Internet in Morocco: What It’s Really Like for Vanlifers

Before our first trip to Morocco, one of my biggest concerns was internet access.

Not because I wanted to watch Netflix or spend all day scrolling social media. I work as a freelance graphic designer while traveling, so having a reliable internet connection is important. Sending large design files, communicating with clients, uploading content – all of that depends on staying connected.

After spending three months in Morocco, I can honestly say: don’t worry about the internet. It’s much better than I expected.   

We Used Two Different Mobile Operators

When we arrived, we bought an Inwi SIM card from a small mobile phone shop displaying an Inwi sign outside. Nothing complicated. The SIM card itself cost around €2, and then we added data packages – 20 GB for around €10 and 40 GB for around €20. We never really looked at smaller packages because we knew we’d be using quite a lot of data.

A few weeks later, something interesting happened. One day our internet completely disappeared. At first, we thought we had somehow broken our setup or driven into a bad coverage area. It turned out there was a larger issue affecting Inwi users across Morocco. So we did what most van lifers would probably do – we immediately bought a second SIM card from Maroc Telecom. The prices were almost identical, and having two different operators turned out to be a great backup plan. Throughout the trip, we simply switched between the two depending on which network had better coverage.

Was It Good Enough for Remote Work?

Yes, absolutely.

I worked remotely as a freelance graphic designer throughout the trip and regularly used my phone as a hotspot for my laptop. Sending design files, communicating with clients, browsing, and uploading content all worked perfectly fine. My husband runs the Instagram account @mo.the.black and regularly uploads reels, photos, and stories while traveling, so between the two of us we put the connection to good use. For our needs, mobile internet was more than enough.

Did We Ever Lose Signal?

Only once in a memorable way.

We spent several days driving through a remote rocky desert region and, after about four days, completely lost mobile coverage. No internet, no signal, nothing. That was probably the only moment during the entire trip when we felt slightly nervous. We weren’t exactly lost, but suddenly realized how dependent we’ve become on having a connection.

Thankfully, we had downloaded offline maps before heading into the desert. Those maps saved the day. If you’re traveling through remote areas of Morocco, downloading offline maps beforehand is one of the smartest things you can do.

Morocco vs Latvia

We’re from Latvia, where mobile coverage is generally excellent and data plans are very affordable. Compared to Latvia, Morocco’s internet is definitely not as good, but honestly, it’s much better than I expected.

There were several moments when we looked around at our surroundings and wondered how we were getting a signal at all. Sometimes we were parked in what felt like the middle of nowhere, yet we still had enough connection to work. That was one of the biggest surprises of the trip.

What About Starlink?

We only used mobile internet and never felt the need for Starlink. That said, we met plenty of van lifers traveling with Starlink setups, especially those working online full-time. It’s definitely popular in Morocco, but for us, local SIM cards were more than enough.

Personally, I’d choose local SIM cards again. Many eSIM plans come with hotspot restrictions or limited tethering, which simply doesn’t work for the way I travel and work. When your laptop depends on your phone’s connection every day, unrestricted hotspot access becomes important. Buying local SIM cards in Morocco was easy, affordable, and topping them up was surprisingly simple.

My Advice?

Don’t overthink it.

Before arriving in Morocco, I worried about internet access far more than I needed to. The reality was simple: internet is widely available, easy to buy, reasonably priced, and good enough for most travelers. Just grab a local SIM card, download offline maps before heading into remote areas, and enjoy the adventure.

Morocco has many surprises waiting for you. A lack of internet probably won’t be one of them.