Best Way to Exchange Money in Morocco in 2 minutes

Exchange Money in Morocco

Traveling Morocco on a road trip meant covering more than 2,500 km—from Fes to the mountains, the Sahara Desert, the seaside, and back again. Along the way, we quickly realized how important it was to have local currency at hand.

Since we’re based in France, we only arrived with euros and French debit cards, so we had to figure out the best way to exchange money in Morocco. From cash exchanges to ATMs and card payments, we tested a few options to see what really works best.

In this article, we’ll share everything you need to know about money in Morocco—how to get it, where to exchange it, and which method is most convenient for travelers.

Read: Our complete 2-week Morocco Road Trip Itinerary

Exchange Money in Morocco

Morocco Currency

The official currency of Morocco is the dirham (MAD), divided into 100 santimat. The dirham has been in use since 1960, replacing the Moroccan franc.

As of 2025, the average exchange rates are:

• 1 EUR ≈ 10.5 MAD
• 1 USD ≈ 9.6 MAD
• 1 GBP ≈ 12.5 MAD

Of course, rates fluctuate daily, but these averages give you a good idea when planning your trip.

We usually travel with Airalo eSIMs, but when we need unlimited data for work, we go with Holafly.

Using ATMs in Morocco

Our first solution to get cash in Morocco was simply withdrawing at the airport ATM right after landing. Since we didn’t have any local currency and arrived late, it felt like the easiest option.

We took out 500 dh, but the machine charged us a 35 dh fee, which brought the total to 49.80 €. On top of that, our bank added a 4.55 € fee, so in the end the exchange rate worked out to 1 € = 9.84 dh—not great.

Later, we discovered that not all banks charge the same ATM fee. For example, Attijariwafa Bank didn’t take the extra 35 dh. We withdrew 4000 dh there, and while our bank still added a 9 € fee, at least the ATM itself was free. That gave us a much better exchange rate of 1 € = 10.33 dh.

So the tip here is: avoid airport ATMs and look for banks like Attijariwafa to cut down on fees.

Exchanging Cash in Morocco

In the end, the best way to get money in Morocco was exchanging cash directly. We didn’t bring enough with us, so we had to rely on ATMs more than planned, but once we started exchanging euros, it was by far the better deal.

You’ll find plenty of exchange offices in Morocco, especially in the main cities, and most of them offer nearly identical rates. No need to run around town hunting for the “perfect” exchange office.

For example, the euros we exchanged in Fes were at 1 € = 10.5 dh, and later across the country we got 1 € = 10.6 dh. That was consistently the best deal we found during our trip.

One important tip: be careful with the currency you bring. While waiting in an exchange office in Marrakech, we saw people turned away because they had Scottish pounds. These aren’t accepted in Morocco—only British pounds are, along with the major currencies like euros and US dollars.

Also, keep in mind that the condition of your bills matters. Exchange offices prefer crisp, clean notes, and may refuse torn or worn ones. And once you get your dirhams, try to break some into smaller notes and coins. They’re super useful for taxis, tips, and small purchases, since many vendors don’t carry change for larger bills.

Using WISE in Morocco

If you already use WISE or another travel card like Revolut, bring it along. With WISE, you’ll usually get a better exchange rate than with a regular bank card, and ATM fees are often lower. Just keep in mind that Morocco is still very much a cash country—you’ll need dirhams for markets, taxis, and small restaurants—so use WISE mainly to withdraw money or pay at hotels and bigger places when possible.

Read: Our complete 2-week Morocco Road Trip Itinerary