Flatshare or student housing in Marrakech: how to choose

University halls, flatshare or studio: the options for a student in Marrakech, the rents to expect and the neighbourhoods to look at.

The Remoters editorial team

Published on

4 December 2023

Updated on

6 October 2026

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As a student in Marrakech, you have three ways to live: a place in a public university residence, a room in a shared flat on the private market, or a studio for yourself. The university residence is the cheapest but places are limited. The studio offers independence, but a furnished studio in Guéliz or Hivernage rents for between 5,000 and 11,000 MAD per month. A shared flat is often the best compromise: with two or three people, a well-located apartment becomes affordable.

Student demand is strong. Cadi Ayyad University, the city's main public university, claims about 122,000 students, spread between Marrakech and other cities in the region. Private schools and universities add to these numbers. The rental market stays active all year: according to Bank Al-Maghrib, residential property prices in Marrakech rose by 1.1% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, and home sales by 14.2%.

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University residence, shared flat or studio: comparing the three options

The university residence

Public university residences are run by the Office national des œuvres universitaires sociales et culturelles (ONOUSC). Marrakech has one main residence, mixed, in the Amerchich district in Daoudiat, and an annex reserved for female students in Guéliz. Applications are submitted online on the ONOUSC housing platform. For the 2026-2027 year, they were open from 20 August to 25 September 2026. Keep this calendar in mind for the following year, and always plan a fallback: the number of beds does not cover demand.

The shared flat

Sharing an apartment sharply reduces everyone's share. A furnished two-bedroom apartment rents for between 7,000 and 16,000 MAD per month in Guéliz, or 3,500 to 8,000 MAD per person for two. In the Medina, a furnished two-bedroom apartment can be found for between 3,000 and 10,000 MAD, or 1,500 to 5,000 MAD each. Add running costs (water, electricity, gas), around 300 to 600 MAD per month for the home, and fixed internet, between 200 and 350 MAD: to be shared between flatmates.

A shared flat calls for a few clear rules between you: who signs the lease, how the rent and bills are split, what happens if one of you leaves before the end. Put these rules in writing as soon as you move in.

The studio on your own

In Guéliz or Hivernage, a studio or a T1 rents for between 4,000 and 8,000 MAD per month unfurnished, and between 5,000 and 11,000 MAD furnished. Furnished costs more but saves you from equipping a home for one or two years of study. Small budgets will look instead at the outlying neighbourhoods, where rents are lower.

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The neighbourhoods to look at

Guéliz: central and well equipped

A modern, central neighbourhood, Guéliz concentrates shops, cafés and services. The rental supply there is broad, from studios to large apartments, with rents between 4,000 and 16,000 MAD per month depending on size and furnishings. It is the most convenient neighbourhood if you have no vehicle.

Hivernage: quiet but expensive

An upscale residential neighbourhood, Hivernage has rents of 7,500 to 20,000 MAD per month. On their own, a student quickly goes over budget; in a shared flat in a large apartment, the question arises more.

The Medina: charm, with constraints

Riads and traditional apartments rent there for between 3,000 and 10,000 MAD per month furnished. The narrow alleys complicate parking and deliveries, and noise can be significant. Visit by day and in the evening before you decide.

Daoudiat and its surroundings

The main university residence is in this area. If you study at a nearby institution, searching a few minutes away on foot or by bus limits daily travel. Check on a map the real travel time between the home you are viewing and your institution.

Targa, Massira, Sidi Ghanem: to cut the rent

Targa and Amelkis offer modern, quieter residences at rents more accessible than Guéliz. Massira and Sidi Ghanem, more out of the way, are the most affordable areas. In return, journeys get longer: a two-wheeler or good bus service quickly becomes essential.

Application, lease and pitfalls to avoid

Landlords generally ask for an ID (national card or passport), a certificate of enrolment at your institution and, often, proof that the rent will be paid: scholarship certificate, bank statement or a guarantor's commitment. Prepare these documents before starting to view.

Insist on a written lease, which states the parties, the home, the rent, the charges, the deposit and the length.
Plan for the sum to pay on move-in: the deposit is generally one to two months' rent, to which the first month is added. If you go through an agency, its fees often reach the equivalent of one month's rent.
Do a signed inventory on move-in, backed by photos. It is your best protection for getting the deposit back.
Pay nothing before viewing the home and checking the identity of the person renting it. An ad far cheaper than the market should alert you.
Ask for a receipt for every payment, rent included.
In a shared flat, check who is on the lease. If only one name appears, the other flatmates are less protected: a written agreement between you becomes all the more useful.

Start your search early: the weeks before the start of term are the most competitive, particularly for well-located studios and furnished apartments.

Getting help to search remotely

If you are preparing for the start of term from another city or from abroad, it is hard to view, compare neighbourhoods and react fast enough. A Remoters home finder based in Marrakech can search for you according to your institution and your budget, view homes, prepare your application and review the lease before signing. The first conversation and the quote are free.