The issue of money in Morocco, the cards, ATMs or where to change currency is one of the things that most often worry us before traveling. Well, in this article I will try to give you some information about all this as well as some tips that will help you manage your money better during your trip.

Guide “Money in Morocco
The official currency of Morocco, the Dirham
Can we pay in euros?
Currency exchange
Tips and Bargaining
Paying by card
Where you can pay by card and where not
Withdrawing money from the ATM Which ones to use? How much to withdraw?
ATMs. Be very careful with commissions!
Why it is essential to have a travel card
Essential cards for travelling that I recommend you from now on
N26, the card to save on trips and in your daily life
Revolut, the best electronic wallet to change currency
How much money to bring?
Prices of things

The official currency of Morocco is the Dirham, the currency code is MAD

Do you know how much a dirham costs right now? If the answer is no and you are planning to travel to Morocco soon, you better find out. Knowing the real change you can avoid small scams or simply ensure the best change always.

It is also important to know what bills exist, what amounts, what would correspond in our currency. We must know if we are going out to the street with much or little money, to know the value of what we carry at all times, if we have been given the turns in a purchase or if we are being charged too much in a store.

money Morocco – Cards – ATMs – the dirham
There are 4 types of tickets

200dh

of the same color as the 20 ?, and practically of the same value

100dh

of a color similar to the 10 ?, and again with a very similar value

50dh

are green, but their value is very similar to our 5

20dh

Violets, and its value is about 2
and 5 types of currencies

10dh

Our Euro, two colors, gold and the exterior.

5dh

0.50 cents, two colors, gold inside

1dh

0.10 cents

0.50dh

0.5 cents

0.20dh

0.2 cents
As you see, although it is not an exact conversion, the dirham costs about 10 times less than the euro, ie 10dh is 1 euro, 100dh is 10 … in short, we take a zero to the figure in dirhams and we already have the amount in euros. As I say this conversion is not entirely accurate but you can quickly calculate an amount. If you need a more accurate and updated conversion, you can visit this website.

Although the Dirham is the official currency, many amounts are still said in other currencies not already used in Morocco, such as francs or reales. The conversion with these currencies would be as follows:

1dh = 10 francs ( frank )
1dh = 2 reais ( rail )
It is not usual to use these currencies when addressing a foreigner, but you are very likely to hear them in markets or stores.

Can we pay in euros?

As I say the official currency is the Dirham and it is normal that all payments are made in this currency, especially those of lesser value (a cab, a bottle of water, a kilo of apples …) But what happens if at some point we do not have dirhams but euros and we want to pay our purchase or bill? Well, in many cases they tend to accept them too, especially for purchases or invoices of a certain amount. If you find yourself in a hurry, ask the shopkeeper, in many you will have no problem accepting them.

Currency exchange

Changing currency is very easy, as there are many places to do it. Whether you come by plane or by boat you will find exchange offices in the terminals. At the borders of Ceuta and Melilla there are people who also change, and of course, in the cities, where there are exchange offices in almost every street.

I recommend that when you arrive you change just enough for your cab or whatever you may need in your first hours in the country and that it is at your destination where you change the rest of the money since the offices at airports, ports etc. are not the ones that usually give the best price.

As I said before, although it is not the most normal, we can accept euros in some stores, restaurants or hotels (even sell us dirhams if we need it), but when it comes to small amounts (for example the price of a cab), the normal thing is that we have to pay in dirhams so at least on our arrival we should have some for the first expenses.

Remember that, after all, exchange offices are businesses that do business with our currency exchange. So keep reading, then I will talk about formulas to not complicate the change of currency, make it easy and the best price.

Advice
Sometimes I have been in a hurry to change currency and not have any exchange offices nearby or be all closed, and what I have done is ask some merchant or store to change me. It is not the most usual thing to do but in case of emergency it is a good option.

