Which place is cheaper, Barcelona or Essaouira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Essaouira or Barcelona?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Essaouira and Barcelona can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Essaouira or Barcelona?
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.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with a population of over 1.5 million people. It's also the capital of Catalonia and is located on the northeastern part of the Mediterranean coast. Barcelona is one of the country's most popular travel destinations because of its rich history, interesting architecture, and vibrant culture. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic games and that had a strong influence over tourism in the area. Many different neighborhoods were renovated and rebuilt. Modern design became the norm in many parts of the city, although there is still an old city feel and many efforts at preservation.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco, The Best Contiki Tours to Spain, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEssaouira $46Barcelona $167
The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $46, while the average daily cost in Barcelona is $167. 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 Essaouira and Barcelona in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEssaouira $26Barcelona $103
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEssaouira $52Barcelona $206
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Barcelona
Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Barcelona? 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 and Barcelona Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Essaouira $1.99Barcelona $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Marrakech : Private Transfer from or to Marrakech Airoport: $22
- Airport Transfer From Essaouira Airport To Medina: $22
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport (ESU): $22
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $27
- Hinterland Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $36
- Essaouira Airport To city Transfer: $38
- From Scenic Diabat Horseback Ride with Transfer: $48
- From Beachside Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $70
- Scenic Hinterland Quad Ride with Transfer: $80
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira : $87
- Transfert Marrakech to Agafay-Private Agafay to Marrakech : $87
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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10 Trip Metro Ticket$8.36
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Airport Bus$5.36
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Metro$2.25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:
- Private Transfer Barcelona - Benidorm: $524
- Private Transfer from Barcelona city to Harbor up to 15 people: $300
- Private Transfer from Barcelona to Figueres: $293
- Barcelona Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport to PortAventura hotels: $290
- transfer with wheelchair Accessible from Bcn airport/ port/city: $285
- Private Transfer from Barcelona to Girona City (or vice versa): $284
- Private Transfer Tarragona Port to Barcelona/Hotels: $283
- Montserrat RoundTrip Transfer with lunch: $282
- Private Transfer from Barcelona to Tarragona Cruise Terminal: $281
- Barcelona to Andorra Private Transfer: $272
- Private Transfer from Barcelona to Tossa de Mar/ Lloret de Mar: $262
- Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport to Port Aventura: $262
Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Barcelona?
Prices for flights to both Barcelona and Essaouira 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 dayEssaouira $14Barcelona $35
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.40
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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:
- 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
Typical Food Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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Hot Cocoa & Churro$4.45
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Sandwich$1.82
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Baguette & Horchata$4.07
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Tapas on the beach$8.88
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Gelatto$2.68
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Barcelona
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Barcelona.
- Barcelona Street Food Tour with Local Market & City Center Visit: $21
- Barcelona Guided Street Food Tour and Gothic Quarter Visit: $21
- Flamenco at El Patio Andaluz with Optional Dinner: $27
- Walking Tour + Flamenco + Tapas Dinner (choose options): $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona with Set Lunch or Dinner: $30
- La Barceloneta: Tapas Food Tour: $37
- Barcelona La Barceloneta Tapas Food Tour: $38
- Barcelona Street Food Tour: Local Market & Gothic Quarter with Expert Guide: $43
- Boqueria Market & Barrio Gotico Street Food Tour: $56
- Wine Tasting and Tapas 5-Course Pairing Dinner: $59
- Paella Cooking Experience & Wine: $59
- Paella Cooking Experience and Wine in Barcelona: $60
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Essaouira $12Barcelona $36
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
- Full Day Tour From Marrakech To Essaouira Mogador: $21
- 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
- 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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:
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Picasso Walking Tour and Museum Pass$45
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Souvenir Gaudi Book$9.16
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Admission to Museo Picasso$6.43
Tours and Activities in Barcelona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Barcelona are as follows:
- Barcelona Christmas Walking Tour: $29
- Cruise into Barcelona? Get the Most out of Your Visit!: $117
- Dali Museum, Besalu & Girona Tour from Barcelona by Fast Train : $120
- Girona and Costa Brava with Lunch: VIP Small Group Tour: $16
- Montserrat Mountains Half - Day Private Tour - From Barcelona : $261
- Private Guides Barcelona Tour with Skip The Line in Cathedral: $217
- Private Mountain Bike Tour in Barcelona: $33
- Sagrada Familia "Fast Track" Guided Tour in Barcelona: $106
- Sagrada Familia Bike Tour in Small Group: $86
- Sagrada Familia Comedy Tour: $3.26
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Legends of the Gothic Quarter: $10
- Skip The Line - Early Picasso Museum and Born Neighborhood: $56
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEssaouira $9.16Barcelona $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
- Barcelona Pub Crawl by King - Bar & Nightclub Hopping Tour: $14
- Barcelona Pub Crawl by KING - Nightlife Party Experience: $16
- Estrella Damm Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting: $16
- Night Pub Crawl Tour in Barcelona: $16
- Barcelona Bar Crawl: 4+ Venues, Free shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Estrella Damm Old Brewery Tour with Tasting: $21
- Estrella Damm Old Brewery Barcelona Guided Tour with Beer Tasting: $22
- Nightlife Tour - Barcelona Bar Crawl with Flamingos: $23
- Barcelona Bar Crawl: $26
- Barcelona Weekend Pub Crawl with 1.5 hour open bar@Hostel: $27
- Catalan Nightlife Pub Crawl Tour & VIP Club Entry: $29
- Barcelona Art & Wine Tour: $31
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Barcelona, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Essaouira is in Africa and Barcelona is in Europe, 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 Barcelona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Barcelona 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 Essaouira Expensive? and Is Barcelona Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Barcelona?
Barcelona has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Barcelona, 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.