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

Should you visit Durban or Essaouira?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Durban and Essaouira. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Durban or Essaouira?

Durban

The third largest city in South Africa, Durban sits on the east coast of the country in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The city also has the country's most active port. The city's comfortable weather and vast beaches make it one of the country's major tourist centers. There's a population of about 3.5 million in the entire metropolitan area that spreads over 2,295 square kilometers.

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 Overlanding Trips in South Africa, The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Durban?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Durban is $52, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $46. 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 Durban and Essaouira in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Durban $24
    Essaouira $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Durban $48
    Essaouira $52
Compare Hotels in Durban and Essaouira

Looking for a hotel in Durban 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 Durban


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: Durban Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Durban $13
    Essaouira $1.99

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durban

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

  • From Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Overnight Safari w/ Transfer: $500
  • Private transfers from King Shaka Airport: $107
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Durban Airport DUR to Durban City by Minivan: $84
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Durban Airport DUR to Durban City by Business Car: $78
  • Departure Private Transfer: Durban City to Durban Airport DUR by Business Car: $76
  • Durban King Airport (DUR) to Durban - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $55
  • 1-3 Passenger Private Durban - Airport Transfer: $46
  • Durban Cruise Ship Transfers : $39
  • Private Sedan Transfers - Durban King Shaka: $35
  • Private Transfers - Minibus - Durban Arrivals and Departures: $32
  • Durban to Durban King Airport (DUR) - Departure Private Transfer: $27
  • Durban Airport (DUR) to Durban - Arrival Private Transfer: $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira

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

  • From Private Transfer to Casablanca: $321
  • Private Transfer Essaouira - Rabat: $262
  • Essaouira : Private Transfer from or to Agafay Desert: $160
  • From Private Transfer to Taghazout or Agadir: $150
  • Essaouira private transfer from Essaouira city to Agadir airport (AGA): $138
  • From Private Transfer to Marrakech: $123
  • Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $102
  • Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
  • Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
  • Transfert Marrakech to Agafay-Private Agafay to Marrakech : $87
  • Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira : $87
  • Scenic Hinterland Quad Ride with Transfer: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Durban or Essaouira?

Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Durban 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
    Durban $16
    Essaouira $14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Durban

For Durban, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Half Day Guided Taste of Africa Food Tour in Durban: $41

Typical Food Prices in Essaouira

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


  • Baklava
    $1.40
  • 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
  • Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $67
  • 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $170

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Durban $16
    Essaouira $12

Tours and Activities in Durban

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Durban.

  • 1/2 Day Durban City & Phezulu Tour From Durban: $149
  • 1/2 Day Durban City Tour: $122
  • 1/2 Day Durban City Tour: $155
  • 1/2 Day Durban City Tour & Phezulu Tour: $145
  • 1/2 Day Phezulu Safari Tour from Durban: $149
  • 1/2 Day Tala Game Reserve & Lion Park Tour From Durban: $151
  • 1/2 Day Tala Game Reserve & Natal Lion Park Tour from Durban: $151
  • 1/2 Day Tour to Drakensberg Mountains & Hiking from Durban: $150
  • 1/2 Tala Game Reserve & Phezulu Safari Park Tour: $152
  • 12 Days Best Of South Africa Tour - Johannesburg to CapeTown: $3,353
  • 15 Day Tour Cape Town to Johannesburg: $3,151
  • 2 Day Hluhluwe Imfolo & Isimangaliso W/Park Tour from Durban: $634

Tours and Activities in Essaouira

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.

  • Big Cap Sim dunes and forest 3 hours tour.: $70
  • 2 Hour Quad & ATV Experience: $58
  • Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $57
  • Essaouira : 1H quad bike tour and 1H camel ride: $57
  • Essaouira : Half-day E-Experience from Mountains to Sea: $129
  • Essaouira Guided Tour: 3 on 1 - Nightlife tour, Live like a local & Street food: $65
  • Essaouira Sand Dunes: Half Day Quad Bike Tour: $65
  • 3-Hour Camel Tour: $40
  • 3-Hour Quad Bike Tour: $87
  • Area Highlights 3 hours E-Bike Tour: $61
  • Atlantic Dune Buggy Adventure: $206
  • Cultural & Historical Sightseeing Tour - half day: $41

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Durban $13
    Essaouira $9.16

Sample the Local Flavors in Durban

Also in Durban, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bar Crawl in Durban : $36


When comparing the travel costs between Durban and Essaouira, we can see that Durban is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Durban Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Durban or Essaouira?

Durban has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Durban 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.