In short: Fuel in Morocco is sold by the litre at a price set nationally and displayed at every station, and diesel (gasoil) is cheaper than petrol (sans plomb). Five of the six cars rented by Getaround Rent Car in Marrakech are diesel; only the Dacia Sandero Streetway takes petrol. A Clio 5 or a Logan uses about 5 litres per 100 km on the open road, so 1,000 km need roughly 50 litres, and a one-week loop Marrakech, Essaouira, Agadir and back, about 700 km, uses about 35 litres in a Clio 5. Stations are attended and most take cards; on the Ouarzazate road, fill up in Marrakech because there is nothing between Taddert and the far side of the Tizi n’Tichka. The car is handed over with fuel and returned at the same level; missing fuel is deducted from the €800 deposit at pump price, with no refuelling fee.
Fuel in Morocco is sold in litres, priced nationally and displayed at every station, with diesel (gasoil) cheaper than petrol (essence, sans plomb). Five of our six cars are diesel, and a Renault Clio 5 or Dacia Logan uses about 5 litres per 100 km on the open road, so 1,000 km of driving needs roughly 50 litres. This guide explains how fuel works for a visitor: which fuel each of our cars takes, how to budget it trip by trip, how a Moroccan station works, where the stations are on each of the main routes out of Marrakech, what to do if the wrong fuel goes in, and the fuel rule at return.
Which fuel for which car
| Car | Fuel | Typical consumption (mixed driving) | Fuel for 1,000 km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dacia Sandero Streetway | Petrol (sans plomb) | About 6 l/100 km | About 60 litres |
| Dacia Logan | Diesel (gasoil) | About 5 l/100 km | About 50 litres |
| Renault Clio 5 | Diesel | About 4.5 to 5 l/100 km | About 45 to 50 litres |
| Peugeot 208 | Diesel | About 4.5 to 5 l/100 km | About 45 to 50 litres |
| Opel Corsa | Diesel | About 4.5 to 5 l/100 km | About 45 to 50 litres |
| Dacia Duster (automatic) | Diesel | About 5.5 to 6 l/100 km | About 55 to 60 litres |
The consumption figures are what our customers report in normal use, with air conditioning and motorway sections; mountain roads and city traffic add 10 to 20 %. The fuel type is written on the key tag and inside the fuel flap of every car, and our agent repeats it at delivery. If you are not sure at the pump, look at the flap before the attendant starts.
How to budget fuel for your trip
Multiply the litres in the table by the pump price shown at the station on the day. Prices are set nationally and change at most a few times a year, so the price you see at the first station is the price you will see everywhere, motorway rest areas included. Diesel is always the cheaper of the two, which is one reason our fleet is mostly diesel. Because the price is the same everywhere, there is nothing to gain by hunting for a cheaper station: fill up where it is convenient and safe.
Here is what the usual drives from Marrakech consume, for a diesel Clio 5 or Logan at about 5 l/100 km. For the Duster add roughly 15 %, for the petrol Sandero add roughly 20 % in litres.
| Trip from Marrakech | Distance (return) | Diesel used, Clio 5 / Logan | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agafay desert and Lalla Takerkoust | About 90 km | About 4 to 5 litres | Short tracks to the camps, little extra |
| Ourika valley, Setti Fatma | About 120 km | About 6 litres | Narrow last kilometres, more if traffic at weekends |
| Imlil | About 130 km | About 7 litres | Hairpins after Asni add 10 to 20 % |
| Ouzoud falls | About 300 km | About 15 litres | Single carriageway, steady speed |
| Essaouira | About 380 km | About 19 litres | Flat N8, one of the most economical drives |
| Ouarzazate over the Tizi n’Tichka | About 390 km | About 22 litres | The climb adds 10 to 20 %; fill up before |
| Casablanca by motorway | About 480 km | About 24 litres | Motorway, tolls at the booths |
| Agadir by motorway | About 500 km | About 25 litres | Motorway, tolls at the booths |
| One-week loop Marrakech, Essaouira, Agadir, Marrakech | About 700 km | About 35 litres | Fits inside the 1,400 km included in a week |
| Merzouga and back over two to four days | About 1,120 km | About 56 to 60 litres | Long gaps in the south: fill up at every town |
All these distances fit inside the 200 km per day included in your rental, 1,400 km for a week; beyond the allowance, each extra kilometre costs 2 MAD, counted at return. Routes, times and parking are in our guides: Essaouira, Ouarzazate, Agadir, Casablanca, Merzouga and the day trips.
