The Ultimate Essaouira Digital Nomad Guide: Living & Working by the Sea in Morocco

Essaouira is one of my favorite cities in Morocco to live and work remotely as a digital nomad for a few weeks, for reasons I’ll get into in this post!

With breezy Atlantic winds (ideal for kitesurfing and surfing), cozy coffee shops and cafes, and a vibrant, historic medina that feels worlds away from hectic Marrakesh, Essaouira is ideal for digital nomads who crave slow mornings, salty air, and space to get creative.

Whether you’re staying a week, a month, or more, this guide has everything you need to know about living and working remotely in Essaouira.

The Digital Nomad’s Guide to Essaouira, Morocco

✈️ Travel Insurance: I recommend signing up for SafetyWing—the best insurance for remote workers and affordable at $56/4 weeks.

📱 eSIM for Morocco: Use Airalo to get online immediately when you land in Morocco.

💳 Travel Card: Bring a no-fee travel card like Wise or Revolut to avoid exchange rate losses.

💨 Weather: Essaouira can get windy and chilly—pack a jacket, and prepare for cooler nights even in summer.

🚌 Getting there from Marrakesh: Rent a car or book with 12Go to go by comfy AC bus.

SIM Cards, eSIMs, & WiFi in Essaouira

If you’re spending a few weeks or months in Morocco, you can swap out a physical SIM for a local Moroccan number.

However, I personally don’t want to change my phone number whenever I switch countries, so I will foot the extra (very small) cost of buying an eSIM.

Orange, like in France, has decent coverage in Morocco. But, again, I always use eSIMs and they pull data from local towers, so your coverage will be just as fast.

I recommend Airalo for seamless internet access on arrival. Download the Morocco eSIM and skip the hassle of finding a SIM shop.

WiFi in Essaouira is decent, so we often would grab coffee or lunch and spend a couple of hours working in a cafe (more on my favorites below).

Where to Stay in Essaouira as a Digital Nomad

• Medina: Central, vibrant, but busier. Riad-style guesthouses and short-term rentals or Airbnbs.
• Beachfront/Dunes: Quiet, ideal for long walks, yoga, and sunset views.
• Azlef or Borj: More residential, slightly outside the center but quieter and more affordable.

The medina in Essaouira is the reason you should visit the city, so I 100% recommend finding your accommodation within the medina walls.

Whether you’re going to Essaouira solo or as a couple, you will be able to find a budget option there.

We stayed a few weeks in Essaouira in both the residential area and later in the medina.

We were in the residential area near the large Carrefour market across the big road for the first half of our stay.

–> Read more in my guide on where to stay in Essaouira, Morocco

While we enjoyed the local scene, with its quiet streets, cheap bakeries, and friendly neighbors, we realized we could have been nearly anywhere.

In other words, it wasn’t unique enough to Essaouira, you know what I mean?

We much preferred being in the heart of the medina (what makes Essaouira stand out). Not to mention, this is where all the best coffee shops/cafes with wifi are!

Luckily, we found a French local’s guestroom and spent our remaining weeks exploring inside the city walls.

🌊 Essaouira Nomad-Friendly Hotels 💻

The Noqta Coliving & Coworking Hotel is one of the few places to stay in the Old Medina that is equipped for full-time remote nomads.

Hostel La Smala is also a gorgeous, budget-friendly spot by the sea wall and ideal for solo travelers or couples looking for a private room in a social setting.

In the medina, it’s very lively. But there are many opportunities to find hidden alleys and corners and make local connections!

We also loved being around the corner from the Medina’s coffee shops, art galleries, and local markets where you could do all of your grocery shopping (meat market, veggies, fish, fruits, etc).

The hundreds (maybe thousands?) of cats who live inside Essaouira’s fortified walls were also a BIG reason why we loved the medina. 🥹

Coworking Spaces & Cafes with Good WiFi

Apart from Noqta Space, the coworking scene is a bit lacking in Essaouira. Unless you’re in a coworking/coliving setup, there aren’t that many options.

However, there are a few cute cafes with wifi in Essaouira that do the trick for morning or afternoon work sessions (avoid lunch hours).

We often found ourselves at these places, on weekday afternoons (avoiding busy lunch times):

• L’Atelier Café Boutique — the best overall for wifi, outlets, and cafe-style food and drinks (but lacks a bit of natural light).
• L’Esprit — not ideal for focus work hours, but great for light work, coffee, and books!
• Mandala Society — avoid during busy lunch hours, otherwise a decent spot downtown with a small rooftop area for laptops.
• Picknick — our morning spot for lattes, cat-watching, and light work or reading (tables outside).