Tips and bargaining

Leaving a tip is very normal in Morocco, whether in a restaurant or cafeteria as in the payment of any service. There is no established percentage that can serve as a guide but around 5% of the bill can be reasonable. In the case of services it is more difficult to calculate since there is no price or bill to guide us, and everything depends on the time or effort that service has required. Common sense in this case will guide you, give what you consider right and that’s it.

Bargaining is also very widespread but perhaps it is something we are not so familiar with. It is very normal that prices change depending on the person who is buying, being lower for friends or acquaintances, and higher for strangers or tourists. It is normal that prices are not marked on the products, so they can be so “flexible”. If you consider that a price is not right, here are some tips for when you have to negotiate them.

Some tips to bargain well

1. Don’t haggle for bargaining

Because you’re supposed to, if something has a price that’s right for you, just pay for it, especially in low-value products.

2. Know the item you want to buy

and find out the price that is usually paid for it, so you will avoid paying more than the bill or take advantage of a bargain if you see it.
It depends on each product, but in general the typical Moroccan handicrafts made in leather, fabrics or beauty products usually have fairly standard prices, not so exclusive products or antiques that are the most difficult to identify as such or to calculate their price.

3. Do not pretend an impossible price

If something costs, for example, 100dh, don’t expect to be sold for 10dh, negotiate the price, but don’t go down so far. Again, try to know the price of things so you know how far you can go or if the seller is trying to make a day of it (which can also happen). There are no rules in this haggling, so don’t think you are always being charged double or triple the usual value.

4. Take advantage when you buy several things

One time that we should take advantage of to get a good price for our purchases is when we buy several items in the same store. We can negotiate with the seller to round up the price or to get a discount per product. Usually the seller will agree.

5. Not everything is haggled over

For example, prices of groceries are not negotiated, so in market stalls or food stores the price is what it is.
Nor in other types of stores such as restaurants, pharmacies, hardware stores or any other store that has the prices marked.

6. Do not be obsessed with haggling

I’ve always found it very curious how typical franchises or stores lower their prices by half, or even less, during the sales, giving us to understand that the rest of the year they have been overcharging us. So do not suffer if in any store you charge a few extra euros, at least they have the detail of not changing the price on the same label …

Paying by card

The use of credit/debit cards to make payments is not widespread, only hotels, restaurants or stores of a certain category accept them. Even so, if you have the possibility of paying with your card, you must take into account the commissions in exchange for currency. Our usual bank usually makes some very unfavorable changes, so it is very necessary to have a card adapted to travel and thus not lose money in each payment. Keep reading, a little further down I explain the alternatives that exist.

Where you can pay with a card and where not

Just as in other countries it is possible to pay everything (or almost) by card, in Morocco it is normal that we cannot do it. Most stores, restaurants, food stores etc. do not have this payment system so we will always need to have cash with which to pay our daily expenses, whether it is a simple cab, some shopping in a store, a meal in a restaurant or even the accommodation for that night. Here I explain you where you can pay by card and where not.

WHERE YOU CAN PAY BY CARD

Hotels of a certain level, registered in Booking for example.
Restaurants of category
Important stores or franchises.
Large food surfaces
Airports
WHERE YOU CAN’T PAY BY CARD

Cabs, buses and sometimes trains.
Most cafes and restaurants
Grocery stores of any kind, except large surfaces.
Markets and street stalls
Watertight
Shops of all kinds (clothes, shoes, bookstores, gifts…)
As you can see, for your day to day life in Morocco it is essential to have cash. The average tourist doesn’t usually buy at the Carrefour, a T-shirt at Zara or go to super restaurants every day so although all these establishments have card payment, they are not usually the most frequented by a tourist. However, you will pay cabs several times a day, eat a tajin or some pinchitos in a small restaurant, go to handicraft or gift stores, go to markets or have a tea here or there. And yes, for all that you will need cash.

Withdrawing money from the ATM Which ones to use? How much to withdraw?

withdraw money from the cash machine morocco card
As I said before, payment by card is not extended so you should always have cash to pay for your purchases, cabs, cafeterias etc.

