What if you were born in Morocco?

If you had grown up in Morocco instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in Casablanca could look like.

Try it with my numbers

Ksar of Aït Benhaddou. Photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Morocco

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in MAD and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Morocco: MAD 3,460Rs 97,900
Rent (city centre): MAD 999
Transport (public transport): MAD 176
Food: MAD 499
Saved: MAD 518

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Morocco: MAD 7,940Rs 225,000
Rent (suburbs): MAD 2,020
Transport (public transport): MAD 405
Food: MAD 1,350
Saved: MAD 1,190

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Morocco: MAD 12,900Rs 364,000
Rent (city centre): MAD 3,150
Transport (car): MAD 1,200
Food: MAD 1,570
Saved: MAD 3,600

Try it with my own income

A day in Casablanca

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in Casablanca, a city of mild winters around 13°C and warm summers around 25°C.
Commute
You take a bus and a train: about 40 minutes, a bit longer in bad weather.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
Everything happens in Arabic; English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be tagine: meat and vegetables slow-cooked in a cone-shaped clay pot.
Evening
You get home with MAD 1,190 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Morocco compared with Pakistan

	Morocco	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	1.8× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	75 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	19 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	9.0%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	19°C	26°C
Languages	Arabic, Amazigh, French	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	MAD	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Morocco, living in Morocco and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Morocco?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around MAD 7,940 a month at the same level in Morocco (about Rs 225,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Morocco more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 1.8 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Morocco?

Mainly Arabic, Amazigh, French. English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Morocco?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Morocco page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.