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The full courtyard of the Al-Attarine madrasa: marble fountain, zellige walls and carved cedar galleries

Al-Attarine Madrasa, Fes · Photo: Houssain tork, CC BY-SA 4.0

Morocco travel costs and budget

Fes works on almost any budget. Your daily spend turns on where you sleep, whether you hire a private guide and driver, and the season. Accommodation and guiding are the biggest costs on a private trip. Morocco uses the dirham, a closed currency, so withdraw cash at Fès–Saïss or in the Ville Nouvelle on arrival.

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  • Updated June 2026
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Fes can be done on almost any budget. Independent mid-range travellers spend roughly US$80–150 per person per day. Private, riad-based trips with a local guide and driver cost more and depend on season, group size and style, so we quote each one to the trip.

Currency and payments

The currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD), a closed currency you can't easily get before you arrive — withdraw from ATMs at Fès–Saïss or in the Ville Nouvelle, or exchange on arrival. Cards are accepted in riads and larger restaurants, but the medina souks, leather and zellige workshops, petits taxis and tips all run on cash. Carry small notes, since artisan stalls rarely have change for large ones.

Fes el Bali spread through its valley under a blue sky, seen from the Merinid Tombs hill

Fes works on almost any budget.

Fes el Bali from the Merinid Tombs
Fes el Bali packed across the valley, the green-tiled roofs of the Qarawiyyin and Moulay Idriss shrine among the minarets
Fes el BaliPhoto: Petar Milošević / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

What things cost

Rough, real-world ranges to set expectations (they vary by city and season):

  • Mint tea on a medina rooftop: 15–30 MAD; a casual tagine or bowl of harira lunch: 60–120 MAD.
  • A good Fes riad room: US$60–200+ per night; restored palace-riads far higher.
  • A licensed private Fes el-Bali medina guide: always worth it, and quoted to your group size and hours.
  • Private intercity transfer (e.g. Fes–Chefchaouen or Fes–Merzouga): priced per car, not per person, so it gets better value the more of you there are.
  • A luxury Sahara camp night on a desert extension: US$150–400+ per person, all-in.

Where the money goes — and how to save

The biggest line items on a private trip are accommodation and guiding; both scale with season and standard. In Fes, a smart approach is one well-guided medina day to learn the lanes and meet the artisans, then self-guided wandering afterwards. Travelling in the shoulder months and keeping group sizes efficient (a private car to Volubilis and Meknes costs the same for two as for four) stretches the budget without cutting the experience.

Quick answers

Short answers to what travellers ask us about this.

How much does a week in Morocco cost?
A comfortable mid-range week based in Fes runs roughly US$600–1,100 per person excluding international flights. A fully private, riad-and-guide trip pairing Fes with the imperial cities and a Sahara night costs more, and depends on season, group size and the standard of riad and camp; ask us for a custom quote.
Should I bring cash or use cards in Morocco?
Both. Use cards for riads and bigger restaurants, but carry dirham cash for the medina souks, artisan workshops, petits taxis, tips and any desert extension, where cards aren't accepted.
Is Morocco expensive?
Fes can be as cheap or as luxurious as you like. Medina street food and small guesthouses make it very affordable; private guiding, restored palace-riads and desert camps push it firmly into premium territory.

Keep reading

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