The Ultimate Morocco Digital Nomad Guide: Surf, Souks & Remote Work Vibes

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I spent over two months road tripping and slow living between Morocco’s coast, desert, and cities while working online as a digital nomad.

While I didn’t make it up to the northern cities such as Fes or Chefchaouen, I did get a thorough impression of the riches that Southern Morocco has to offer. And hey, I’m a slow traveler, right?

If you’re looking for your next digital nomad adventure but aren’t keen on revisiting the hotspots of Bali, Mexico, or Portugal, consider Morocco—seriously.

Before being a digital nomad in Morocco, I had never really considered the digital nomad community in North Africa. But now that I’ve experienced it firsthand, it makes sense, and there’s so much potential here.

Morocco is an upcoming digital nomad destination for many reasons, which I’ll discuss in this post.

When we first landed, on day one, my partner and I said, “Morocco is to France what Mexico is to the USA.” And it’s weirdly true! Morocco is a warm, vibrant country just a short flight away, where many go for sunshine, surf, and cultural richness.

But let’s dig into specifics below. Here’s my honest, detailed guide to Morocco’s emerging (and somewhat already established) digital nomad scene.

I’ll discuss where to base yourself, the costs involved, how to get connected, and the cultural nuances that make Morocco unique (and, at times, challenging) for digital nomads.

6 Reasons Why Morocco Is an Emerging Digital Nomad Hotspot

In short, why Morocco? Why not, say, South Africa? (Okay, other than the fact that it’s located at the opposite end of the continent.)

First, Morocco offers nomads a compelling recipe:

1. Proximity to Europe

Yes, first and foremost, Morocco is a world’s away from Europe in terms of culture and lifestyle, and yet, it’s reachable within a 2–3 hour flight.

Its accessibility to European nomads is what makes this VERY attractive.

2. Affordable Cost of Living

From Airbnb apartments to local guesthouses and hostels, your money stretches further here than in major nomad cities in Europe.

3. Epic Landscapes & Diversity

Surf towns, mountain villages, ancient imperial cities, oases, and more await you in Morocco. It’s pretty cool how much this country contains.

4. Good Timezone for Remote Work

UTC+1 aligns well for working with European and US-based clients. I don’t necessarily have to think about this as a self-employed blogger, but many full-time remote workers do!

5. Visa on Arrival

The 90-day tourist visa on arrival makes it super easy to base here for up to three months.

6. Culturally Rich & Offbeat Choice

Everyday life in Morocco is so different from what most know. It’s complex, ancient, warm, textured, and colorful.

The Amazigh (Berber) culture and language are beautiful. From the call to prayer to Amazigh traditions, everything is new and raw to a foreigner’s eyes.

But of course, Morocco isn’t perfect. It’s not without its quirks. There are still enormous strides to make across sectors to be a nation more fair, just, peaceful, and prosperous.

But if you’re craving somewhere a little less typical to discover and a lot more enriching culturally, Morocco might be the answer.

The Best Locations for Digital Nomads in Morocco

I really think I got to experience the best of Morocco’s cities, specifically for digital nomads.

As I mentioned earlier, I missed out on the northern cities and towns (maybe next time!), but, otherwise, here are my favorites—and why.

Essaouira

Essaouira is my favorite digital nomad-friendly city in Morocco.

Well, it’s more of a seaside port town than a city, but it has everything a nomad and culture-lover like me could ask for: a strong café culture, heavy local daily life, markets, and lots of opportunities to learn more, slow down, and take it all in.

Whether you come here for a few days or weeks, make sure to find lodging inside the Old Town/Essaouira Medina, as this is what truly makes Essaouira special.

Marrakesh

To most people’s surprise, Marrakesh is also one of my favorite places in Morocco to be a digital nomad.

Sure, it doesn’t have access to the sea or even easy access to the mountains, but what it does have is everything else.

Fast-paced, sensory overload—right up my alley.

Strangely, there is a lot of opportunity in chaotic cities to find stillness. Quiet. And I think that’s why I love Marrakesh so much. That’s also why I love being a nomad in Kathmandu, Nepal (but I also lived there for a year, so it feels like home!)

Yeah, Marrakesh can be chaotic. But I genuinely find it a great city base for digital nomads—even solo female travelers!

In sum, Marrakesh has affordable accommodation options both within and outside the Medina, loads of cafés, including scenic rooftop options where you’ll witness incredible sunsets and spot the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains on clear days, and a very ancient, artsy, creative network to tap into—for those curious enough to stroll deeper into the maze-like souks.

-> I stayed at Outsite Marrakesh and would recommend it to both solo female travelers and couples looking to connect with the nomad community there.

Tamraght / Taghazout

For a base that’s more about surfing than it is about hustling, check out the two surfing villages of Tamraght and Taghazout on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, about 30 minutes from Agadir city (and airport), and about 3 hours south of Essaouira.

I wrote a whole guide on my thoughts about Tamraght and Taghazout for digital nomads, so if taking a midday break with a wave session sounds like your ultimate nomadic pace, then give it a read!

On that note, Agadir could be another option for a digital nomad base. It’s much more local and practical. Not to mention, more convenient since the airport is here.

Fes / Tangier

Lastly, even though I haven’t been to Fes or Tangier, it’s worth mentioning in case you’d like to visit.

I’ve been told multiple times that I’d love to visit Fes but absolutely adore spending weeks in Tangier—and from what I’ve seen, they may be right.

As Europe’s historic and centuries-old “gateway” to Africa, the clean, white-washed city of Tangier seems very artsy, Mediterranean, and boho-chic.

