Living in Morocco is a great choice for digital nomads looking for a base for a few weeks or months. We lived at Dar Digital Nomad in Ouarzazate for two weeks, and in this article we share everything about this apartment, and our experience. Dar Digital Nomad is a coworking and coliving space , located right in the heart of the city, with everything you will need during your stay in Ouarzazate.
More and more digital nomads are choosing to live in Morocco, and there are good reasons for that. The country offers endless activities, and tourism infrastructure is already sufficiently developed to be a comfortable destination for any type of traveler. Still, it is a very accessible destination, and cheaper than some of the favorite destinations for many digital nomads in Asia and Europe.
Our stay at Dar Digital Nomad in September 2019 was not our first time in Morocco . At the end of 2018 we visited Marrakesh and, although we were impressed by its architecture and wonderful views, it was not an easy trip. We felt a little suffocated by the amount of tourists and, after a week in the Medina, very tired of the local vendors and their strategies to sell at any cost. However, we knew that Morocco had much more to offer beyond what we experienced in a few days in Marrakech. Therefore, when the invitation to return and live in Morocco came up, we immediately said yes! In the end, we were sorry it was only two weeks!
Dar Digital Nomad in Ouarzazate
Dar Digital Nomad is a coliving and coworking space in Ouarzazate, a pleasant city located in the central-southern region of Morocco . The space was created and developed by João Leitão , a Portuguese travel blogger and entrepreneur, who decided to move to Morocco more than 10 years ago. João, as someone who spent a large part of his life traveling and working online, knows better than anyone the needs and conditions sought by digital nomads. And of course, he used this experience to create this fantastic space.
Dar Digital Nomad: What to Expect
The apartment has two shared bedrooms, a living room, fully equipped kitchen, and a bathroom . Each room contains a bunk bed, consisting of two double beds, and a large closet. One of the rooms is intended for male guests, and the other for female guests. However, other configurations are possible depending on availability. The living room is set up as a coworking space, and has four spacious desks and comfortable office chairs. It also contains a dining area, and an area with sofas and television. Throughout the house we have access to high-speed internet with 100 MB download speed and 12 MB upload speed .
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The Dar Digital Nomad apartment is located in a quiet neighborhood in Ouarzazate, making it a quiet and peaceful space to focus on your work. Still, it is very close to the city’s main attractions and everything you need during your stay. This is a small space, designed for only four people maximum . Large coliving and coworking spaces have been gaining popularity, but we personally love the size of this space. In our opinion, this environment makes it possible to create stronger and more meaningful connections with the people we share the same apartment with, instead of feeling like we are constantly networking with many people.
Objective of Dar Digital Nomad
The objective of Dar Digital Nomad is not to replace hotels or hostels, but rather to provide a more homely and hassle-free environment for those who want to live in Morocco. You can reserve this space online, and you don’t need to worry about anything else. All price information is available online. There is a minimum stay period of 15 days (€200 per person), with 30-day reservations being more affordable (€340 per person). This way, you can combine the comfort of renting an apartment without any complications related to contracts, water, electricity and internet services, among many other time-consuming bureaucracies. At the same time, you also have the opportunity to share your apartment with other digital nomads, and create genuine connections, all while focusing on your work.
Dar Digital Nomad: Our Experience
We stayed at Dar Digital Nomad for two weeks, in the second half of September 2019 . As travel bloggers and content creators, we try to have time to travel and visit the places we are, but as digital nomads with online work obligations, we also need to spend many hours on our computers. Fortunately, in Ouarzazate we found the perfect balance . In two weeks, we managed to work and see a lot of the region, but we want to return with more time in the future to see even more.
During our time in Morocco, we shared an apartment with the Kasoest , a couple of full-time travelers who share their adventures on YouTube. Even though we share the same love for travel, we work on completely different platforms using different strategies. During the two weeks living together, we learned a lot from Ester and Kasoma, shared many ideas, and created a sincere friendship!
