Money in Marrakech: dirham, exchange, bank cards and tipping

The dirham, a non-convertible currency

The Moroccan currency is the dirham (MAD, often written DH or Dhs on price tags), divided into 100 centimes. The banknotes issued by Bank Al-Maghrib, the central bank, come in 20, 50, 100 and 200 dirhams; coins range from a few centimes to 10 dirhams. Bank Al-Maghrib manages the exchange rate against a basket made up of the euro and the US dollar, which keeps it fairly stable from one week to the next.

The dirham is not freely convertible: you will not be able to get any from your bank before you leave, and exchange offices abroad will not buy it back. Everything therefore happens locally, on arrival and again before you go home.

What the exchange regulations say

The rules are set by the Office des Changes in its General Instruction on Foreign Exchange Operations. For a non-resident tourist, the useful points are as follows:

• Dirham banknotes: import and export are tolerated up to 2,000 dirhams per traveller. Do not leave Morocco with more than this amount in banknotes.
• Foreign currency: you can bring in as many euros or other currencies as you like, but above the equivalent of 100,000 dirhams a written declaration to customs on arrival is compulsory. Keep it: it justifies taking foreign currency out when you leave.
• Reconversion: unspent dirhams can be changed back into foreign currency before departure, at a bank or exchange office, including at the airport, on presentation of proof of origin (exchange slips, ATM withdrawal receipts). So keep all these receipts during your stay.

Where to change money in Marrakech

Exchange offices and banks

Licensed exchange offices are plentiful in the medina, especially around Jemaa el-Fna square, and in the Gueliz district. They display their buying and selling rates; compare two or three places and check the exact amount you will receive before handing over your notes. Bank branches also change foreign currency, with more limited opening hours (most are closed at weekends). In every case, ask for the exchange slip: it is what will allow you to change your dirhams back when you leave.

Avoid street money changers at all costs: people offering a "better rate" in the souks are operating illegally, and counterfeit notes or miscalculations are common. Damaged, stained or torn euro notes may be refused: bring notes in good condition.

At Marrakech-Menara airport

Exchange offices and ATMs are located in the arrivals hall. Only change enough there to pay for the journey to your accommodation and your first expenses: rates in town are often similar or better, and the queue when a flight lands can be long. For the journey itself, see our guide Marrakech-Menara airport to the city centre.

ATMs and fees

ATMs are easy to find in Marrakech: in the medina around Jemaa el-Fna and along the main streets, in large numbers in Gueliz, and at the airport. They accept foreign Visa and Mastercard cards. Withdrawing from an ATM is often the simplest option, but two fees can add up:

• your own bank's fees for a withdrawal outside the eurozone, fixed and/or percentage-based depending on your account;
• the fees of the Moroccan bank that owns the ATM: most networks charge a fixed amount per withdrawal with a foreign card, shown on screen before you confirm.

When the screen offers to charge the withdrawal "in your currency" (in euros, for example), decline and choose to be charged in dirhams: this dynamic conversion, known as DCC, applies a much less favourable rate than your bank's. Prefer ATMs attached to a bank branch, use them during the day, and shield your PIN. The maximum per withdrawal varies from machine to machine; a single larger withdrawal reduces the impact of fixed fees, within the limit of what you are comfortable carrying.

Bank cards: where they work and where they don't

Bank cards are accepted in most hotels, in many riads, in upmarket restaurants, in the shops of Gueliz, in supermarkets and for tickets bought online (the Jardin Majorelle, for example, only sells its tickets online). Some establishments add a surcharge for card payments or require a minimum amount: ask before you order.

On the other hand, cash remains essential for:

• most purchases in the souks, even if a few larger shops have a card terminal;
• petits taxis and many private drivers;
• the food stalls on Jemaa el-Fna square, cafés and small restaurants;
• the ticket desks of some monuments and museums;
• tips.

In riads, you are sometimes asked to pay the balance in cash, as well as the tourist tax: check the conditions when you book. Some shopkeepers in the souks accept euros, but at a rate that rarely works in your favour.

Bargaining and paying in the souks

In the souks of Marrakech, prices are rarely displayed and are open to negotiation. Set yourself a budget before entering a shop, do not name your price first if you do not know what the item is worth, and compare several stalls. Paying cash with the exact change makes bargaining easier: a seller who has to "look for change" tends to round in his own favour. For fixed prices, the Ensemble Artisanal is a useful benchmark. Be wary of touts who take you to a "cooperative" shop or to the tanneries: they earn a commission, which you pay through the price. Our guide to scams to avoid in Marrakech describes these practices in detail.

Tipping in Marrakech

Tipping is not compulsory, but it is expected in many situations and makes up a large part of the income of waiters, porters and guides. It is given in cash, in dirhams, directly to the person. The amounts below reflect common practice reported by travellers and tourism professionals; adjust them to the quality of service.

• Restaurant: around 5 to 10% of the bill in a restaurant with table service; in a café or for a simple meal, leave your small change or a few dirhams. Check that service is not already included on the bill.
• Guide: for an official guide for a full day, the usual amount is around 100 to 200 MAD per group, on top of the price of the tour.
• Driver: for a day trip, around 100 to 150 MAD per group.
• Porters: around 10 to 20 MAD per bag, at the airport as at the riad, where handcarts are often the only way to get through the narrow lanes.
• Hammam: around 20 to 50 MAD for the person who does the scrub, on top of the hammam price.
• Petit taxi: rounding up to the next dirham is enough.
• Performers on Jemaa el-Fna square: a few coins if you stop to listen, more if you take photos.

Carry small notes

ATMs often dispense 100 and 200 dirham notes, which are hard to break in a taxi or a small shop. Get change as soon as possible by paying for purchases in a supermarket, a pharmacy or at a museum ticket desk, and keep a reserve of 20 dirham notes and 5 and 10 dirham coins separate from your main wallet for tips.

Tipping table

Amounts observed in October 2026, for guidance only.

Further reading

To estimate your spending on the ground, see our guide to the Marrakech travel budget. Our free things to do in Marrakech help balance the budget, and the itinerary what to do in Marrakech in one day gives the cost of admissions for a typical day.