Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco: To travel endlessly, to earn a living independently and on the move. Many people, especially young people, have dreams like this.

People who feel trapped by the prospect of a life made up of routines and monotony, with jobs that are repeated day after day and who long for a different way of working, one that offers freedom of schedule and that can be carried out anywhere in the world.

The expansion and widespread use of the Internet has turned what was only a dream a couple of decades ago into reality.

The first people to be able to enjoy the advantages of an itinerant life had independent jobs, typically linked to creative activities and with a certain appetite for technology. Writers, web designers, online store owners.

For them, all that was needed to do their job was an internet connection and access to a computer.

Over time, this possibility spread to more people.

The generalization of the internet and the simplification of its use has removed technological know-how from the list of requirements for embracing this lifestyle and the business models and functions that can now be performed remotely have multiplied.

A few years ago, the first coworking spaces began to open, spaces for independent professionals or those working remotely for a single employer.

Here, working conditions are optimized, with comfortable chairs and desks, leisure areas, technological resources available to clients, cheerful and inspiring décor, abundant light and refreshments available.

What is a Coliving Space?

The users of these spaces are not necessarily itinerant but are often professionals who used to work from home but have found coworking spaces as a solution to increase their productivity and reduce their distractions.

Many of these professionals had discovered that they could work while traveling and in fact, many of them adopted a wandering lifestyle, moving from one place to another, temporarily settling in pleasant places that offered them joint conditions for leisure and productivity.

Idyllic places such as the Greek Islands, Bali or the Philippines, with already acceptable Internet connections, low living costs and an appreciable quality of life, became much sought after by these people and so the term digital nomad was born.

And so it was that at some point someone thought that in addition to the already common coworking spaces, coliving spaces could be created, places where digital nomads could live for as long as they wished and where all the working conditions would be created for these itinerant professionals, including a coworking area and accommodation, shared or not, thus creating very dynamic small communities made up of people with the same lifestyle and interests.

Traveling and Working in Morocco

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco: Morocco is the ideal country for today’s digital nomad. It has a mild climate for most of the year, an exotic culture, abundant and easy-to-use public transport, good beaches, nice people, delicious food, a low cost of living, security, political stability and enormous accessibility. All attractive factors for people who work while they travel.

Here you’ll find an excellent base, with a good range of coworking spaces and the first steps towards integrating a coliving lifestyle. Why not spend a few months exploring Morocco, working while you do so and enjoying conditions optimized for creation and productivity?

There are currently several coworking spaces in Morocco, and in some cities, such as Casablanca, there are already more than a dozen. In addition, the first coliving spaces have recently begun to emerge, which have been received with great enthusiasm by the digital nomad community.

Coworking and Coliving in Ouarzazate

This quiet town is in a strategic position, serving as a connection point between Marrakech, the populations of the High Atlas and the ancient trade routes that crossed the Sahara desert.

It is therefore an excellent base for those wishing to explore and get to know the desert and the mountains, getting away from the big historic Moroccan cities.

Very close by is the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but in the surrounding area you can find other historic palaces and villages, more discreet and less touristy, and the charming Oasis of Fint.

In the city itself you should visit the Kasbah of Taourirt and the picturesque neighborhood of Tassoumaat, and for movie lovers there are two production studios where films such as Lawrence of Arabia or The Gladiator and parts of The Game of Thrones were shot.

Ouarzazate is just a few hours by bus from Marrakech and there is a small airport with daily connections to other cities in Morocco and some international routes, including those operated by Ryanair from Madrid, Bordeaux and Marseille.

Dar Digital Nomad

Dar Digital Nomad is a fairly new coliving space. It is located in a central but quiet area of Ouarzazate, from where you can simply walk to the most significant points of the city.

