Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Aswan or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Essaouira? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Aswan or Essaouira?
Aswan
Lounging along the Nile like Egyptian royalty is a fantasy for most world travelers. If you want to do it without the hustle and bustle of Cairo, there's always Aswan. This city in the south of Egypt is the smallest of the three major cities on the Nile. Located just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Aswan's 275,00 people include a large portion of Nubians – mostly resettled from their flooded homeland.
Essaouira
Essaouira is a beautiful beach town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The city has a pleasant medina that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site and is interesting to explore. It's an 18th century fortified town with a lot of character and charm. The city is rich and culture and you'll find a handful of art galleries throughout the town. The city is also a gathering place for artists and musicians, particularly during the Gnaoua Festival of World Music, which takes place the last week of June. This event attracts about 450,000 visitors yearly.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $28Essaouira $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $28, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $61. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Aswan and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $9.45Essaouira $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $19Essaouira $56
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Essaouira? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Aswan Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $5.18Essaouira $2.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Aswan–Luxor Private Transfer with Guide & Stops at Kom Ombo, Edfu: $250
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada in AC Cars Local Driver: $230
- Private Transfer From Aswan Airport or Hotel to Hurghada by Car: $200
- Private Aswan to Luxor Transfer with Custom Temple Stops: $199
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $189
- Marvel 3-Days Unique Guided Tours Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $167
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $160
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $160
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor by Air-Conditioned Vehicle: $150
- Aswan to Hurghada Private Door to Door Transfer: $140
- Edfu and Kom Ombo Day Tour with Luxor Transfer: $115
- Private Transfer Aswan to Luxor: $105
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $25
- From Agadir : Day in Essaouira with Transfer: $33
- Essaouira P4: excursions EN Quad (free transfer): $34
- Essaouira Airport Private Transfer: $34
- Essaouira P17: Quad ride dunes beaches free transfer.: $34
- Essaouira P3: Quad and Buggy tour beach dunes free transfer: $34
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport: $35
- Essaouira to Marrakech:Private Transfer for a Hassle-Free Journey: $73
- Essaouira P13: 2h quad + 2h camel free transfer: $93
- "Essaouira to Agafay Desert Marrakech: Exclusive Private Transfer: $94
- Transferts Marrakech à Essaouira ou Essaouira à Marrakech: $99
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Aswan change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAswan $14Essaouira $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Nubian Dinner in Nubian Village Of Aswan: $40
- Night Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $42
- Dinner on board a cruise on the Nile: $59
- Private Evening Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $75
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan: $90
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.52
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Breakfast Crepes$0.54
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Fish for Lunch$16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Essaouira
For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Agadir Cooking Class Experience with Local Market Visit: $31
- Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $39
- Cooking class: How To Be a Real Moroccan Chef: $41
- Essaouira Sunset Tour: Sidi M’barek Waterfall,Coastal Walk&Dinner: $48
- Moroccan cooking class in Essaouira city: $53
- Al Aaila Farm Moroccan Natural And Healthy Cooking Experience: $59
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $69
- Essaouira Walking Food Tour: $70
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $70
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $217
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $8.88Essaouira $13
Typical Entertainment Prices in Aswan
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:
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Temple Kom Ombo for Two$1.15
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- 2 Day Aswan Tour+Hotel Includ:Abu Simbel, Philae& Nubian Village: $260
- 2 Hours Private Sound and Light Show Tour in Philae Temple: $85
- 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
- 2-Day Tour Package in Aswan with a Guide: $227
- 3 Days 2 Nights Aswan and Abu Simbel Private Friendly Tour: $200
- 3 Days Private Tour to Abu Simble, Balloon Ride, Aswan and Luxor: $299
- 3 Days and 2 Nights Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $299
- 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
- 3-Day Tour Aswan, Abu Simbel , Luxor & Train ticket, Opt. Balloon: $280
- 4 Day 3 Nights Nile Cruise From Aswan to Luxor: $1,273
- 4 Days Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor including Abu Simbel and Hot Air Balloon: $284
- 4 Days Nile Cruise, Aswan to Luxor AbuSimbel optional hot balloon: $295
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- Essaouira to Marrakech Supratours bus tickets: $18
- Full-Day Essaouira Tour from Marrakech: $29
- Essaouira P6: Cape Sim quad bike tour: $34
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $34
- Quad Adventure in 1 Hour: $39
- Sunset Horse Ride Experience in Essaouira: $47
- Essaouira Dar Sultan Palace Horseback Tour Experience: $53
- Quad bike tour discovery in Essaouira for two hours: $53
- 2 – Hours Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Desert with Moroccan Tea: $55
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $61
- Essaouira Private Art Class Adventure: $65
- Essaouira Paradise Private Kitesurfing Experience: $70
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.01Essaouira $10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Essaouira, we can see that Essaouira is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Aswan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aswan and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Essaouira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Essaouira than you might in Aswan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aswan Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Essaouira?
Aswan has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Essaouira, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.