Can I use Monzo in Morocco?

Heading off on a sun-soaked holiday to Morocco? Whether you’re planning to lie on a beach in Agadir or tour the bustling souks of Marrakech, you’ll need a cheap, convenient way to spend in Moroccan dirham (MAD) during your trip.

If you bank with Monzo, you can use your account and card to spend outside of the UK. But the big question is - does Monzo work in Morocco? We’ll run through everything you need to know below.

Monzo is also a trusted partner of Wise Platform. Through our integration, customers of Monzo are able to benefit from the same fast and convenient payments as Wise customers, all from within their existing app.

Learn more about Monzo

Does Monzo work in Morocco?

It absolutely does. Although Monzo is a British-based digital bank, it lets its personal customers use their accounts and cards in other countries - including Morocco.

This means you can use it for holiday spending. You don’t even need to tell the bank in advance that you’ll be using your account in another country.¹

Can I use my Monzo card in Morocco?

Yes, your Monzo debit card will work in Morocco. You can use it just the same as you would in the UK, paying by card wherever Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

This includes bars, restaurants, shops, transport hubs and many other places.

You can also use your Monzo debit card to withdraw cash from ATMs in Morocco. But if you’re travelling outside the EEA, you’ll be limited to withdrawals of £200 per 30 days - after which a fee applies.¹

Are Moroccan dirhams supported for spending, and how does currency conversion work?

When you spend in Morocco using your Monzo debit card, your pounds are automatically converted to MAD by your card provider. In this case, it’s Mastercard. The bank uses Mastercard’s exchange rate without any mark-ups or hidden charges.¹

Just make sure to remember the golden rule when paying or withdrawing cash abroad using a UK debit card. This is to always pay or withdraw currency abroad in the local currency.

You might be given the option to pay in GBP, but this could be a mistake. It may mean that the vendor or ATM operator uses their own exchange rate for the currency conversion, which is unlikely to be favourable for you.

📚 Read more: How to make international payments with Monzo: A guide

Fees for using Monzo in Morocco¹

Monzo doesn’t charge foreign transaction or ‘non-Sterling transaction’ fees when you spend in another country using your debit card.

But there are some limits to be aware of when it comes to cash withdrawals.

As Morocco is outside of the EEA, Monzo gives you fee-free withdrawals only up to £200 a month. After this, there’s a 3% fee to pay. You should also watch out that the ATM operator doesn’t charge their own fee for using the service.

Can I open a Monzo account in Morocco?

As Monzo is a British bank, it only offers its accounts to UK residents who live in the country permanently.¹ This means you can’t open a Monzo account if you’ve just moved to Morocco or are spending a long period of time there.

📚 Read more: How to open a Monzo account?

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And that’s it - now you know everything you need about using your Monzo card in Morocco.

If you’re looking for a UK bank account and love managing your money on your mobile, Monzo is a great pick. You can also take advantage of its partnership with Wise to send money overseas.

Also, if you need the ability to handle several currencies at once (if you’re living or working between countries, for example), the money services provider Wise can be a good fit. With the Wise multi-currency account, you can send and spend in 40+ currencies and receive money like a local in over 9 currencies, including EUR and USD. It’s not a bank account but offers many similar features.

Sign up with Wise today 💰

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Sources used:

1. Monzo - Travel

Sources last checked on date: 12-Feb-2024