Which place is cheaper, Porto or Essaouira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Essaouira or Porto?
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 Porto can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Essaouira or Porto?
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.
Porto
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.
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 Portugal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEssaouira $46Porto $135
The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $46, while the average daily cost in Porto is $135. 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 Porto in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEssaouira $26Porto $69
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEssaouira $52Porto $138
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Porto
Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Porto? 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 Porto Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Essaouira $1.99Porto $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Private Transfer to Casablanca: $321
- Private Transfer Essaouira - Rabat: $262
- Essaouira : Private Transfer from or to Agafay Desert: $160
- From Private Transfer to Taghazout or Agadir: $150
- Essaouira private transfer from Essaouira city to Agadir airport (AGA): $138
- From Private Transfer to Marrakech: $123
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $102
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Transfert Marrakech to Agafay-Private Agafay to Marrakech : $87
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira : $87
- Scenic Hinterland Quad Ride with Transfer: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to Algarve: $1,069
- Private Transfer to Algarve with Stops up to 2 Cities: $909
- From One-Way Private Transfer to Lisbon: $642
- Luxury Sedan car transfer to Lisbon.: $642
- From Private Transfer to Lisbon with Coimbra & Fatima: $627
- From Private Transfer to Lisbon with Stop at Óbidos: $583
- From Private Transfer to Lisbon with Stop at Nazaré: $583
- Transfer to Santiago Compostela: $556
- Private transfer from Santiago de Compostela to Oporto: $491
- Private Transfer to Lisbon with Stops up to 3 Cities: $481
- Porto to Braga Transfer: Explore Sameiro Sanctuary: $481
- Private Transfer to Lisbon: $455
Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Porto?
Prices for flights to both Porto 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
-
Food Meals for one dayEssaouira $14Porto $39
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
-
Baklava$1.40
-
Breakfast Crepes$0.50
-
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 Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pastel de Nata Cooking Class in Downtown Porto: $37
- Tastiest Calories Food Tour: $48
- Bolhão Market and Codfish Tasting Guided Food Tour: $52
- Porto Food Tour: Full Meal & Drinks: $56
- Porto Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $57
- 3-Hour Food Tour: $68
- Half-Day Food Tour: $68
- Portuguese Craft Beer and Food Tour: $74
- Semi - Private Oporto Food Tour: $74
- Craft Beer & Food Tour in Porto: $75
- Secret Food Tour: $77
- Semi Private Oporto Fado Show with Dinner: $80
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Essaouira $12Porto $27
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 Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
- 4 Hour Blissful Wave Experience at Maceda Haven: $76
- Ultimate Ribeira Walking Tour: $2.60
- 1 Day Tour to Douro Valley from Porto: $207
- 1.5-Hour Private Electric Tuk Tuk Sightseeing Tour Historic Porto: $26
- 2 Hour Private Tuktuk Tour in Porto Douro to Left bank: $63
- 2 Hour Private Tuktuk Tour in Porto to Monastery and Cellars: $81
- 2 Hour Private Tuktuk Tour in Porto to Monastery and Cellars: $79
- 3-Hour Cano-Rafting Tour on the Paiva River: $49
- 3-Hour Electric Porto Bike Tour: $49
- 3-Hour Porto Highlights on a Electric Bike Guided Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Private Bike Tour Porto: $135
- 3-Hour Walking Tour: Tiles of Porto: $30
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayEssaouira $9.16Porto $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
- Museu do Vitral Entry Ticket and Wine Tasting: $8.56
- Guided City Pub Crawl with Club Entry: $13
- Magic Train Tour and Port Wine Tastings: $15
- Mysterious Pub Crawl Interactive City Discovery Game: $19
- Pub Crawl with 5 Drinks: $19
- Porto Pub Crawl With Unlimited Beer: $20
- Pub Crawl with Shots and Drinking Games: $21
- Poças: Guided Tour & Port Wine Tasting with Pastel de Nata: $21
- Poças Guided Visit and Port Wine Tasting with Pastel de Nata: $21
- Rooftop Fado concert, Port wine tasting, Portuguese tart: $21
- Classic Wine Tasting with GUIDED TOUR: $22
- Pub Crawl Porto: $23
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Porto, we can see that Porto 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 Porto 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto 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 Porto Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Porto?
Porto has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Porto, 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.