The space has been completely renovated and prepared for its coliving functions. The decorative style chosen combines traditional Moroccan features with the modernity that the digital nomad always expects. Unlike most spaces of this kind, at Dar Digital Nomad you’ll find a more intimate atmosphere, as there are only two shared rooms, for two people each. In each of them there is a bunk bed with very generously sized beds, one of which is reserved for female residents and the other for male guests.

The apartment is equipped with a modern kitchen, a more social space with a TV, and a work area with four large desks and four office chairs. Internet access is via a fiber optic connection with 100 mbps download and 10 mbps upload.

Prices

What about prices? Well, the minimum stay is two weeks, and for that period residents will pay 200 euros. A one-month stay can cost 340 euros, and there are frequent discount campaigns from then on. This price includes accommodation, office, kitchen, electricity, water, gas and internet.

Coworking and Coliving in Taghazout

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco: Taghazout is a quiet fishing village of about five thousand inhabitants, almost all Berbers, located about 20 km north of Agadir.

It is known for its beaches, which are very popular with surfers, making it the ideal location for digital nomads who enjoy this water sport.

There’s nothing better than getting your work done in a couple of hours, enjoying some good waves and spending the rest of the day chatting with other members of the community.

To break up the daily routines of Taghazout, you can go to Vale do Paraíso, a natural and secluded area where you’ll find excellent natural swimming pools.

SunDesk

SunDesk is more than just a workspace, it’s a living community, made up of professionals, mostly young people, who spend some of their time traveling there, sometimes for weeks, in some cases for months.

You don’t have to be a resident to have access to the services available to coworkers, but the truth is that you won’t often go to Taghazout just to use SunDesk’s common work areas.

There are indoor and outdoor spaces and a dedicated room for teleconferences, where you have all the privacy you need for remote meetings and interviews.

Each resident is entitled to a personal workspace, consisting of a desk, lamp, ergonomic chair and a small storage area. There is a social corner where people can stock up on tea, coffee and even fruit.

Prices vary depending on the time of year, the length of stay and the type of room (shared with another person or private).

Prices

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco: In the middle season, for example April and May, you’ll pay 600 euros a month for a private room, or 455 euros for a bed in a two-person room. If you want to stay for less than a month, the daily rate is 25 euros for a private room and 17.50 euros for a bed in a twin room. The accommodation is divided into apartments with a kitchen and two bedrooms.

These rates include a good breakfast, daily cleaning of the rooms, a locker for valuables, access to a fully equipped kitchen and a washing machine. In addition, of course, residents have permanent access to the coworking area.

Coworking and Coliving in Marrakech

Marrakech needs no introduction as one of Morocco’s most popular cities. The big Jemaa el-Fna square stands out, where the entertainment almost never stops, reaching its maximum intensity in the late afternoon. Here visitors can see activities as diverse as dancing, boxing, storytelling, henna tattooing and much more. There is also an extensive historical heritage, such as the Bahia Palace or the El Badi Palace, museums of great interest and diverse spaces, such as the Majorelle Gardens, owned by Yves St Laurent and previously privately accessible.

The medina itself, without the splendor of Fez, promises to surprise with its many charming corners and shops. In any case, you’ll have to keep in mind that the coliving is in the Ourika Valley, and you’ll probably be interested in exploring the region, while it’s also possible to have a desert experience in Agafay, about 40 km from Marrakech.

The Outmakers

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco: The Outmakers is a group of coliving spaces with locations in the French Alps, Corsica and Morocco, where they have settled in the Ourika Valley, near Marrakech.

Just 15 minutes from Morocco, it is a very valid option for those looking to concentrate on work, offering a very peaceful location with excellent views of the Atlas Mountains. There are all the facilities needed for everyday life, with a bar, a restaurant, a barbecue area and a pleasant swimming pool suitable for a good swim.

In total, to give you an idea of the size of the space, there are two bedrooms, four large tents and four small tents.

When it comes to working, residents can choose from a variety of spaces: from the pool area to the garden, including some covered areas.

