Yes, you can use the US dollars in Morocco. Morocco is still a cash-based economy. Euros, USD, and CAD – not Australian dollars, are always accepted in Morocco and you will save time bringing cash to convert, doing away with bank lineups, or non-active cash machines to acquire dirhams. You can use USD to pay your travel agency, tour operator, and some of the hotels/riads and shops, but not on the local markets, restaurants, and public transportation.
Especially if you want to take a Morocco Desert tour, carrying cash with you is essential. On the other hand, if you are planning to visit the Imperial cities or the Atlantic coast cities, things are easier as you can use your bank card at more places.
We recommend you exchange money in the center of the big cities where the exchange rate is better than that at the airport. The Moroccan dirham is the official currency of the country and 1 US Dollar is approximately equivalent to 10 Dirham.
However, if you want to use your credit/debit card, there is an additional charge on your transactions of 3% – 5%. In addition, there is the option to withdraw local currency at bank machines. The banks usually charge a commission of 2% – 3.5% and the withdrawal limit is 2000 Dh ~ 200 $ per transaction. On some occasions, you may have to use the same ATM multiple times to have enough cash. This means that the bank will charge you a commission for every withdrawal separately. Before your arrival, be sure to inform your bank that you are planning to use your card in Morocco. There were some cases of travelers who weren’t able to use their cards during their stay in Morocco.
