Which place is cheaper, San Sebastian or Ephesus?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ephesus or San Sebastian?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ephesus or San Sebastian, 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: Ephesus or San Sebastian?
Ephesus
The ancient city of Ephesus was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC). It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The temple was destroyed in 401 AD and rebuilt by Emperor Constantine I along with new public baths. The town was again partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 AD. The city's importance as a commercial center declined as the harbor was slowly silted up by the Cayster River (Kucuk Menderes).
San Sebastian
San Sebastián is a city in northern Spain very well known for its summertime fun in the sun. While the streets are cool and happening at night, they take on a different charm by day. Beautiful beaches line the city's edge, right next to elegant historic architecture and churches, topping charts as some of the best city beaches in Europe. The food, too, is said to be some of the best with traditional Basque cuisine as well as the popular pintxo (tapas) bites. San Sebastián is a place of lively culture, teeming with beauty, flavors, and colors.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Turkey, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Turkey, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEphesus $143San Sebastian $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Ephesus is $143, while the average daily cost in San Sebastian is $96. 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 Ephesus and San Sebastian in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEphesus $70San Sebastian $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEphesus $140San Sebastian $86
Compare Hotels in Ephesus and San Sebastian
Looking for a hotel in Ephesus or San Sebastian? 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: Ephesus Hotel Prices and San Sebastian Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ephesus $51San Sebastian $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ephesus
Also for Ephesus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Kusadasi Cruise Port to Kusadasi Hotels: $22
- Private Transfer from Kusadasi hotels to Kusadasi Cruise Port: $22
- Private Transfer from Kusadasi Cruise Port to Kusadasi hotels: $24
- Private Transfer from Kusadasi hotels to Kusadasi Cruise Port: $24
- Kusadasi Buggy Car Safari With Free Hotel Transfer Service: $40
- Kusadasi Boat Trip With Lunch And Hotel Transfer: $40
- Kusadasi Half Day Quad Safari Experience With Free Hotel Transfer: $50
- Kusadasi Samos Ferry Trip With Free Hotel Transfer Service: $55
- Private Transfer from Kusadasi Cruise Port to Izmir Airport (ADB): $58
- Scuba Diving Experience in Kusadasi with Instructor and Transfer: $60
- Kusadasi Port Private Departure Transfer: $63
- Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport - Kusadasi Centrum (All hotels, home...) transfers: $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Sebastian
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Sebastian:
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Vitoria: $291
- San Sebastián-Bilbao city or airport private transfer: $273
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Bilbao Airport: $268
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Bilbao: $268
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian Airport to Pamplona city: $247
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Pamplona Airport : $245
- Private Transfer from the Airport to San Sebastian City: $84
Is it cheaper to fly into Ephesus or San Sebastian?
Prices for flights to both San Sebastian and Ephesus 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 dayEphesus $33San Sebastian $33
Typical Food Prices in Ephesus
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ephesus:
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Sandwiches$0.15
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Dessert$0.17
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Lunch at Beach (for 2)$0.59
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Snacks$0.25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ephesus
For Ephesus, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Class in Kusadasi Ephesus: $110
- Ephesus Tour with Cooking Class in the Village: $149
- Taste of Traditional Turkish Cuisine | Small Group Kusadasi Food Tour: $211
- Cooking Class in Ephesus Selcuk Town: $228
Typical Food Prices in San Sebastian
Some typical examples of dining costs in San Sebastian are as follows:
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Dinner for 2$59
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Lunch for 2$11
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Lunch for 2$34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Sebastian
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Sebastian.
- San Sebastian Walking and Food Tour: $104
- Insider Best Culinary Gems Guided Food Tour in San Sebastian: $109
- Basque Cuisine Cooking Class with Market Visit: $148
- Full Day San Sebastian Food Tour : $150
- I travel for Food Tour in San Sebastian: $152
- Authentic Basque Cooking Class in the Old Town: $152
- Private San Sebastian Walking Food Tour: $158
- Michelin Star Secrets Cooking Class in San Sebastian: $213
- Food tour in San Sebastian and Visit to a Gastronomical Club: $224
- History and flavors of San Sebastian for Dinner with Eskerne Falcón: $235
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ephesus $59San Sebastian $36
Tours and Activities in Ephesus
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ephesus.