If you need to withdraw money from your Spanish bank account, visa or mastercard, you can do it from most ATMs without any problem, you will find them in any corner (especially in central areas) and its operation is like any ATM.

The limit for each withdrawal is 2000dh (about 200 ?), but if you need a bigger amount just insert the card and take it out again, but the daily limit is 4000dh. For higher amounts you will have to come back the next day.

Beware of tourist ATMs!
If a normal ATM applies abusive commissions those we see in hotels or shopping malls are usually even more savage, so beware of using them!
ATMs, be careful with commissions!

Beware of commissions!. After years of living here I have been able to analyze the expenses every time I withdraw cash from an ATM and the truth is that it is a robbery. Look what happens every time you withdraw money:

Let’s say we are going to withdraw 1000dh (around 100 euros) in any ATM in Morocco, what commissions are applied to us?

The first one that we have to take into account is the one that our Spanish bank applies for withdrawals abroad, which is often around 5%, so there goes the first 5 eurites of expenditure.
The other commission is the one the Moroccan bank charges us for using their ATM with a card outside their network, which is usually around 22dh, rounding up to 2 euros.
Finally the one we never see because we are not warned about it, neither in the ATM nor in the movements of our account: the commission for currency exchange. In this case the bite does not usually go below 4%, come on, another 4 euros more at least.
So to sum up:

5 euros per withdrawal from abroad
2 euros for the use of another’s ATM
4 euros per currency exchange

100€-5€-2€-3€= 89€

And this for debit cards, if you take out credit the thing is much worse!

As you can see, being charged 11 euros (approx.) out of every 100 euros is a good peak, not to mention if you intend to be in the country for a medium/long stay. So after years of paying commissions like a fool, I’ve found ways to not pay so many (or any) commissions and be able to use my card at an ATM without getting my hair up every time. I’ll tell you about them below.

Why it is essential to have a travel card

For security

With so much movement during trips there is always the possibility of losing our wallet or having it stolen through carelessness. If we are in our city we will not feel so insecure if this happens, but if we are in another country things change. It is essential to have cards that we can block with a click from our cell phone at any time and in which we do not have all our cash. These cards also help you with that. By not having all your cash in the same account you will avoid scares.

For savings when paying and withdrawing cash

As you have seen, traveling with our usual card can be a ruin, even more so when it is a non-EU country like Morocco. We don’t see them reflected in our statement or in the movements of our account but they are there. It is fundamental that when making these payments we are applied the right exchange rate of that moment and to avoid the bites of the banks, which are those that give worse change without a doubt. With the formulas that I talk about below you will be able to avoid these commissions, guaranteeing you not to lose money in each transaction.

Essential cards for travelling that I recommend you from now on

You’ll love them
These cards are not only valid for Morocco, but for any other country in the world, so you can use them on any other trip. Besides, for your day to day life they have a lot of very comfortable solutions.
N26, the card to save on trips and in your day to day

money Morocco – Cards – ATMs
n26 opens a free account in a few minutes
As an alternative to traditional banks, I have an account at the N26 bank. This is a commission-free account, neither by card nor by account, with which I can make all the most common operations.
They provide you with a Mastercard with which you can pay in any physical or online establishment and with which you can make cash withdrawals from anywhere in the world.

The most interesting features of this account are:

Zero expenses for card or account maintenance.
No permanence or minimum income.
Open your account online in a few minutes.
Low commission when making cash withdrawals in foreign currencies. Free if the withdrawal is in euros.
Guaranteed real currency exchange rate, so you don’t lose on every card payment or withdrawal.
Immediate and free transfers with the MoneyBeam function.
App with all options.
It is an account like any other in which you can direct deposit your salary or payments.
It is very safe: MasterCard SecureCode, access with fingerprint or facial recognition, card blocking with a click, notifications of everything that happens in your account…
It also has a system of “Spaces” in which you can set aside the money you want and save it for, for example, the next trip, for a whim or simply not to have it in your usual expense account, which otherwise flies! You can create all the spaces you want for all the purposes you need. Of course, your money will be available with a click whenever you want it.