Prices

Accommodation is mainly in glamping – luxury tents with exquisite decoration and high comfort – but there are more conventional double rooms. Prices for a tent with a double bed range from 990 euros to 1290 euros, depending on the size.

But if you rent by the week, the daily price is higher, ranging from 350 euros to 490 euros per week, which is the minimum period to stay here. A shared room (for two people), on the other hand, will cost 450 euros per person per month or 140 euros per week per person for shorter stays. These prices include breakfast, a private bathroom, daily cleaning and access to a kitchen.

By the way, The Outmakers can transfer you to and from the airport for 10 euros. This is basically a private car, which can also drive residents to Marrakech for the same price per journey. The car can take up to six passengers, so the cost can be split between the residents interested in each trip.

CocoWork Marrakech

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco: The Spot is the space associated with the CocoWork network in Marrakech. It is located in the Gueliz district, close to the train station and not far from the medina, which can be reached on foot in a leisurely stroll or, for when the day isn’t inviting or there’s no time to waste, a cab or even a city bus can take you to the center of the old city in just a few minutes.

It’s a cheerful space, decorated in bright colors, with wooden tables and desks, seating for seventy people and offering four private offices and a meeting room.

Prices

As far as prices are concerned, access costs around 140 euros per month, 40 euros per week or 7 euros per day. The space is permanently available, 24 hours a day.

Coworking and Coliving in Rabat

Rabat is one of Morocco’s so-called imperial cities and the country’s current capital.

In a way, it is disliked by international visitors, who tend to be more interested in Marrakech or even Fez, but the truth is that it is a city with many points of interest, combining the always fascinating heritage of the medina with a more refined modernity than is usually found in the nouvelle cités of Moroccan cities.

As well as being able to entertain the traveler for a long time, it is very well connected with the world and the rest of the country, making it the ideal base for those who want to work for a while in Morocco.

Rabat’s main attractions are the Chellah, a fortress lost in the middle of the old city, King Hassan’s Tower and the Tomb of Mohammad V, the Kasbah des Oudaias, which is the historic core of the city, the Andalusian Gardens and the Royal Palace.  On top of all this, there is a beach in Rabat and many more in the surrounding area, making it the ideal setting for a digital nomad to spend some time.

Coworking and Coliving in Casablanca

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco: Morocco’s largest city is in many people’s imaginations, especially older people, because of the mythical film of the same name, one of the great landmarks in the history of cinema. However, the real Casablanca no longer has much of that romantic atmosphere, but has modernized and grown.

Casablanca’s historic center is small but charming. Nearby is the great Hassan II Mosque, the largest in Africa and the fifth largest in the world.  Nearby there are small squares where the community gathers, surrounded by local restaurants, ideal for people-watching and enjoying the day.

Casablanca, due to its size, is one of the most accessible places in the country. It’s easy to get to the airport using the convenient train, whose station is in the center. And from the Mohammed V International terminals you can reach almost anywhere in the world, including Lisbon, where there are direct flights with TAP and Royal Air Maroc.

CocoWork Casablanca

The main coworking space associated with CocoWork in Casablanca is called Common. It is located between La Gironde and Habbous, in an area that may have the technical conditions for good work but is somewhat remote (about 4 km) from the city’s most iconic places.

The space is in a modern building, occupying two floors. The windows are huge, from floor to ceiling, filling the work area with light and positive energy. Despite the modern surroundings, the promoters of the space have given it a traditional touch, using mosaics on the walls and applying other details that serve as a bridge between Moroccan culture and the technological winds that have blown in from the West. 

The Common offers a total of sixty workstations, including thirty private offices and four meeting rooms, supported by a good computer network, quality internet, printers, photocopiers, scanners and projectors. Access to the space is guaranteed 24 hours a day and those who like animals have good news here: you can bring your dog or cat to work.

Prices

Coworking and Coliving Spaces in Morocco: The price for access to the Common is around 150 euros per month or, for shorter periods, around 12 euros per day.