Which place is cheaper, Mont-Saint-Michel or Essaouira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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 Mont-Saint-Michel can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Mont Saint-Michel is an island community in Normandy, France. It is located about a half of a mile (or one kilometer) off of the country's northwest coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. The population of the island, at last count, was just under 50 people. The island has been a strategic fortifications since ancient times and since the 8th century AD has been the seat of the monastery from which it was named. The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it: on top, God, the abbey and monastery; below, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, houses for fishermen and farmers. One of France's most recognizable landmarks, visited by more than 3 million people each year, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Over 60 buildings within the commune are protected in France as historical monuments.
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 River Cruises in France, and The Best Bicycle Tours in France.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $46, while the average daily cost in Mont-Saint-Michel is $168. 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 Mont-Saint-Michel in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Mont-Saint-Michel? 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.
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Mont-Saint-Michel 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
Here are a few actual costs in Mont-Saint-Michel for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Mont-Saint-Michel, we can see that Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel Expensive?.
Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 880 times larger than the population of Mont-Saint-Michel. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Mont-Saint-Michel, 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.