A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Doha vs. Essaouira for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Doha or Essaouira?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Essaouira can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Doha or Essaouira?

Doha

Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.

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 Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Doha?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $200, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $45. 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 Doha and Essaouira in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Doha $119
    Essaouira $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Doha $238
    Essaouira $52
Compare Hotels in Doha and Essaouira

Looking for a hotel in Doha 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.

Hotels in Doha


Hotels in Essaouira


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: Doha Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Doha $23
    Essaouira $1.99

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:

  • Private Full Day City Sightseeing Tour with Transfer: $243
  • Private Transfer from Doha City to Doha (DOH) Airport: $191
  • Qatar Doha Hamad Airport (DOH): Transfer to Doha city: $177
  • Qatar Doha Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $144
  • Doha Hamad Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $131
  • ONE WAY: Doha International Airport - Private Transfer From/to Hotels: $122
  • Departure Transfer: Doha to Hamad Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $120
  • Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $120
  • Private Arrival Transfer - Al Khor: $120
  • Private Sightseeing Tour in Doha with Roundtrip Transfer: $115
  • Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Car: $108
  • Private Arrival Transfer to Sumaysimah: $100

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira

Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfer From Essaouira Airport To Medina: $22
  • Essaouira : Private Transfer from or to Agafay Desert: $161
  • Hinterland Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $36
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport : $22
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $27
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport (ESU): $22
  • Scenic Hinterland Quad Ride with Transfer: $81
  • From Beachside Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $70
  • From Private Transfer to Casablanca: $323
  • From Private Transfer to Marrakech: $124
  • From Private Transfer to Taghazout or Agadir: $151
  • From Scenic Diabat Horseback Ride with Transfer: $48

Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Essaouira?

Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Doha 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 day
    Doha $61
    Essaouira $14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.

  • Private Dinner on Al Safliya Island: $76
  • Private Souk Waqif with Lunch or Dinner Tour: $96
  • The Pearl-Qatar Food Tour & Boat Ride: $119
  • Half Day Doha City Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $143
  • BBQ Dinner in the desert resort; Dune bashing & camel ride: $165
  • Doha Private Full Day Desert Safari Lunch | Dinner Included: $190
  • Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $195
  • Doha : Full Day Desert Safari | BBQ Dinner | Inland sea: $197
  • Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra: $202
  • Full Day Desert Private Safari with Lunch or Dinner: $214
  • Private Overnight Desert Safari, Dune bashing, dinner & Breakfast: $220
  • From Overnight Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner: $240

Typical Food Prices in Essaouira

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:


  • Baklava
    $1.39
  • Breakfast Crepes
    $0.50
  • 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:

  • Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $39
  • L'Atelier Madada Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $55
  • Essaouira Cooking Class: $66
  • Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $67
  • 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $171
  • 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $173

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Doha $18
    Essaouira $12

Tours and Activities in Doha

Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Doha City Tour And Dhow Boat Ride (Private Tour): $99
  • Private Express Doha City Tour: $165
  • Transit/Layover Tours from Doha Airport – Explore Doha City : $105
  • (Private) Quickie to the Desert Safari Experience - Inland Sea Visit: $100
  • 1 Hour Camel Ride Experience in Sealine Beach: $172
  • 3-Hour Kayaking Eco Adventure - Mangrove Purple Island : $70
  • 4 Hours-Doha City Private Tour: $74
  • 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $72
  • 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $70
  • 4-Hour Private Tour to Msheireb Museums: $100
  • 8-Hour Private Cultural Tour: $288
  • Arabian Sands Half-Day Adventure in Qatar: $140

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
  • 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
  • From Agadir to Essaouira : Coastal Day Tour with Guide: $47
  • 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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Doha $15
    Essaouira $9.13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Essaouira, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha is in Middle East 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 Doha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Doha 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 Doha Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Doha or Essaouira?

Doha has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Doha 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.