The rest of our time, we’d work from our cozy little home in the medina.

Cost of Living in Essaouira

This was our approximate monthly budget as digital nomads in Essaouira.

How to Get Around Essaouira

• Walking: The whole city is very walkable, especially the medina and beach areas.
• Petit Taxis: Fixed rates (~5–15 MAD inside city)
• Supratours & CTM buses: Connect to Marrakesh, Agadir, and Casablanca

Once you’re in Essaouira, all you’ll need is your two feet to get around, and the occasional local taxi, which is super cheap.

You won’t be able to drive inside the Old Medina at all, so renting a car is better for road trips and short stays.

From the medina, you can reach the beach and walk the length of it easily. We would often go for a sunrise or sunset run!

🚌 Book your onward travel from Essaouira with 12Go—it’s reliable for buses and intercity transfers all over Morocco!

Local Activities & Experiences in Essaouira

The best part about Essaouira?

Slowing down. Drinking good lattes. Watching the locals chop up fresh-caught fish at the port. Cuddling the medina cats.

There isn’t much to do other than slow down, anyway. That’s why people come to Essaouira and stay long after they intended.

That said, you can do quite a bit, even from inside the city walls.

If you are spending a few weeks in Essaouira as a digital nomad, you won’t get bored! Promise!

–> Get inspired by my 3-day Essaouira itinerary

For starters, explore the medina’s hidden nooks and crannies. Obviously, Bri, but hey—I need to say it because I doubt you’ll even be able to find all of the hidden gems on your own.

Essaouira’s medina is a true maze!! Going on a history and culture guided tour makes it even more immersive!

Next, take part in some local activities like dune buggying, surfing, and browsing art galleries. There’s plenty to do in Essaouira.

• Visit the ramparts: Made famous in Game of Thrones! Scaling the sea walls is a fun thing to do, especially around sunset. There are lots of shops, galleries, and rooftop bars to find.
• Drive on the dunes: Explore Essaouira off-road on a 3-hour quad bike dune tour.
• Art galleries: Essaouira is bursting at the seams with beautiful and colorful art galleries. They are everywhere and well worth your time!
• Photo walking tour: You can explore the medina through a local photographer’s lens. This was a fun and memorable thing we discovered during our time there!
• Surf or kitesurf: Essaouira is the ‘Windy City’ after all! Take a surfing lesson with Olasurf or rent gear from the beach.
• Sunset on the beach: Locals play soccer, local musicians perform, and it’s just a beautiful way to end your day.
• Day trip to Sidi Kaouki: Peaceful surf village south of Essaouira!
• Learn to cook Moroccan food: Ever wanted to take chicken lemon tajine home with you? Now you can learn it with this Moroccan local cooking class.

Is Essaouira Safe? Responsible Travel & Nomad Etiquette in Morocco

Essaouira is a bit more laid-back than the cities.

Here, you can walk around in European-style clothing, but I encourage you to dress modestly, even on the beach, out of respect and mindfulness. It is safe for solo female travelers, but you will still get attention. I wouldn’t stay out late on my own.

There are also lots of local cooperatives, especially for argan oil, in Essaouira. You’ll see “demonstrations” especially along the busier tourist streets.

Look for professional certification when shopping for beauty products and oils in Morocco, not just in Essaouira.

Please be wary of the local culture and customs. While Essaouira is a tourist hub, it is respectful to consider your impact, always!

And more takeaways:

• Ask before taking photos of people—this is very important!
• Tipping in restaurants is appreciated (5–10%).
• Be mindful of water use—Essaouira faces droughts! And on that note, don’t drink the tap water.

Is Essaouira Right for You? Nomad Alternatives to Consider

Essaouira felt like the ideal destination in Morocco for our needs as a digital nomad couple.

We wanted to spend our weeks seeping and going deep, rather than touring the country on a go-go-go road trip.

That said, Essaouira can feel too slow for nomads who are used to fast-paced cities.

If you’re looking for nightlife or more things to do, you might be better off basing in Marrakesh or Taghazout (still on the coast; perfect for surfing daily).

Ultimately, if you are searching for slowness and space to seek creativity and community (and cat cuddles), Essaouira is an idyllic nomad spot in Morocco.