Cost of living compared to local salaries
Just came back to Ireland after a short trip to Morocco (Casablanca & Rabat) and honestly, I was surprised by the pricing of things there.
We visited a few malls like Morocco Mall, Marina Shopping center and Arribat Center, and the clothing prices felt ridiculous. Even basic/decent tops for men or women were starting around 400 MAD. Stuff genuinely felt more expensive than Ireland. Even budget stores like LC Waikiki weren’t cheap at all.
Food was another surprise. We didn’t go to fancy or touristy restaurants, but a normal 2-course meal with a drink was costing around 200 MAD. Slightly cheaper than Ireland maybe, but still expensive considering local salaries.
On the other hand, some things were very affordable. Food delivery was cheap, barbers were cheap, and market items were reasonably priced. We also discovered inDrive a day before leaving and absolutely loved it. The rides were almost the same price as public transport in some cases.
Overall, I genuinely liked Morocco and enjoyed the trip, but I still can’t understand how the average Moroccan manages these prices when the average monthly salary is supposedly around 6000 MAD. How do people regularly afford branded clothes or decent restaurants?