Opening an account in N26 is completely free but they also have payment plans with extra options such as withdrawals without commissions always and from any place or secure Allianz. If you want to try N26 here is the link, it takes a moment to open an account and it’s completely free.

Also with N26 now you have a 10% discount on Booking
If you pay for your reservations with your N26 card, Booking offers you a 10% refund
REQUEST MY N26 FREE OF CHARGE
Revolut, the best electronic wallet to change currency

Revolut Morocco
ORDER YOUR FREE REVOLUT
Another essential formula I use is Revolut, an electronic wallet to which you can transfer money from your regular account.

The most interesting features of this card are

Withdraw money from any ATM in the world (up to a certain amount Revolut does not charge ANYTHING)
Exchange currency in the same app at guaranteed fair prices. Forget about exchanging money in banks or exchange offices before or during your trip, the app does it for you and at the best price. What if you have money left over in another currency after your trip? No problem, from the same application you can change your money back to the currency you want.
Send and receive money from other Revolut users for free and instantly (very interesting for making international or foreign currency transfers)
Pay online or in establishments as with any other card.
Have security options such as total card blocking, blocking only for ATMs or only for one country… You will also be informed through the app of each movement in your account.
Have an account number in Lloyds Bank with which to operate, if you wish.
All without maintenance costs, permanence or minimum income.

Revolut for your day to day

In addition, since it is an electronic wallet to which you transfer only the amount you want, in case of loss or theft you are guaranteed that the balance of the card will be only the one you have transferred at that moment and not all your available. You can transfer to Revolut as many times as you want and never have large amounts. Also, for security reasons, you can move around with this card only and leave your bank card at home or in a hotel, thus avoiding risks and controlling your expenses. However, whenever you need to, you can add more balance to your Revolut using the mobile application or block your card if necessary. You are in control at all times.

You’ll see that it’s very useful and safe, not only for when you travel, but also for your day-to-day life: transfer money to family or friends instantly and without expenses (in any currency), create money boxes in the same app for your savings, split bills, round up prices and save the difference when paying by card (without realizing it at the end of the month you’ll have a good peak!) and all without maintenance fees. Tell your friends and family and get the most out of your features!

ORDER YOUR FREE REVOLUT
How much money to bring?

Well this question is not easy to answer as there are travelers of all kinds and with all kinds of pockets. There are those who hire luxury hotels and those who opt for a hostel, those who visit the best restaurants and those who eat very cheaply throughout their trip, those who buy exclusive objects or antiques or those who just take some of the most affordable handicrafts. What is clear is that whatever your budget in Morocco you can find the formula that suits you. You have options of all kinds and prices for all budgets. Currently there are very cheap flights that connect to Moroccan cities, hotels of all prices and formulas to enjoy your stay whatever money you have.

In any case and regardless of your budget there is no need to bring large amounts of cash. If you need to make important payments, for example in hotels, in most cases they accept card payments, and if not you can go to an ATM and withdraw the amount you need in advance.

Bringing all your budget in cash, even if it’s not much, may not be very advisable because of the risk involved, so I recommend using the formulas I talked about above, cards adapted to travel, and use them whenever we need them, either to pay or withdraw from any ATM.

However, for your arrival it is good to have some dirhams already changed, either to take a cab or to do some shopping upon arrival. You can change at the airport or port.

Prices of things

Some examples of more consumer items to give you an idea of the cost of living in Morocco

Sandwich : 6dh
Water bottle 1,5l: 6dh
Bread loaf: 1,20dh
Food in a restaurant per person: 100dh
City cab race: 10/20dh
Collective cabs, long journeys ( 1h ): 30dh/plaza
Slippers (original, not Chinese): 70dh
Small bottle of argan oil: 40dh
Typical leather bag: 150dh
A pack of tobacco: 20/35dh depending on the brand.
Medical consultation: 200dh
One Cupcake: between 2dh and 15dh
A coffee or tea: 6/15 dh
A mobile sim card: 30dh. Recharges from 5dh to 100dh.