Living in Ouarzazate
Morocco · desert
Ouarzazate is a small city of roughly 72,000 people near the mountains in Morocco. The climate is desert. It keeps a balanced mix of locals and visitors and is considered very safe. A typical month of living costs around $950. Healthcare is reasonable, and the internet is generally reliable. People come here for hiking, quiet days, art and culture.
Private healthcare (4/5) is clearly better than the public system (1/5): budget for insurance. This is one of the places where living off-grid genuinely works, in law and in space. Starlink and satellite internet cannot be used in this country.
Ouarzazate at a glance: cost, climate, safety
Who tends to love living in Ouarzazate
- Making a budget stretch further
- Feeling safe day to day
- Raising a family
- Anyone into hiking
- Anyone into quiet days
All parameters
💉 Childhood vaccines: Recommended, never required
The national programme is free and covers eleven diseases. The health ministry has argued publicly that compulsion would backfire, and coverage sits around 95 per cent without it.
If you skip them: Nothing. No school asks, and no fine exists.
Exemptions: Not needed.
Source: Moroccan national immunisation programme, plus Georgetown AMP EID, survey of national legislation, 2024
📈 Popularity & prices: Growing
Accommodation prices have moved about +22% in the last 5 years.
Estimates, for orientation only.
🔭 Where this place is heading
Today’s data. Tap a year to see where it is heading.
What to know before moving to Ouarzazate
- • Natural risks worth checking: earthquakes.
⚠️ The downsides of living in Ouarzazate
- •Rabies risk from stray dogs, think twice before petting animals.
- •Tap water isn't reliably drinkable, budget for filtered or bottled.
- •Natural hazards to check locally: earthquakes.
- •Brutal summer heat is the norm; shade and AC matter.
Health, air (WHO PM2.5), water & crime figures are rough country-level estimates, verify for your case.
Where is Ouarzazate?
Questions, answered
How much does it cost to live in Ouarzazate, Morocco?
A typical month in Ouarzazate costs around $950, covering rent and everyday expenses for one person. It is an estimate meant for comparing places, not for budgeting exactly.
Is Ouarzazate, Morocco safe?
Arcadia rates personal safety in Ouarzazate at 4 out of 5, which is good. Natural risks worth checking: earthquakes.
What is the internet like in Ouarzazate?
Internet in Ouarzazate is rated 3 out of 5 for remote work, which is reasonable. Starlink is not available in this country.
What is the weather like in Ouarzazate?
Ouarzazate has a desert climate. Mountains are close by.
Is healthcare good in Ouarzazate?
Healthcare in Ouarzazate is rated 3 out of 5 overall, which is reasonable. Public healthcare is 1/5 and private healthcare 4/5.
How easy is it to move to Morocco?
Arcadia rates the ease of getting residency in Morocco at 3 out of 5, which is reasonable. The place page lists the visa routes that apply and which depend on your passport.
Is Ouarzazate actually right for you?
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