Student Expenses in Tangier | Study Abroad in Morocco | IAU

It is strongly recommended that students have access to enough funds to last the entire summer. They will need pocket money for lunches, weekend meals, bus fares, laundry, postage, theater, movies, and cafés. Dollar-Dirham exchange rates fluctuate and can be checked online.

Bringing Money to Morocco

The official currency of Morocco is the Dirham which is a closed currency, meaning that you can’t buy or sell it outside of Morocco. However, you’ll find it on sale in some exchange bureaus.

You’ll often find prices quoted in Euros instead of Dirhams, and may be able to use foreign currency to pay for goods and services. This is up to the individual shop or restaurant, so double-check before committing to purchase.

You should plan to make purchases with euros, U.S. dollars, or British sterling. If you can’t pay directly with these currencies, then you should be able to make a simple exchange to Dirhams when you need to.

The TransferWise site is a strong resource when planning for your finances for your time in Morocco, however, this isn't an endorsement of their product but rather a helpful article to reference when planning for your time abroad.

Safety

Keep all money and checks in a money belt, neck pouch, or another safe place on your person. Precautions against theft should be taken at all times and particularly on trains and buses. Purses, wallets, passports, credit cards, money are lost each year through lack of vigilance. Never put your documents, money, or traveler's checks in your backpack.

Make photocopies of valuable documents (passport, driver's license, etc.), and carry these separately in your suitcase. It is also recommended that you scan and save a digital copy to your email so you can access it remotely if necessary.

Accessing your Money

Within the cities of Morocco and areas of tourism, debit and credit cards should be accepted (however American Express isn't accepted as widely and should be avoided). When traveling elsewhere, it's recommended to carry cash. It's not recommended to carry a lot of currency on a given day but to have enough for the day's expenses and emergency purposes. ATMs are common in Morocco and accept the major card providers.

Tipping

In Morocco, tips are given to those who have served you well. For small bills, you might round up to the nearest whole number, and in high-end establishments such as hotels or restaurants, a 10% tip is standard. We find this post to be helpful when learning about the culture and expectations for tipping in Morocco!