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Morocco Price Guide

Replies: 11 - Last Post: Dec 4, 2012 11:19 AM Last Post By: khamlia

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briantc

briantc avatar

Nov 29, 2012 6:56 AM
Posts:  150

Morocco Price Guide

Hi,

Is there a guide somewhere on the Internet to the rough cost of things you can buy in the souks? This so I can guage what price I should be aiming for when bargaining.

Marocfan

Marocfan avatar

Nov 29, 2012 8:21 AM
Posts:  1,487

1

Guideline: pay only one-third up to one-half of the asking price....and be prepared to bargain hard and to walk away if you can't get the price down.

TimCullis

TimCullis avatar

Nov 29, 2012 8:38 AM
Posts:  1,570

2

Trouble is, all the shop owners have read such advice and now inflate their prices ten times. ;)

Best way to calculate things is to bear in mind that daily wages of the workers making the stuff tends to be around 100dh/day, so ask yourself (a) how long did it take to make (and therefore cost), and (b) if I was a Moroccan earning 100dh/day, would I regard the price asked as reasonable?

The alternate approach is... just think, do I really want this? and how much is it worth to me? And pay that amount.

nomadfan

nomadfan avatar

Nov 29, 2012 9:32 AM
Posts:  114

3

That is wonderfully sensible advice Tim, if I may say so!

khamlia

khamlia avatar

Nov 29, 2012 12:21 PM
Posts:  1,592

4

I am agree to, it was so right about that "all the shop owners have read such advice ... "

And I remember, once one bought in Fes such Moroccan shoes for 90EUR, leads it was and he was happy for them untill he got to know that such in Rissani can cost about 9EUR :)

IntrepidGee

IntrepidGee avatar

Nov 29, 2012 4:16 PM
Posts:  323

5

Ha! "Whatever the traffic will bear".

Another good tip would be buy the stuff someplace where's there's not a lot of tourists. Casablanca and Rabat come to mind.
We bought baboushes in Rabat for a fifth of the "last price" given in Marrakesh.

Marocfan

Marocfan avatar

Nov 29, 2012 5:38 PM
Posts:  1,487

6

"ask yourself (a) how long did it take to make (and therefore cost...."
Huh? How on earth would anyone have ANY idea how long it takes to make any item, such as an engraved brass wall hanging, a rug, leather shoes, a silver necklace, etc. Impossible! But yes, if you really like it, buy it.

khamlia

khamlia avatar

Nov 30, 2012 2:27 AM
Posts:  1,592

7

P.S. yeah, leather shoes and not leads shoes LOL

hiking45

hiking45 avatar

Dec 1, 2012 4:32 PM
Posts:  3

8

In case you were looking for numbers, here is what I found from talking to many people (and keep in mind, I can't speak Moroccan Arabic, so am likely paying foreigner prices :) )
In Marrakech, a pair of leather shoes/slippers in a kid size was 30 MAD, for an adult 80-120 (depending on the quality- rubber bottoms less expensive than leather ones)
Spices 5-10 MAD for a medium size bag, mint tea similarly inexpensive
Scarves 20-50 MAD depending on quality and how many you buy
Metal & glass lamp 50-90 MAD, depending on size & quality
Hope that helps!

briantc

briantc avatar

Dec 4, 2012 3:42 AM
Posts:  150

9

Hi,

Does anyone know what a reasonable price for a quality Djeleba in Chefchaoen should cost?

Marocfan

Marocfan avatar

Dec 4, 2012 6:25 AM
Posts:  1,487

10

Depends on such things as its material and your bargaining skills. Shop around when you get there and compare asking prices, then bargain bargain bargain.
But keep in mind that once you get home you probably will never wear it....like the many gaudy Hawaiian shirts I have hanging in my closet after visits to Hawaii.

khamlia

khamlia avatar

Dec 4, 2012 11:19 AM
Posts:  1,592

11

The same happened me. I bought one jalaba or what is the name for woman' s clothes. And never I had it at home, so to end on one of my visit there I gave it to one woman there and she was happy. But one other is still hanging in my wardrobes without I had it even at home.
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