A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Essaouira vs. Santander for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Essaouira or Santander?

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 Santander can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Essaouira or Santander?

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.

Santander

Santander is the capital of the Cantabria Region which runs along the northern coast of Spain. Located right on the bay, it is a place of many historic churches and a handful of interesting museums that range from archaeological discoveries of the region, to maritime history, and cultural features like bullfighting. There is also a large selection of beaches for those looking for a more relaxing getaway in the 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 10-Day Tours from Madrid, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Barcelona.


Which place is cheaper, Santander or Essaouira?

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 Santander is $116. 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 Santander in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Essaouira $26
    Santander $55
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Essaouira $52
    Santander $110
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Santander

Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Santander? 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.

Hotels in Essaouira


Hotels in Santander


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 Santander Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Essaouira $1.99
    Santander $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira

Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfert Marrakech to Agafay-Private Agafay to Marrakech : $87
  • Airport Transfer From Essaouira Airport To Medina: $22
  • Essaouira : Private Transfer from or to Agafay Desert: $160
  • Essaouira Airport To city Transfer: $38
  • Essaouira private transfer from Essaouira city to Agadir airport (AGA): $138
  • Hinterland Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $36
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $27
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport (ESU): $22
  • Scenic Hinterland Quad Ride with Transfer: $80
  • From Beachside Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $70
  • From Private Transfer to Casablanca: $321
  • From Private Transfer to Marrakech: $123

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santander

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santander:

  • Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao Airport: $252
  • Private Transfer from Santander Port to Bilbao Airport: $252
  • Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao: $252
  • Santander Private Transfer from the city centre to Santander Airport: $44
  • Santander Private Transfer from Santander Airport to City centre: $44
  • One-way Private Transfer From/To Santander Airport: $41
  • Santander Private Departure Transfer: $35
  • Santander Private Arrival Transfer: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Santander?

Prices for flights to both Santander 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 day
    Essaouira $14
    Santander $44
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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Essaouira $12
    Santander $19

Tours and Activities in Essaouira

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.

  • Highlights Tour with Tasting the Ocean City: $19
  • Full Day Tour From Marrakech To Essaouira Mogador: $21
  • Private City Tour: $26
  • From Marrakech: Guided tour of Essaouira the coastal city: $26
  • Friend-Guide Essaouira city tour: $31
  • 3-Hour Camel Tour: $40
  • Cultural & Historical Sightseeing Tour - half day: $41
  • Guided Dromedary Riding Tour: $48
  • Half-Day Old Town Guided Tour: $48
  • Essaouira : 1H quad bike tour and 1H camel ride: $57
  • Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $57
  • 2 Hour Quad & ATV Experience: $58

Tours and Activities in Santander

Here are a few actual costs in Santander for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • City Sightseeing Santander Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $23
  • From Cantabria Private Tour: $492
  • From Gastronomic Tour: $128
  • From Potes, Santillana and Altamira Day Tour: $42
  • From Santillana del Mar & Altamira Museum Tour: $64
  • Full Day Self Guided Tour in Santillana del Mar and Comillas: $55
  • Full Day Tour Lakes of Covadonga and Santillana from Santander: $46
  • Gastronomy tour: $120
  • Obregón: Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno Entry Ticket: $26
  • Picos de Europa and Potes Guided Tour from Santander : $84
  • Private Puente Viesgo Caves Full-Day Tour from Santander: $213
  • 1-Hour City Cruise Around the Bay: $14

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Essaouira $9.16
    Santander $15


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Santander, we can see that Santander 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 Santander 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 Santander would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santander 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 Santander Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Santander?

Santander has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Santander, 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.