To me, it sounds like an idyllic melting pot of cultural influences. It’s worth checking out!

Cost of Living in Morocco for Digital Nomads

As always, your monthly costs will vary depending on your location and lifestyle.

However, you can live comfortably in Morocco for $1200–$1500+ USD/month.

Here’s a sample look at our costs:

• Accommodation: $600-$900 (1-bedroom Airbnb or local apartment)
• Food: $250–300 (eating out + groceries)
• Transport: $30–60 (bus/taxi/shuttle)
• SIM/Data: $10–20 (Inwi or Maroc Telecom local cards; we used a Morocco eSIM)
• Coworking/cafes: $150–200

I can’t really estimate which was cheaper—Essaouira vs. Tamraght on the coast or Marrakesh. I think it all depends on how and where you choose to stay, eat, etc. We weren’t necessarily on a budget.

In all three locations, we ate out at least once a day, worked in coffee shops multiple times per week, and rented more private accommodations in Marrakesh’s Guéliz neighborhood or in Essaouira’s Medina.

Internet, SIM Cards & Working Online

WiFi in Morocco is decent—better than most think—but not flawless or without outages and interruptions.

Most towns have high speeds in apartments and cafes, though speeds can slow down during storms or outages. Before booking your accommodation, double-check, just in case.

The towns we had the most trouble finding reliable cafes with WiFi were Tamraght and Taghazout. Essaouira was much better for that.

• Data/SIMs: Maroc Telecom, Inwi, Orange
  • We downloaded and recharged data via a Morocco eSIM
  • Get a local SIM or hotspot as backup
• Coworking spaces in Marrakesh, Taghazout, and Essaouira aren’t better than just a good, cozy café.

If your work relies on consistent Zoom calls or video uploads, consider something more convenient and built up, like Essaouira and Marrakesh.

Visa Options for Digital Nomads in Morocco

There’s no need to apply for a specific digital nomad visa to stay in Morocco.

Most travelers, especially with US or European passports, can enter visa-free and stay up to 90 days. If you want to stay longer, your options are:

• Exit and re-enter with a short stay abroad (head back home, or maybe Spain?)
• Long-stay visa (rarely pursued unless you’re working with Moroccan businesses)

Unlike many other countries, Morocco has no official digital nomad visa yet.

Remote work is tolerated under the radar, as most countries allow it. However, just be mindful of this and always respect local laws!

Moroccan Culture & Etiquette for Nomads (& Solo Female Travelers)

It’s good to note that while Morocco receives more international tourism every year, and is very welcoming, and has women leading in government, the nation is still deeply rooted in Islamic traditions.

This means you should be aware of how to integrate with the local culture, as mindfully and respectfully as possible:

• Dress modestly (especially for women—cover shoulders and knees)
• Respect call to prayer (5x per day)
• Note that Friday is a holy day—many places close for couscous lunch!
• Ramadan days can result in closed services/restaurants, with many locals fasting—observe and plan your itinerary in advance to avoid disruptions.

As a woman, you will most likely get catcalled, especially if you’re traveling solo without a partner (sometimes even with a partner), but I found most of the unwanted “compliments” and shouts were rarely intended harmfully.

My coliving host told me that in Marrakesh, especially, the city locals are nicknamed “Sweet Tongues” for the way they swoon after beautiful women.

If you have long, blonde hair like mine that sticks out like a sore thumb, consider braiding it and putting it away underneath clothing. My Danish friend has even brighter hair than I do, and she kept getting asked for her hand in marriage—all pleasantry, but I know this can make some women and travelers uneasy.

It’s good to be aware of the possibilities to avoid overreaction and when to recognize real danger; there is a difference between banter across cultures versus harmful intent. Always, always trust your gut.

I found that being respectful and confident went a long way. I felt safe in Morocco. But it’s essential to trust your gut more than anything and treat situations with a sense of humility before reacting.

Pros & Cons of Being a Digital Nomad in Morocco

Would I re-do digital nomad life in Morocco? Absolutely, but not without a second thought.

While I had a wonderful 2+ months there—allowing me to slow down and get very deep work done—we did run into some “cons” that would make me reconsider where else I could go (especially in winter, lol).

Pros:

• Affordable, mostly!
• Beautiful, ancient towns and cities to discover
• Very accessible from Europe; decent winter escape for milder temps
• Unique cultural immersion with Amazigh (Berber) and Arab cultures
• Good alternative to the typical nomad hotspots
• Extremely diverse and beautiful—such a unique country to slow travel in!

Cons:

• Also quite cold for fall/winter, more than I expected
• Inconsistent infrastructure between locations
• Limited housing options outside major cities
• Cash economy (have dirhams on hand)

I also must state that I felt way more at ease navigating Morocco because I could speak French. I found that more youth spoke English than French, while the older generation spoke French more than English.

If you’re uncomfortable in French, traveling or road tripping through Morocco can complicate things.

However, most places you’ll visit as a tourist (like in my 10-day Morocco itinerary) will be very used to seeing tourism and will have services or offers in both languages.

Final Thoughts: Is Morocco Right for You?

Hard to answer that from my end, but if you enjoy slow travel and culturally rich destinations, and a bit of discomfort mixed with adventure, then a big fat YEAH (or should I say, Yellah! meaning “Let’s go!”). 😆

Morocco very well could be your next temporary home base as a digital nomad.

It’s not the easiest or most relaxing place to be a digital nomad, but that’s part of what makes it so rewarding.

Still deciding? Check out my in-depth guides to Tamraght/Taghazout and Essaouira to help choose between your next Moroccan base.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you’re planning to head this way!

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