Next, we share the reasons why we believe Ouarzazate is an excellent base for digital nomads who want to live in Morocco. During our stay at Dar Digital Nomad, it was possible for us to be a tourist and, at the same time, experience a bit of local life. We created our own routines in the city, and the truth is that Ouarzazate is missed. During the time we spent there we felt comfortable, safe and very grateful for the possibility of getting to know Morocco in such a different way.
Living in Morocco: Why Choose Ouarzazate?
Easy access
Ouarzazate is located in the center-south of Morocco and has a small airport with domestic connections (Casablanca, Marrakesh and Zagora), and some international connections (Paris, Bordeaux and Madrid). There are three airlines operating these flights: Royal Air Maroc , Ryanair and Transavia . With Ryanair, we were able to travel Porto-Madrid-Ouarzazate and return to Porto for less than €100 / $100 per person. From Ouarzazate airport, the Dar Digital Nomad apartment is less than 10 minutes by car.
It is also easy to get to Ouarzazate by bus . There are daily CTM buses departing from Marrakesh that cost less than 100Dh / €9.36 / $10.41 per person. Travel time is approximately 4h30. There are also connections with other Moroccan cities, including Agadir, which is on the country’s coast. Ouarzazate bus station is conveniently located in the city center, and less than 10 minutes’ walk from Dar Digital Nomad.
It is also important to note that citizens from almost 70 countries can enter Morocco without needing a visa, and enjoy a stay of up to 90 days, which makes Morocco a very attractive destination for digital nomads. This is the case of Portuguese and Brazilian citizens.
City Life
Before we left for Ouarzazate we didn’t really know what to expect from the city. We had been to Marrakesh before, but we were sure this would be a very different experience. Daily life in Ouarzazate is incredibly relaxed, the locals are friendly, the streets are very clean, and the crime rate is close to zero . During the two weeks we lived in Ouarzazate, there was never a moment when we felt unsafe, even with all the photography equipment completely exposed. On the contrary, people were always very welcoming and friendly. Even asking us to take photos of them (something that is unlikely to happen in Marrakech!).
Tourist destinations in Morocco
Ouarzazate is not one of the main tourist destinations in Morocco, but you can still find plenty of activities to do in the city. We are preparing a complete article about what to do in Ouarzazate . In the city, a night visit to the central square and a stroll through the Kasbah are mandatory. This is the capital of the seventh art in Morocco, so don’t miss the Cinema Museum, and at least one of the film studios (the Atlas Studios or the CLA Studios. Both located on the outskirts of the city).
We loved walking around the city looking for buildings to photograph, and cafes to relax and drink traditional mint tea (despite the heat. It was easy for us to adopt this Moroccan tradition). We were also surprised by the number of restaurants in the city: there are many options designed for both locals and tourists. It is, therefore, quite easy to find traditional Moroccan food, but also pizza, burgers, and even Chinese food.
Dar Digital Nomad
Near the Dar Digital Nomad apartment, you can find everything you need for a comfortable stay. A few steps from the apartment there are two grocery stores . A few minutes away on foot there are also larger supermarkets, bank terminals, and several restaurants . The main square, Al-Mouahidine , is just a 10-minute walk away.
As for the weather , the city is sunny most of the year, with low humidity levels due to its proximity to the desert. If you are sensitive to heat. We advise you to avoid the months of July and August, as they are usually the hottest. We were in Ouarzazate in September and, despite it being quite hot, we didn’t have any major problems with it. The apartment has air conditioning (of course!). And you can easily avoid the hottest hours by leaving the house in the morning and late afternoon.
Cost of living
If you are looking for a coliving and coworking opportunity in Morocco, Dar Digital Nomad is the ideal place for you. In addition to the friendly rental price at coliving , Ouarzazate is a city with options for all budgets.
We always count every penny, which we are happy to share in our articles about costs . To give you an idea, during our two-week stay in Ouarzazate, we only spent 1550Dh / 140€ / 155$ on food for the two of us . This means that each of us spent less than 54Dh / 5€ / 5.5$ per day on food, including all our supermarket expenses, and also all the money we spent in cafes, and eating out. The truth is that we don’t particularly worry about the budget.
