Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Essaouira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Essaouira or Cape Town?
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 Cape Town can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Essaouira or Cape Town?
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.
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
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 Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEssaouira $46Cape Town $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $46, while the average daily cost in Cape Town 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 Essaouira and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEssaouira $26Cape Town $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEssaouira $52Cape Town $76
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Cape Town? 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 Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Essaouira $1.99Cape Town $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech : $95
- Transfert Essaouira to Casablanca/Pivarte Casablanc to Essaouira : $240
- Transfert Essaouira to Agadir - Private Agadir to Essaouira : $118
- Transfer from Essaouira to your Riad or Hotel in Marrakech: $164
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Transfer Essaouira Airport to Essaouira: $22
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $102
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira : $87
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakesh Menara (RAK) Airport: $127
- Private Transfer From Essaouira To Marrakech: $88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 3-Day Safari and Coastal Tour with Transfer: $486
- From Group Transfer Only to Aquilla Game Reserve: $440
- Big 5 Aquila Safari Private Transfer with Park Fee From Cape Town: $300
- Jeep Dune Adventure Tour, Sandboarding & Transfer: $267
- Aquila Safari Game Drive, Lunch & Shared Transfers from Cape Town: $243
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $242
- Cape Town International Airport and Hotel Private Group Transfers: $241
- Pvt Airport to Hout Bay Transfer: $233
- Full Day Private Chauffeur and Transfer Services in Cape Town: $230
- Historical Tour in Capes Town with Private Transfer: $187
- Cape Town:- Airport to Table View One way Transfer: $181
- Hermanus: Airport Transfer: $176
Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town 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 $14Cape Town $41
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: $54
- Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $55
- Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $67
- Berber Cooking Class at a Farm in the Countryside & shopping at a rural Souk.: $97
- 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $169
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner At Mandela's - Cultural Township Dinner Experience: $27
- African Cooking with a Chef Founder: $27
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $39
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $41
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $54
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $57
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $58
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $60
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $73
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- Cape Town Food tour with locals: $100
- The Cape Town Essentials Food Tour: $106
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Essaouira $12Cape Town $23
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
- Discover Essaouira Full-Day Tour: $43
- Essaouira : 1H quad bike tour and 1H camel ride: $56
- Essaouira : Half-day E-Experience from Mountains to Sea: $128
- Essaouira Adventure Full-Day Excursion from Marakech: $47
- Essaouira Exclusive Dune Buggy Adventure: $164
- Essaouira Guided Tour: 3 on 1 - Nightlife tour, Live like a local & Street food: $65
- Essaouira Sand Dunes: Half Day Quad Bike Tour: $65
- Essaouira Tour - Half day visit to berber market : $56
- 3-Hour Camel Tour: $40
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cape Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $187
- Cape Point Full Day Tour: $187
- Cape Point Private Tour withTable Mountain and Penguin Colony : $249
- Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $64
- CapeWinelands Private Tour to Stellenbosch,Franschhoek and Paarl: $94
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $160
- Private Tour Cape of Good Hope with Penguins : $109
- South African Traditional Braai (BBQ) Experience & Winetasting : $134
- ( Cape Town Private Tour Full-Day ) Robben Island and Cape Peninsula Penguins : $256
- ( Cape town ) Private Winelands Tasting Full Day Tour: $167
- ( Cape town Private Tour ) Hermanus Shark Cage Diving : $244
- (Cape Town Private Tour ) Whale Watching Combo on Boat : $213
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEssaouira $9.16Cape Town $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.36
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $19
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $27
- From 3 Regions Wine Tour with 3 Estates, 15 Wines: $37
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $37
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $47
- Fullday Wine Tour: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $50
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $52
- Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with Wine Tram: $61
- Wine Tasting Private Tour through Durbanville Winelands: $64
- Cape Town Tour with wine tasting.Full day peninsula tour.: $65
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Cape Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cape Town 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 Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Cape Town, 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.