Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Dharamsala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Dharamsala or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Dharamsala 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: Dharamsala or Essaouira?
Dharamsala
With a name that literally means "a spiritual dwelling," Dharamsala roughly translates as a shelter or rest house for pilgrims and travelers. Home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile, Dharamsala is today a popular destination for foreigners on vacation, backpackers seeking the surrounding mountains, as well as students of Buddhism.
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 Religious Tours in India, The Best Yoga Tours and Retreats in India, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
-
Dharamsala Prices
India PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDharamsala $36Essaouira $57
The average daily cost (per person) in Dharamsala is $36, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $57. 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 Dharamsala and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDharamsala $20Essaouira $26
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDharamsala $40Essaouira $52
Compare Hotels in Dharamsala and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Dharamsala 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: Dharamsala Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dharamsala $4.51Essaouira $2.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer services between Essaouira Airport and the city center: $17
- Private Transfer Marrakech Aéroport to Marrakech: $23
- Transfer Airport Essaouira Mogador: $23
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport: $31
- From Agadir : Day in Essaouira with Transfer: $33
- Essaouira P4: excursions EN Quad (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 P17: Quad ride dunes beaches free transfer.: $33
- Private Transfer aéroport essaouira to essaouira city: $39
- Essaouira P13: 2h quad + 2h camel free transfer: $90
- Essaouira to Agafay Desert Marrakech Exclusive Private Transfer: $90
Is it cheaper to fly into Dharamsala or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Dharamsala 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
-
Food Meals for one dayDharamsala $13Essaouira $24
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
-
Baklava$1.43
-
Breakfast Crepes$0.51
-
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: $46
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $51
- Sidi Kaouki Sunset Walk and Berber Tent Dinner by Atlantic: $51
- Essaouira Cooking Class At Home: $51
- Essaouira Berber Cooking Class & Organic Farm Tour Al Aaila Farm: $54
- Cooking Class in Essaouira Countryside: $57
- Essaouira Family Dinner Experience: $64
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $67
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $68
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $210
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dharamsala $4.89Essaouira $12
Tours and Activities in Dharamsala
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Dharamsala are as follows:
- Dharamshala Street Food Crawl ( Guided Food Tasting Tour): $27
- Dharamshala: 2-Day Guided Tour with Waterfall Hike: $208
- Dharamshala: Full-Day Sightseeing Tour with Lunch: $89
- Discover Dharamshala in a Day: Guided Tour with Hotel Pickup: $73
- Guided Cycling tour in Dharamshala: $26
- Guided Kora Circuit & Walking Tour Around McLeod Ganj: $36
- Hiking Day Tour to Triund from Dharamshala: $36
- Historical Tour, Kangra fort &Rock cut temple from Dharmasla: $99
- Private 2-Days McLeodGanj & Dharamshala Guided Tour: $90
- Private 6 hrs Mcleodganj & Dharamshala City Tour: $58
- The Spiritual Trails of Dharamshala(Guided Walking Tour): $14
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
- Small Group Surf Lesson in Essaouira 3 Hour Experience: $28
- Full-Day Essaouira Tour from Marrakech: $28
- 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
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $33
- Essaouira P6: Cape Sim quad bike tour: $33
- Sunset Horse Ride Experience in Essaouira: $33
- 1-Hour Scenic Quad Bike Tour: Discover Essaouira’s Coastline: $34
- Quad Adventure in 1 Hour: $37
- 2-Hour Beach & Dunes Quad Tour with Tea: $39
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayDharamsala $4.89Essaouira $9.36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dharamsala and Essaouira, we can see that Essaouira is more expensive. And not only is Dharamsala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dharamsala is in Asia 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 Dharamsala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dharamsala 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 Dharamsala.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dharamsala Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dharamsala or Essaouira?
Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Dharamsala. When comparing the sizes of Dharamsala 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.