Which place is cheaper, La Spezia or Essaouira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Essaouira or La Spezia?
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 La Spezia can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Essaouira or La Spezia?
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.
La Spezia
Located on the coast beside the Ligurian Sea, La Spezia is known for its military and commercial harbors hosting the arsenal of the Italian Navy. It is also well connected by rail and by boat to Cinque Terre National Park - a unique collection of five medieval villages along the coastline - as well as other coastal towns of the region. Other attractions include a number of museums as well as an annual boat race called Palio de Golfo.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEssaouira $46La Spezia $213
The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $46, while the average daily cost in La Spezia is $213. 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 La Spezia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEssaouira $26La Spezia $121
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEssaouira $52La Spezia $242
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and La Spezia
Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or La Spezia? 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 La Spezia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Essaouira $1.99La Spezia $44
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $102
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira : $87
- Private Transfer Essaouira - Rabat: $262
- Marrakech : Private Transfer from or to Marrakech Airoport: $22
- From Scenic Diabat Horseback Ride with Transfer: $48
- From Private Transfer to Taghazout or Agadir: $150
- From Private Transfer to Marrakech: $123
- From Private Transfer to Casablanca: $321
- From Beachside Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $70
- Scenic Hinterland Quad Ride with Transfer: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Spezia
Also for La Spezia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- La Spezia Cruise Port to Florence - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $260
- Private Transfer from La Spezia to Cinque Terre by car or van: $142
- Private Transfer from La Spezia Cruise Port to Pisa Airport (PSA): $92
- Private Transfer Porto Venere or Lerici to La Spezia by car / van: $91
- Arrival Private Transfer from La Spezia to Porto Venere or Lerici: $91
- La Spezia Cruise Port to La Spezia hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $44
- La Spezia Cruise Port to La Spezia hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Private Transfer from La Spezia Port to La Spezia Hotels: $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or La Spezia?
Prices for flights to both La Spezia 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 $14La Spezia $60
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Spezia
For La Spezia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- La Spezia Cinque Terre Food Tour: $91
- Small-Group Street Food Tour: $95
- Tour of Apericena at Sunset and Dinner on Boat: $96
- Portovenere: Sunset Cruise with Aperitif and Dinner: $96
- La Spezia Cinque Terre Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $97
- Cesarine: Dining & Cooking Demo at Local's Home in La Spezia: $115
- Porto Venere & Islands Sunset Boat Tour w/ Dinner: $138
- Market Tour & Lunch/Dinner at a Cesarina's Home: $149
- Private Cooking Class in an Italian Home: $155
- Market Visit and Seafood Cooking Class with Lunch: $156
- Cesarine: Home Cooking Class & Meal with a Local in La Spezia: $158
- Private Pizza & Tiramisu Class at a Cesarina's home with tasting in La Spezia: $158
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Essaouira $12La Spezia $39
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
Tours and Activities in La Spezia
For La Spezia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4-Hour Guided Boat Tour with Aperitif at Sunset in Spezia: $137
- 6-Hour Guided Tour Portovenere and Cinque Terre with aperitif: $109
- Afternoon Boat Tour to Cinque Terre with brunch on board: $153
- Boat Tour of the 3 Islands & Portovenere: $66
- Boat Tours 5 Terre: $137
- Boat tour 5 terre & Portovenere Food - drink - music - swim : $163
- Boat tour Cinque Terre and Gulf of Poets from La Spezia: $186
- Caving adventure at the Caves of Equi Alpi Apuane: $142
- Cesarine: Market Tour & Dining at a Local's Home in La Spezia: $152
- Cinque Terre & Portovenere: Boat Tour: $142
- Cinque Terre Gems: UNESCO Sites & Secrets Tour: $619
- Cinque Terre SHARED boat tour, Amazing Experience : $164
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEssaouira $9.16La Spezia $38
Sample the Local Flavors in La Spezia
Also in La Spezia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- boat tour with seafood and wine tasting: $214
- Lucca city tour and Pisa tower + wine tasting from La Spezia Port: $217
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia 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 La Spezia 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 La Spezia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Spezia 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 La Spezia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Essaouira or La Spezia?
La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 29% larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and La Spezia, 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.