Comparison · Casablanca vs Marrakech · Morocco
Casablanca vs Marrakech
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chah.salah, CC0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Choose Casablanca for Hassan II Mosque, Art Deco architecture, beaches and free sights; choose Marrakech for Jemaa el-Fnaa and Souks. Day-to-day costs are similar, and the two are about 219 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 219 km
- Less expensive
- About the same
- Best time for Casablanca
- April–June and September–October
- Best time for Marrakech
- March–May and October–November
Side by side
| Casablanca | Marrakech | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Morocco | Morocco |
| Known for | Hassan II Mosque, Art Deco architecture and Ain Diab Corniche | Jemaa el-Fnaa, Souks and Riads |
| Best time to visit | April–June and September–October | March–May and October–November |
| Ideal stay | 2 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $100–$180 | $90–$180 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | August, 27°C (81°F) | July, 37°C (99°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 18°C (64°F) | January, 19°C (66°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 11 | 5 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 6 |
| Beaches | Ain Diab | — |
| Airports | CMN | RAK |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Casablanca for…
Hassan II Mosque, Art Deco architecture, beaches and free sights. Casablanca is Morocco's largest city and economic capital, a modern Atlantic port whose great sight is the Hassan II Mosque, built partly over the ocean and one of the few mosques in the country open to non-Muslims on guided tours. Downtown's early…
Choose Marrakech for…
Jemaa el-Fnaa and Souks. Marrakech is a walled medina city at the foot of the High Atlas, built around the Jemaa el-Fnaa square and the Koutoubia minaret. Visitors stay in riads — courtyard houses inside the medina — or in the hotels of Gueliz, Hivernage and the Palmeraie, and spend…
Top sights compared
| # | Casablanca | Marrakech |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hassan II Mosque | Jemaa el-Fnaa |
| 2 | Corniche Ain Diab | Koutoubia Mosque |
| 3 | Old Medina | Bahia Palace |
| 4 | Sqala bastion | Jardin Majorelle |
| 5 | Quartier Habous | Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech |
Food compared
| Casablanca | Marrakech |
|---|---|
| Grilled sardines | Tagine |
| Oualidia oysters | Tanjia marrakchia |
| Seafood pastilla | Couscous |
| Couscous | Harira |
Which is cheaper?
Casablanca and Marrakech cost about the same: a mid-range day is roughly $100–$180 in Casablanca and $90–$180 in Marrakech (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Marrakech on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Casablanca and Marrakech are about 219 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 2 days in Casablanca and 4 in Marrakech.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Casablanca or Marrakech cheaper?
Neither is clearly cheaper: a mid-range day costs about $100–$180 in Casablanca and $90–$180 in Marrakech (estimates).
+Is Casablanca or Marrakech better for a first trip?
Pick Casablanca for Hassan II Mosque, Art Deco architecture, beaches and free sights, or Marrakech for Jemaa el-Fnaa and Souks.
+How far is Casablanca from Marrakech?
About 219 km in a straight line.