We buy and eat whatever we feel like (including some Western brands in the supermarket, which are significantly more expensive). And we also eat out with some regularity (both in local restaurants and other more Touristic). It is, however, important to mention that we don’t eat a lot (we often share a menu). And that we never buy meat in the supermarket. Still, even if your habits are quite different from ours, you will certainly agree that Ouarzazate is a very affordable city in terms of cost of living.
Dar Digital Nomad
Our transport costs in the city were also very low, as it is easy to walk almost everywhere. We occasionally use the petit taxis that are found throughout the city and cost just 5Dh / 0.47€ / 0.52$ per person, to any area of the city during the day.
To have internet on our cell phones , we each bought a Maroc Telecom card with 5GB of data. This also includes some calls to the local network and cost 70Dh / 6.55€ / 7.26$. There is a high-speed internet connection on the Dar Digital Nomad , so we only needed to spend data when we were away from home or traveling.
Speaking of the attractions we visit, these are also generally quite affordable, except for the film studios. Entrance to Atlas Studios costs 80Dh / 7.49€ / 8.29$ per person. Which is nothing out of this world, but it was the most expensive attraction we visited.
At the end of the day, if you are considering living in Morocco as a digital nomad. Know that staying at Dar Digital Nomad in Ouarzazate you will be able to spend less than €500 / $560 per month, including apartment rent. If you are very conscious of your budget . If budget is not an obstacle and you want to make the most of life in Ouarzazate, taking the opportunity to travel around Morocco. A budget of approximately €1000 / $1100 per month is adequate to live comfortably.
Travel Opportunities
Ouarzazate is known as the city of doors to the desert. And is the stopping point for many tourists looking for the incredible Moroccan dunes. If you dream of going to the desert, Ouarzazate is the perfect base. We visited the magical dunes of Erg Chebbi, and took the opportunity to stop along the way to see the best that Morocco has to offer.
There are plenty of travel opportunities from Ouarzazate . You can visit other Moroccan cities (Marrakesh is less than 5 hours away and easily accessible by bus). You can also choose to visit Ait Benhaddou , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or even drive along the road of a thousand Kasbahs. There are many other destinations near Ouarzazate, and we recommend not missing the beautiful Fint Oasis , located just 16km from Dar Digital Nomad.
The man behind Dar Digital Nomad, João Leitão, also owns a travel agency, Morocco.com. Which is conveniently located right below the apartment. So, if you need help planning and organizing your trips to Morocco, you couldn’t be better served.
What to Take With You
A reusable water bottle with filter: we used one from Water to Go and are very happy with the product . Despite being told that the tap water in Ouarzazate is safe for consumption, we still chose to use our Water to Go bottle for some extra security and to ensure that the water tasted good. The fantastic filter on this bottle allowed us to refill the bottle wherever we travel. And ended up saving us a huge amount of unnecessary expense on non-reusable water bottles. Plastic pollution should be a concern for all of us, and this is a very simple and convenient way to help the planet.
Revolut Card . If you’re a digital nomad, you’ve probably heard about this card many times, and for good reason! You can exchange different currencies at the real rate, avoid bank fees. All conveniently through an app on your phone, with your Revolut card.
Travel insurance . Although, fortunately, it was never necessary to activate our travel insurance, we were very close to doing so. We believe that it is better to be protected than to regret not having taken out insurance in the end! We use IATI Seguros on our trips and with our affiliate link you can enjoy a 5% discount when taking out any IATI insurance.
Living in Morocco: Our Experience at Dar Digital Nomad
Coliving and coworking in Morocco at Dar Digital Nomad was one of the best experiences we’ve had to date. We were able to reconcile our passion for traveling. With our needs to have a comfortable base to live and focus on our work and productivity. We were also positively surprised by the city of Ouarzazate. An excellent base for digital nomads in Morocco, for all the reasons we mentioned previously.
If you have any questions or curiosity, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send us a message!