Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Dakar?
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 Dakar or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Dakar 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: Dakar or Essaouira?
Dakar
Located in West Africa, Dakar is the capital city of Senegal and an Atlantic port on the Cap-Vert peninsula. Main attractions include the city's markets, the Dakar Grand Mosque, Goree Island, the IFAN Museum, the African Renaissance Monument, beaches, and the Senegal Zoo.
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 Senegal, The Best Luxury Tours to Senegal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Dakar Prices
Senegal PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDakar $79Essaouira $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Dakar is $79, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $56. 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 Dakar and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDakar $34Essaouira $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDakar $68Essaouira $52
Compare Hotels in Dakar and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Dakar 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: Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dakar $5.61Essaouira $2.02
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dakar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dakar:
- Transfer - DSS Airport Saint-Louis (One way): $275
- Blaise Diagne Int Airport (DSS): Transfer to Dakar hotels: $230
- Private Transfer from Dakar to Blaise Diagne Airport (DSS): $225
- Blaise Diagne Intl Airport (DSS) to Dakar hotels - Round-Trp Private Transfer: $142
- DSS Airport Transfer Dakar (Return): $126
- Private Transfer DSS AIBD Airport - Dakar (two directions): $97
- Transfer from Blaise Diagne Airport to Hotel 1/3 people: $92
- DSS Airport To Dakar Center Premium Private Transfer: $73
- DSS Airport to RIU Baobab Hotel – Premium Private Transfer: $73
- Private Transfer, Airport, Hotels, Dakar, Saly and Surrounding Areas: $72
- Dakar hotels to Blaise Diagne Intl Airport (DSS) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Transfer - DSS Airport Dakar (One way): $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Essaouira Airport Private Transfer: $33
- Essaouira Desert Quad and Sandboarding with Photos and Transfer: $69
- Essaouira P13: 2h quad + 2h camel free transfer: $90
- Essaouira P17: Quad ride dunes beaches free transfer.: $33
- Essaouira P1: Quad ride / family & friends (free transfer): $33
- Essaouira P2: dunes wipe & beaches in quad with transfer: $33
- Essaouira P3: Quad and Buggy tour beach dunes free transfer: $33
- Essaouira P5: Quad EN route DE la mer (free transfer): $33
- Essaouira to Agafay Desert Marrakech Exclusive Private Transfer: $91
- Essaouira to Marrakech:Private Transfer for a Hassle-Free Journey: $86
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport: $31
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Dakar or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Dakar 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 dayDakar $36Essaouira $24
Typical Food Prices in Dakar
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dakar:
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Breakfast$4.29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dakar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dakar.
- Authentic Jollof Cooking Class: $99
- Senegalese Street Food Tour in Dakar: $115
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.41
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Breakfast Crepes$0.50
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Fish for Lunch$15
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: $30
- Cooking class: How To Be a Real Moroccan Chef: $40
- Essaouira Sunset Tour: Sidi M’barek Waterfall,Coastal Walk&Dinner: $47
- Moroccan cooking class in Essaouira city: $52
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $52
- Essaouira Berber Cooking Class & Organic Farm Tour Al Aaila Farm: $52
- Sidi Kaouki Sunset Walk and Berber Tent Dinner by Atlantic: $52
- Essaouira Cooking Class At Home: $52
- Relaxation Day at Iftan Beach & Fresh Fish Lunch/Dinner: $54
- Cooking Class in Essaouira Countryside: $57
- Souk Stories Essaouira Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dakar $14Essaouira $12
Tours and Activities in Dakar
Here are a few actual costs in Dakar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dakar City Tour and Goree Island: $162
- Dakar City Tour with Guide Markets and Landmarks: $172
- Dakar Senegalese Culture and History 4 Hour Tour: $150
- Dakar in 3h: Full tour by traditional fast coach: $34
- Pink Lake and Turtle Village Half-Day Tour: $200
- Private City Tour: $117
- Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide: $33
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $33
- prepare the thieboudienne for the ultimate local experience: $55
- private tour "move, eat, act like a local": $82
- Day tour Somone lagoon and Bandia park Safari: $244
- Day tour in Dakar museum and monument: $149
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- Self Guided Essaouira Medina Architecture Audio Tour: $5.49
- Essaouira to Marrakech Supratours bus tickets: $18
- Essaouira Camel Ride, Quad Bike & Buggy Adventure: $22
- Full-Day Essaouira Tour from Marrakech: $29
- Small Group Surf Lesson in Essaouira 3 Hour Experience: $29
- Quad bike tour discovery in Essaouira for two hours: $30
- Scenic Horseback Adventure Along Essaouira’s Beaches: $31
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira desert: $32
- 2-Hour Beach & Dunes Quad Tour with Tea: $33
- Essaouira P6: Cape Sim quad bike tour: $33
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $33
- Sunset Horse Ride Experience in Essaouira: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDakar $9.41Essaouira $9.27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dakar and Essaouira, we can see that Dakar is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Dakar would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dakar 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 Dakar Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dakar or Essaouira?
Dakar has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Dakar 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.