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Africa has risen to prominence as digital nomad destination due to its off the beaten track appeal, low cost of living and beautiful nature.
From the Mediterranean coast of North Africa to the southern tip of the continent, it is being invaded by remote workers seeking to escape the Western world; and immerse yourself in a whole new culture, but one city in particular is stealing the limelight.
Nicknamed the ‘Red City’, marrakech is rapidly becoming a bustling, underdeveloped medina in one of the most popular digital nomad hubs in the world, as long-term travelers just can’t seem to get enough…
And this is why:
One of the most promising digital nomad hubs
According to a report issued by resume.ioA highly reputable online resume building platform, Marrakech is the second most popular digital nomad destination in Africa, behind only Cape Town.
The study analyzed Instagram posts archived with the #digitalnomad hashtag, commonly used by the community to share their experiences and connect with like-minded people, while excluding bots and other spam accounts.
The cities were then ranked based on the number of ‘geotags’ and mentions, with Marrakech competing ahead of big names like Hurghada, Cairo, Johannesburg and Nairobi to claim second place.
Though it ranks second, Morocco’s fifth-largest city could be on track to overtake South Africa’s legislative capital as the competitor sub-Saharan country faces a deep national crisiswith sky-high crime rates and even blackouts.
Morocco, on the other hand, has enjoyed relative stability in recent years, and Marrakech in particular has made great strides in its commitment to improving tourism infrastructure.
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A diverse offer
The African Kingdom has vastly improved air connectivity after two years of self-imposed lockdown as a result of the COVID pandemic, as well as upgrading existing hotels, which have historically been known to be too « old school », and diversify the tourist offerthrough the opening of new leisure centers and investment in attractions.
By the end of 2026, the Moroccan authorities expect to attract 17.5 million tourists. As the jewel in the country’s crown, Marrakech is leading the recovery trendand short-term visitors aside, it has been warmly welcomed by digital nomads.
For example, it has a high concentration of co-working places.
work friendly cafes
Touring the red dyed Marrakech medinaA centuries-old maze lined with bazaar shops, you should expect to find a quirky, work-friendly cafe or two.
These places tend to be incredibly « westernized » in the sense that credit cards are accepted (the Moroccan economy is largely dependent on cash). WiFi connection is fast and stablethere are workstations with adjacent sockets and friendly, well-trained English-speaking staff.
Many of the cafes also have rooftops that command prime views of the beautifully chaotic medina below, allowing you to work while basking in the sun and breathing in the enticing aromas wafting from the street markets.
For the best views of Marrakech from the heart of the medina, head to spice coffee.
Both have an open roof, offering panoramas of the skyline dotted with minaretsand a climate-controlled first floor with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that open onto the bustling market below.
Other tried and true medina Cafes loved by nomads are the conceptual Henna Art Cafe, serving Western classics and Moroccan food, and Attay Cafe, the ideal choice if you suffer from a technological neck and could use big fluffy cushions to recline on while you work and relax . drink some fresh lemonade.
Marrakech is surprisingly affordable
The ‘westernized’ cafes and restaurants tend to be more expensive than the restaurants more frequented by the locals, but as you will soon learn upon arrival in Marrakech, food is still surprisingly cheaper than average.
That’s another reason why remote workers, particularly those on a budget, love Morocco: the cost of living here can be less burdensome than in Western countries, at least for those who earn in euros or dollars.
1 Moroccan Dirham is roughly equal to 10 cents, and while you should be prepared to pay inflated fares when getting into a taxi or paying a « tourist fee » to access some services, you’ll find your money will stretch much further if you’re based in Marrakech, or any Moroccan city for that matter.
as seen in numberingProviding an estimate of monthly spending in different destinations, prices in Marrakech are on average 22.2% lower than in Sao Paulo, Brazil, one of the most expensive cities and digital nomad hubs in South America.
Plus, it can be 24.1% cheaper than Tulum, Mexico, a ridiculously expensive nomad magnet in North America, and 69.6% less expensive to live than London, England, Europe’s top nomad hotspot and the most popular destination in general in resume.io‘s classification.
Cheaper hosting prices
Without rent, estimated monthly costs for a single person are approximately 500 US dollars.
Accommodation prices can vary drastically in Morocco depending on the level of comfort you seek, with monthly rates for fully-equipped condos starting at just US$689 and private rooms as cheap as US$273 on AirBnB.
Unsurprisingly, Morocco has a growing expat community, who are drawn not only by its decent infrastructure and excellent year-round warmer weather, but also by its fascinating history and culture.
A cultural hotspot
Marrakech was once at the center of one of the largest intercontinental empires in the Mediterranean, spanning the Muslim era.
Fortunately, it has retained much of its imperial grandeur, evidenced in luxurious palaces like the one in Bahia, monumental religious monuments, with the Koutoubia Mosque among the most famous landmarks in the city, and richly decorated madrasahcenters for knowledge and science in the Middle Ages.
Beyond the municipal city limits, Marrakech is known for being the gateway to the atlas mountainssome of the highest on the African continent, and the extensive Sahara desert, with numerous guided tours that depart daily from the tourist area of the medina.
Despite being further inland than other cities such as Rabat, Casablanca and Tangier, Marrakech is well connected to all of Morocco’s Atlantic ports through comfortable and high speed TGV trainsas well as other destinations abroad.
Low-cost European airlines such as Ryanair, Transavia and TUI Airways offer flights to Marrakech from major European hubs, sometimes as cheap as US$40giving American nomads temporarily settling in Morocco facilitated access to the European Union and Great Britain.
Cons of living in Marrakech
Some of the disadvantages of living in Marrakech include the scam culturea lower perception of safety among solo female travelers, the unbearable summer heat as it is just a short drive from the desert, and anti-LGBTQ attitudes.
However, Marrakech still offers an « attractive lifestyle » at affordable prices.
traveler alert: Don’t forget travel insurance for your next trip!
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