- For Cruisers: Skip-the-line Private Free Ephesus Tour : $0.05
- Self-guided Virtual Tour of The Highlights: $6.53
- Entry Free: Drive by Ephesus and Ancient Wonder Tour: $12
- Self-guided Virtual Tour of the ancient pearl of the Mediterranean: $17
- Kusadasi Traditional Turkish Bath Hamam Experience : $17
- SKIP THE LINE :Best Seller Ephesus Private Tour For Cruiser Guest: $19
- Private & Mini Group Classical Ephesus Tour For Cruisers: $19
- Skip the Line - Best of Ephesus: $19
- Time Travel in Affordable and Spectacular Experience: $20
- Best of Ephesus Guided Tour For Cruise Guest : $20
- Kusadasi Scuba Diving Tour By Local Experts: $20
- Kusadasi Quad Safari Adventure: $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Sebastian
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in San Sebastian are as follows:
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Valle de los Caídos Monument$6.43
Tours and Activities in San Sebastian
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Sebastian are as follows:
- Biarritz & La Côte Basque Private tour: $246
- Biarritz and French Coast Small Grop Tour from San Sebastian: $86
- Bilbao city and Guggenheim Museum small group tour: $164
- Chef-Led Market Tour & Pintxo Lunch: $163
- Chef-Led Walking Pintxo Tour of San Sebastián : $272
- Cider House Experience From San Sebastian: $120
- City tour, bike ride: $45
- City tour, by electric bicycle: $50
- Coastal "Winery Camino Trail" Walking Tour from San Sebastian: $186
- Electric scooter city tour: $45
- Evening Pintxo-Tapas Tour with Discover San Sebastian: $191
- Exclusive Private Pintxos Adventure with Premium Spanish Wines": $175
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEphesus $15San Sebastian $21
Typical Alcohol Prices in Ephesus
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Ephesus from other travelers:
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Beer$0.12
Sample the Local Flavors in Ephesus
Also in Ephesus, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Skip-the-line Ephesus & Wine Tasting Tour From Kusadasi Port: $53
- Ephesus port tours and Wine Tasting Tours : $70
- Ephesus&Sirince Village with Wine Tasting Shore Ex: $100
- Ephesus and Sirince with Wine tasting Private Half Day Shore Excursion: $100
- Ancient Ephesus tour with Wine Tasting in the village and visit to Mother's Mary House: $130
- Private Ephesus Tour with Wine Tasting: $134
- Virgin Mary Bread and Wine Tour included Lunch: $300
Sample the Local Flavors in San Sebastian
Also in San Sebastian, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ultimate San Sebastian Pintxos & Wine Tour (Evening): $141
- Getaria Txakoli Wine Tour with Hotel Pick-up from San Sebastian: $148
- Best quality food & wine tasting tour in San Sebastian. : $191
- Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries Visit with Tasting from San Sebastian: $240
- Rioja Wine Tour: Winery, Tasting & Lunch from San Sebastian: $251
- Full Rioja Wine Tour with Lunch from San Sebastian Private Tour: $298
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ephesus and San Sebastian, we can see that Ephesus is more expensive. And not only is San Sebastian much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Sebastian would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Sebastian 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 Ephesus would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ephesus than you might in San Sebastian.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ephesus Expensive? and Is San Sebastian Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ephesus or San Sebastian?
San Sebastian has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Ephesus. When comparing the sizes of Ephesus and San Sebastian, 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.
When is the best time to visit Ephesus or San Sebastian?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Ephesus or San Sebastian in the Summer?
Both San Sebastian and Ephesus during the summer are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the beaches and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to San Sebastian this time of year.
Ephesus is a little warmer than San Sebastian in the summer. The daily temperature in Ephesus averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and San Sebastian fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).
In San Sebastian, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Ephesus. In the summer, Ephesus often gets more sunshine than San Sebastian. Ephesus gets 378 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Sebastian receives 209 hours of full sun.
Ephesus usually gets less rain in July than San Sebastian. Ephesus gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while San Sebastian receives 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyEphesus 27°C (81°F)San Sebastian 20°C (68°F)
Should I visit Ephesus or San Sebastian in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Ephesus and San Sebastian. Furthermore, many travelers come to San Sebastian for the shopping scene.
In the autumn, Ephesus is a little warmer than San Sebastian. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Ephesus in October average around 19°C (66°F), and San Sebastian averages at about 16°C (60°F).
In Ephesus, it's very sunny this time of the year. Ephesus usually receives more sunshine than San Sebastian during autumn. Ephesus gets 232 hours of sunny skies, while San Sebastian receives 144 hours of full sun in the autumn.
San Sebastian receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Ephesus usually receives less rain than San Sebastian. Ephesus gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while San Sebastian receives 155 mm (6.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberEphesus 19°C (66°F)San Sebastian 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Ephesus or San Sebastian in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Ephesus as well as San Sebastian. Additionally, many visitors come to San Sebastian in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Ephesus is generally a little warmer than San Sebastian. Daily temperatures in Ephesus average around 10°C (50°F), and San Sebastian fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
In the winter, Ephesus often gets more sunshine than San Sebastian. Ephesus gets 131 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Sebastian receives 85 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in San Sebastian. Ephesus receives a lot of rain in the winter. Ephesus usually gets less rain in January than San Sebastian. Ephesus gets 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while San Sebastian receives 183 mm (7.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryEphesus 10°C (50°F)San Sebastian 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Ephesus or San Sebastian in the Spring?
Both San Sebastian and Ephesus are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to San Sebastian for the beaches during these months.
Ephesus is a little warmer than San Sebastian in the spring. The daily temperature in Ephesus averages around 15°C (59°F) in April, and San Sebastian fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ephesus. Ephesus usually receives more sunshine than San Sebastian during spring. Ephesus gets 231 hours of sunny skies, while San Sebastian receives 141 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Sebastian. In April, Ephesus usually receives less rain than San Sebastian. Ephesus gets 32 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while San Sebastian receives 163 mm (6.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilEphesus 15°C (59°F)San Sebastian 12°C (54°F)
Typical Weather for San Sebastian and Ephesus
| Ephesus | San Sebastian | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 10°C (50°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) |
| Feb | 10°C (50°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 147 mm (5.8 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (53°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 163 mm (6.4 in) |
| May | 19°C (67°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 139 mm (5.5 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (75°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (75°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 155 mm (6.1 in) |
| Nov | 14°C (58°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (53°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 184 mm (7.2 in) |
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.