Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Chania?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chania or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Chania or Essaouira, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Chania or Essaouira?
Chania
Chania is a city on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. Chania is Crete's most evocative city, with its pretty Venetian quarter, crisscrossed by narrow lanes, culminating at a magnificent harbor. At the harbor entrance is a 16th-century lighthouse with Venetian, Egyptian, and Ottoman influences. On the other side, the Nautical Museum has model ships, naval objects and photographs. The former monastery of St. Francis houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania. Remnants of Venetian and Turkish architecture abound, with old townhouses now transformed into atmospheric restaurants and boutique hotels. Although all this beauty means the old town is packed with tourists in summer, it's still a great place to unwind. The Venetian Harbor is super for a stroll and a coffee or cocktail. Plus it’s got a university and a modern area to the city, which means that it retains its charm in winter. Indie boutiques and an entire lane dedicated to leather products provide good shopping and, with a multitude of creative restaurants, you’ll likely have some of your best meals on Crete here.
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 Adventure Tours to Greece, The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in Greece, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChania €93Essaouira €43
The average daily cost (per person) in Chania is €93, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is €43. 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 Chania and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChania €46Essaouira €24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChania €92Essaouira €48
Compare Hotels in Chania and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Chania 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: Chania Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chania €15Essaouira €1.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chania
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chania:
- One-Way Private Helicopter Transfer to Greek Islands: $7,914
- Private Transfer minivan transport in Creta: $616
- Chania to Faistos Palace Private Transfer Full Day Tour: $529
- Chania to Knossos Palace & Heraklion City Private Transfer: $529
- Chania to Irini Gorge & Sougia Village: Private Transfer: $406
- Chania to Imbros Gorge Private Full Day Transfer: $364
- Heraklion Cruise Port: Transfer to Chania city hotels: $351
- Chania Int Airport (CHQ): Transfer to Heraklion Cruise Port: $351
- Chania to Elafonissi Beach/ Cretan Villages Private Transfer: $332
- Balos Beach Private Roundtrip Transfer with Free Time: $235
- Full-Day Trip to Santorini island by Boat from Rethymno with Transfer your Hotel: $228
- Transfer from Chania airport to Elafonisi up to 3 or vise versa: $224
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfert Marrakech to Agafay-Private Agafay to Marrakech : $87
- Airport Transfer From Essaouira Airport To Medina: $22
- Essaouira : Private Transfer from or to Agafay Desert: $160
- Essaouira Airport To city Transfer: $38
- Essaouira private transfer from Essaouira city to Agadir airport (AGA): $138
- Hinterland Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $36
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $27
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport (ESU): $22
- Scenic Hinterland Quad Ride with Transfer: $80
- From Beachside Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $70
- From Private Transfer to Casablanca: $321
- From Private Transfer to Marrakech: $123
Is it cheaper to fly into Chania or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Chania 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 dayChania €32Essaouira €13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chania
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chania.
- The Delicious Chania PRIVATE Street Food Tour : $87
- CHANIA WALKING FOOD TOURS – 3 HOUR WALKING TOUR: $107
- CHANIA CRETE COOKING CLASSES – 3 HOURS: $107
- Chania Cooking Class-The Authentic: $118
- Guided Walking Food Tour with Tasting: $123
- From The Ultimate Food Tour Of Chania Villages: $123
- Wine, Food, and Sunset Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $127
- From Agioi Theodoroi Catamaran Dinner Cruise: $127
- Sunset Craft Beer & Food Tour: $128
- Sunset Craft Beer & Food Tour - Chania: $131
- Horse riding,falasarna sunset,dinner in a tavern,drone video: $214
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava€1.31
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Breakfast Crepes€0.47
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Fish for Lunch€14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Essaouira
For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $39
- L'Atelier Madada Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $55
- Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $67
- 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $170
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chania €21Essaouira €11
Tours and Activities in Chania
Here are a few actual costs in Chania for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cretan Night Show Tour From Rethymnon: $54
- Private Tour to Elafonisi and Falasarna: $131
- 6-Hours Safari Tour in Damnoni and Skinaria Beach, from Plakias: $37
- All Day Family Tour to Rethymno & Kournas Lake | JMP Tours: $352
- All Inclusive Full-day Private Tour of Crete Villages from Chania: $279
- Amazing Crete - Elafonisi, Day Tour: $557
- Authentic Wine & Food Tastings - PRIVATE Walking Tour with Lunch: $158
- Avra, full day sailing cruise: $749
- Avra, half - day sailing cruise: $535
- Balos & Falassarna Beach - Jeep Tour with Loungers and Lunch: $164
- Chania Alternative Sunset Bike Tour: $47
- Chania Battle of Crete Private Tour: WW2 Military History: $144
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- Highlights Tour with Tasting the Ocean City: $19
- Full Day Tour From Marrakech To Essaouira Mogador: $21
- Private City Tour: $26
- From Marrakech: Guided tour of Essaouira the coastal city: $26
- Friend-Guide Essaouira city tour: $31
- 3-Hour Camel Tour: $40
- Cultural & Historical Sightseeing Tour - half day: $41
- Guided Dromedary Riding Tour: $48
- Half-Day Old Town Guided Tour: $48
- Essaouira : 1H quad bike tour and 1H camel ride: $57
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $57
- 2 Hour Quad & ATV Experience: $58
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChania €18Essaouira €8.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Chania
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Chania:
- Cretan wine tasting, hosted in French: $91
- Milia Mountain Tour w/Lunch Olive Oil/Wine Tastings: $144
- Wines, Olives, and History: A Private Wine Tour from Chania: $791
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chania and Essaouira, we can see that Chania is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Chania is in Europe and Essaouira is in Africa, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Essaouira would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Essaouira 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 Chania would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chania than you might in Essaouira.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chania Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chania or Essaouira?
Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 29% larger than the population of Chania. When comparing the sizes of Chania 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.