How a petrol station works in Morocco
Stations are attended: you stay in the car or step out, and the attendant fills the tank. Three words are enough: “gasoil” for diesel, “sans plomb” for petrol, and “le plein” for a full tank, or an amount in dirhams if you prefer. Most stations in cities and on motorways take payment cards; small rural stations may be cash only, so keep a few hundred dirhams in the car. Ask for the receipt (“le ticket”): it shows the litres, the price and the station, which is useful if a question ever arises about the fuel level at return.
- Opening hours: the large stations on the avenues of Marrakech and the motorway rest areas are open 24 hours; small town stations close at night.
- Tipping: not required; a few dirhams for a windscreen wash are customary and appreciated.
- Toilets and shops: motorway rest areas and the large brands have clean facilities and a café; convenient for the long drives to Agadir and Casablanca.
- Air and water: attendants check tyre pressure on request; worth doing before the Tichka or the desert road.
Where the stations are, route by route
- Marrakech: on every main avenue (Mohammed VI, Mohammed V, route de Casablanca, route de Fès, route de l’Ourika) and around the airport, many open 24 hours. The last stations before Menara Airport are on Avenue Mohammed VI and the airport road.
- Motorways A7 (Casablanca, Agadir): rest areas with fuel every 40 to 60 km. The Agadir motorway crosses the Atlas foothills with long climbs; leave Marrakech with at least half a tank.
- Essaouira road (N8): Chichaoua, Ounagha, Essaouira. Flat and easy; no risk of running dry.
- Ouarzazate road (N9): Aït Ourir, Taddert before the pass, then nothing until the descent towards Ouarzazate. Fill up in Marrakech and never start the pass on the reserve.
- Atlas valleys (Ourika, Imlil): Tnine Ourika and Asni are the last stations before the end of the tarmac.
- South of Ouarzazate (Zagora, Dades, Merzouga): stations in every town on the N9 and N10, but gaps of 100 km or more between them. The rule in the south is simple: a town with a station is a place to fill up, whatever the gauge says.
The fuel rule at return
We hand the car over with fuel in the tank and note the level on the check-out sheet, with a photo of the gauge that you keep. You return the car at the same level. If it comes back lower, the difference is deducted from the €800 refundable deposit at pump price, nothing more: there is no prepaid tank, no refuelling service charge and no rounding up. If it comes back higher, the extra fuel is yours to give; we do not refund it, which is why we advise filling only what you need before return. The rule is written on the rental conditions page.
| At return | What happens |
|---|---|
| Same level as at delivery | Nothing; the deposit is released in full for the fuel line |
| Lower level | The missing litres are charged at the pump price of the day, deducted from the deposit |
| Higher level | No refund; avoid filling more than needed |
| Return at night at the airport | Same rule; stop at the Avenue Mohammed VI or airport-road stations, open 24 hours |
Wrong fuel: what to do
Petrol in a diesel engine is the most expensive mistake a renter can make, and it is not covered by the insurance. If you realise before starting the engine, do not turn the key: call us on WhatsApp, the tank can be drained without damage. If the engine has been started, stop as soon as it is safe, switch off and call us; the assistance number on the contract is reachable 24/7. Prevention is simple: the fuel type is on the key tag and on the flap, and five of our six cars are diesel, so “gasoil” is the right word for everything except the Sandero.
Three mistakes to avoid
- Wrong fuel. Check the flap sticker before the attendant starts.
- Empty tank on the Tichka. There is a long gap between Taddert and the Ouarzazate side; never cross the pass on the reserve, and in winter keep extra margin in case the road closes for a few hours.
