Moroccan dirham: banknotes, card tips and mobile data

Moroccan dirham: notes, cards and mobile data

Morocco's currency is the Moroccan dirham. Here is what the central bank, Bank Al-Maghrib, lists, how to decide at a card terminal, and how a phone with data helps with prices, maps and the bank app.

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In short

Notes: Bank Al-Maghrib lists banknotes of 20, 50, 100 and 200.
Series: several series are in circulation at the same time.
Card terminals: EU guidance says paying in the local currency is often the cheapest option.

The banknotes

Bank Al-Maghrib's pages on banknotes in circulation show the 20, 50, 100 and 200 notes, each with a portrait of King Mohammed VI and a different dominant colour. The bank groups them by series, and notes from different series are in use side by side.

Four values20, 50, 100 and 200.
Mixed seriesA note from an older series is still money. Check the value printed on it, not the colour alone.

Card or cash, and which currency

When you pay by card, the terminal may ask whether to charge you in dirham or in your own currency. The EU's Your Europe portal advises that the local currency is often the cheapest option and that the extra fees of the other choice often make it dearer. The trader must state the extra cost, and refusing is your right.

In markets and small shops, cash is simpler. Keep notes of several values, because changing a large note can take time.

Entry and the first hour

Entry rules depend on your passport; the steps are in our Morocco entry guide. For the city, Casablanca runs trams and a busway: see Casablanca tram and busway.

Phone, bank app and data

Alerts: turn on push notifications for card payments.
Codes: in Morocco, keep your home SIM on for bank codes by SMS and use an eSIM for data, see data-only eSIMs and your number.
Plans: networks and sizes are in our Morocco eSIM guide.