Living in Mohammedia

1. The city in plain words

Mohammedia sits on the Atlantic coast, north-east of Casablanca and south-west of Rabat, in the Casablanca-Settat region. It is closer to Casablanca than to Rabat, and many of its residents live between the two big cities — but Mohammedia is not a district of Casablanca: it is a city in its own right, with its own port, prefecture, and city centre.

The city was called Fedala until 1960. The name came from the Arabic Fadl Allah, "favour of God". Its harbour was already visited in the 14th and 15th centuries by European merchant ships looking for cereals and dried fruits. In 1773, Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah made it a grain warehouse and built the kasbah and the Al Atik mosque. In 1960, the city took the name Mohammedia, in honour of King Mohammed V.

Mohammedia is both an industrial city and a seaside resort. Its port and industrial zones, including the Samir refinery that long made it the centre of Morocco's oil refining industry, stand alongside beaches, a fishing port, a marina, and parks. Its gardens have earned it the nickname "city of flowers". According to the 2024 census, the commune has about 194,000 inhabitants.

2. Neighbourhoods

The city has several areas: the kasbah area, the Al-Alia district, and the eastern coast, as well as the port and the west.

• **The centre and the kasbah.** The centre is organised around Mohammed V Square, with colonial-period buildings and Art Deco examples, including Saint-Jacques church, built in 1934. The medina, compact, lies behind the port, with narrow streets and small shops. The kasbah and the Al Atik mosque, from the 18th century, mark the old core of the city.
• **Al-Alia.** A residential district of the city, distinct from the old centre and the coast. This page gives it no particular character, for lack of a verified description.
• **The eastern coast and the beaches.** To the east, the city stretches along the sea: Miramar, in the heart of the city, then Manesmane, Monica, Sablettes, and Mimosa, to the north. Summer villas, cafés, and restaurants line these beaches, which also draw residents of Casablanca, especially in summer.
• **The port and the west.** To the west lie the port and the industrial zones. This is not the most residential side of the city: before choosing a home, look at which side of the city it sits on, between the industrial port and the residential coast.
• **Not to be confused.** Zenata and Aïn Harrouda, on the road toward Casablanca, are neighbouring communes, not districts of Mohammedia.

3. Housing types

Housing in Mohammedia consists mostly of apartments and villas. Apartments dominate in the city centre and in the modern seafront residences, often grouped in complexes with a caretaker and, for beach residences, swimming pools and parking. Villas are found mainly along the eastern and northern beaches, at Sablettes and Mimosa, and in the quieter residential areas.

In the older districts, near the medina and the kasbah, houses are older and more compact. As anywhere in Morocco, check the state of the building and the title before committing: an old house can hide heavy repair work, and a recent residence should be checked for its co-ownership charges.

4. Renting vs buying, in general terms

**Renting.** Long-term renting in Morocco falls under Law No. 67-12. A written contract is required, with a move-in inventory: it states the parties, the home, the rent, the term, and the security deposit. This page gives no rent or deposit figure, because those figures vary and have not been verified here. Ask for a receipt for every payment.

**Buying.** Buying goes through a notary, who checks the land title with the Land Registry (ANCFCC): the notary confirms who owns the property and whether there are charges or disputes. A preliminary sale agreement is signed first, then the final deed before the notary. Foreign buyers may buy a titled urban property; agricultural land is excluded.

**Choosing.** Renting lets you test a neighbourhood before committing, and that is useful in Mohammedia: a home near the beach in summer does not feel the same out of season, and a home near the port does not feel like a home on the eastern coast. In either case, this site does not verify listings, sellers, or advertised prices: every listing must be checked by the buyer or tenant themselves.

5. Food and daily life

Daily life revolves around the central market, the medina souks, the fishing port, and the corniche. The central market sells vegetables, fruit, olives, dates, and spices; near the port, fresh fish arrives daily, and several small restaurants grill it on the spot. The cafés of the corniche and the centre set the rhythm of the day, in the morning, after work, and in the evening.

Everyday cooking is that of Atlantic Morocco: grilled fish, tagines, couscous, and soups, made with local market produce. Supermarkets complement the markets, and the larger stores sit along the main roads. The Parc des Villes Jumelées, in the centre, offers green space for walking and resting, between the city and the sea. No meal, grocery, or rent price is given here.

6. Practical notes for a newcomer

• **Language and money.** Arabic and Tamazight are the official languages; French is used in business and administration, and Darija on the street and in the markets. The currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD); cards are accepted in hotels and large stores, but keep cash for small shops, souks, and cafés.
• **Papers.** Before travelling, check whether your nationality needs a visa; a valid passport is required in all cases. For a long stay, ask about the residence card.
• **Visit and check.** Visit the home and the street at different times, in summer and out of season: the beaches and the corniche are far busier in summer. For a rental, ask for a written contract and a signed move-in inventory. For a purchase, have the land title checked by an independent notary before any large payment.
• **Pick your side of the city.** A home on the industrial port side, a home in the centre, and a home on the eastern coast do not feel the same: check noise, traffic, and distance to the sea on the spot before signing.