- Returning at the airport with the light on. The last stations before Menara are on Avenue Mohammed VI and the airport road; stop there, keep the receipt.
Fuel and the rest of the trip budget
For a week in a Clio 5 at €40 per day, the rental is €280 all-inclusive and the fuel for the Marrakech, Essaouira, Agadir loop is about 35 litres at the national pump price. Tolls apply on the A7 motorways and are paid at the booths; parking in Marrakech is a small fee per stay to the attendants or the guarded car parks. The three together are the whole running cost of the car: no airport fee, no night fee, no second-driver fee with us. The full picture is in how much a car rental in Marrakech really costs; the speed limits, radars and checkpoints you will meet on the way are in this guide, and where to leave the car in town in where to park in Marrakech.
Fuel on a monthly rental
Expatriates and long-stay visitors who rent the Clio 5 by the month at €650, or another model at 7,500 MAD, pay only their fuel: routine servicing and maintenance are at our charge during the rental. At about 5 litres per 100 km, a month of city driving with a weekly trip out of Marrakech rarely exceeds 1,000 to 1,500 km, which is 50 to 75 litres of diesel at the national pump price. The 200 km per day allowance, about 6,000 km over a month, is far above that; if you plan more, tell us before the start and we agree the conditions in advance. See long-term car rental in Marrakech.
Fuel, tolls and parking: the running costs in one place
| Cost | Where you pay it | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | At the station, card or cash | National price, same everywhere; diesel cheaper than petrol; return at the same level |
| Motorway tolls (A7 to Casablanca and Agadir) | At the booths | Card or cash; keep the ticket taken at entry |
| Parking in Marrakech | To the attendants or at the guarded car parks | Small fee per stay; see where to park |
| Fines | On the spot against a receipt, or deducted from the deposit later | See speed limits and radars |
Nothing else is charged for the car during the rental: no airport fee, no night fee, no second-driver fee, no refuelling service.
Frequently asked questions
Is fuel expensive in Morocco?
Fuel is priced nationally and displayed at every station; diesel is cheaper than petrol. Check the pump price on arrival and multiply by the litres in the tables above to budget.
Do the rental cars run on diesel or petrol?
Five of our six cars are diesel (Logan, Clio 5, 208, Corsa, Duster); the Sandero Streetway is petrol. The fuel type is on the key tag and inside the fuel flap.
Do you charge a refuelling fee?
No. Return the car at the same level as at delivery; any missing fuel is charged at pump price only, deducted from the deposit.
Can I pay for fuel by card?
Yes at most stations in cities and on motorways; keep cash for small rural stations.
Is the car delivered with a full tank?
It is delivered with fuel, and the level is written on the check-out sheet with a photo. You return it at that level, full or not.
How much fuel does Marrakech to Essaouira use?
About 19 litres for the return trip in a diesel Clio 5 or Logan, on a flat road with no toll.
What if I put petrol in a diesel car?
Do not start the engine, call us; the tank is drained. If the engine ran, stop and call assistance. The damage is not covered by the insurance, so check the flap before every fill.
Are there stations in the desert?
In every town on the N9 and N10 (Ouarzazate, Zagora, Boumalne Dades, Tinghir, Erfoud, Rissani, Merzouga), with gaps of up to 100 km between them. Fill up at every town.
Book or ask a question: call or WhatsApp +212 7 01 01 07 30 · WhatsApp us, 7 days a week, 24/7.
Rent a car in Marrakech from €35 per day
Getaround Rent Car is a local agency in Marrakech, open 7 days a week, 24/7, with free delivery at Menara Airport or at your hotel or riad. Refundable deposit of €800, minimum age 21, 200 km per day included.
- Dacia Sandero Streetway and Dacia Logan from €35 per day
- Renault Clio 5, Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa from €40 per day
- Dacia Duster from €45 per day, our automatic car
Staying a month or more? Long-term rental from €650 per month.
See all cars and check availability · Call +212 7 01 01 07 30 · WhatsApp us · Rental conditions · Insurance
