°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.5°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 70°/52°F (21.2°/10.9°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.3°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.9°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 82°/65°F (27.8°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.8°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 65°/48°F (18.6°/8.8°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Direction de la Météorologie Nationale
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting Morocco
Visa Free
Morocco passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Portugal?
On average Morocco is about 38% less expensive than Portugal, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Morocco?
Budget about MAD107,798 for 3 months in Morocco (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Morocco?
Connectivity is usually fine (Morocco: 6.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Morocco offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Morocco safe for expats?
Portugal performs better than Morocco across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Morocco is 1.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Portugal.
How is healthcare in Morocco compared to Portugal?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Morocco, compared to 57.7 in Portugal. Morocco scores 69 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Morocco compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Rabat is 73°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Rabat receives around 20.6 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Morocco?
The official languages in Morocco are Arabic and Berber. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
