Money and currency
Morocco’s official currency is the dirham (MAD or dh). The dirham is a restricted currency. You may not take more than 1000 dh out of the country as a non-resident or tourist and you cannot convert it back to Euros/GBP either.
You will need to purchase your dirham on arrival in the country at banks or bureaux de change which are easily located in main cities, hotels and at airports. Alternatively, you can use your cash withdrawal card at one of the ATMs in the airport.
Morocco is still very much a cash society and throughout the country it is very difficult to use traveller’s cheques or credit cards. In general, businesses will try to pass a credit card surcharge onto the customer.
It’s best not to rely on your credit card in Morocco. Bring with you enough cash to see you through your holiday or have a couple of valid ATM cards. You will find plenty of ATMs in large cities, however they can be temperamental. Try to keep a reserve of cash that can see you through a couple of days in case you are far from a city or the ATM doesn’t work. Use your hotel safe if you are concerned about carry large amounts of cash.
To give you an idea of prices in Morocco, a 1.5l bottle of mineral water costs 10 dh. The set menu in a tourist restaurant (without drinks) is likely to cost 100-200 dh for 3 courses. A la Carte restaurant Meals start from: 50dh for starters, 100-150 dh for mains, 50 dh for deserts. On average, a 75cl bottle of wine is 150-250 dh per bottle in a restaurant or bar; a 33cl beer is 30–50 dh. Expect to pay 15-20 dh for a cup of coffee or tea and around 10dh for a soda or juice in a cafe. You should leave a 10% tip in Morocco.
Rough exchange rates (2014/15) are as follows:
1 GBP (£) = 14 dh
1 USD ($) = 9 dh
1 EUR (€) = 11 dh
Please note - these figures are approximate. Please check with your bank or an online service for the latest rates.
See the FAQ for advice on how much spending money to bring.