Which place is cheaper, Diani or Essaouira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Essaouira or Diani?
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 Diani can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Essaouira or Diani?
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.
Diani
Diani is a major beach resort town on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is located 30 kilometers south of Mombasa and the beach has been voted Africa’s leading beach destination several times. With a flawless, long stretch of white-sand beach hugged by lush forest and kissed by surfable waves, it’s no wonder Diani Beach is so popular. This resort town scores points with a diverse crowd: party people, families, honeymooners, backpackers and water-sports enthusiasts. But Diani also has some of the best accommodation in Kenya, from budget party hostels to funky kitesurfing lodges and intimate honeymoon spots. Most places are spread along the beach road, hidden behind a line of forest. When lazing in a hammock gets tiring, visit the coral mosques with their archways that overlook the open ocean, venture into the sacred forests where guides hug trees that speak in their ancestors' voices, or take in the monkey sanctuary – all are good ways to experience more of the coast than the considerable charms of sun and sand.
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 Luxury Tours to Kenya, and The Best Budget Tours to Kenya.
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Essaouira Prices
Morocco PricesDiani Prices
Kenya Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEssaouira $60Diani $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $60, while the average daily cost in Diani is $69. 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 Diani in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEssaouira $28Diani $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEssaouira $56Diani $46
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Diani
Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Diani? 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 Diani Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Essaouira $2.14Diani $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- private transfer essaouira to casablanca or casablanca-essaouira: $284
- Transferts Marrakech à Essaouira ou Essaouira à Marrakech: $97
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech: $111
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $124
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $139
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech: $116
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira: $116
- Private transfer Essaouira Taroudant.: $197
- Private transfer Essaouira Ouarzazate.: $232
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakesh Menara (RAK) Airport: $136
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech: $112
Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Diani?
Prices for flights to both Diani 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 $25Diani $35
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.50
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Breakfast Crepes$0.53
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Fish for Lunch$16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Essaouira
For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Agadir Cooking Class Experience with Local Market Visit: $30
- Essaouira Sunset Tour: Sidi M’barek Waterfall,Coastal Walk&Dinner: $47
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $52
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $68
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $70
- Essaouira Cooking Class: $75
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $214
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Essaouira $13Diani $15
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- 1 Day Horseback Riding Tour with Overnight Stay in Berber Tent: $290
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira desert: $34
- 1-Day Quad Adventure in Essaouira near Marrakech: $205
- 1-Hour Scenic Quad Bike Tour: Discover Essaouira’s Coastline: $35
- 1-hour buggy tour in Essaouira desert (2 places/buggy): $77
- 2 – Hours Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Desert with Moroccan Tea: $57
- 2 Hours Dromedary Ride Tour in Essaouira Morocco: $52
- 2-Hours Buggy Adventure in Essaouira desert (2 places per buggy): $96
- 2-hour quad adventure between beach and dunes: $58
- 3-Days Desert Tour From Fes to Marrakech: $197
- 3H Buggy Adventure – Dunes, Ocean & Sunset Ride: $231
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $34
Tours and Activities in Diani
For Diani, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Kenya :Tsavo East,West & Diani Beach 7-Day Guided Tour: $1,350
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEssaouira $9.82Diani $8.90
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Diani, we can see that Diani 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 Diani would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Diani 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 Diani Expensive?.
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.