Which place is cheaper, Santiago de Compostela or Essaouira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Essaouira or Santiago de Compostela?
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 Santiago de Compostela can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Essaouira or Santiago de Compostela?
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.
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital city of northwest Spain's Galicia region. Its famous cathedral marks the culmination of the Way of Saint James pilgrimage route, and is the alleged burial site of the apostle himself. The pilgrimage route begins in the Pyrenees, 500 miles away, though travelers can decide to join the journey at certain points in between, depending on how far they want to walk and how much they want to see.
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 3-Week Tours in Spain, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEssaouira $46Santiago de Compostela $97
The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $46, while the average daily cost in Santiago de Compostela is $97. 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 Santiago de Compostela in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEssaouira $26Santiago de Compostela $40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEssaouira $52Santiago de Compostela $80
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Santiago de Compostela
Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Santiago de Compostela? 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 Santiago de Compostela Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Essaouira $1.99Santiago de Compostela $41
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 Santiago de Compostela
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago de Compostela:
- Arrival Private Transfer Santiago de Compostela Airport to City Center by Minivan: $91
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer to SCQ Airport by Van: $91
- Airport transfer Santiago de Compostela: $71
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from SCQ Airport to City centre: $51
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from the city centre to SCQ Airport: $51
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from the city centre to SCQ Airport: $51
- Airport Transfer Santiago de Compostela: $45
- Departure Private Transfer Santiago de Compostela to SCQ Airport by Business Car: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Santiago de Compostela?
Prices for flights to both Santiago de Compostela 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 $14Santiago de Compostela $21
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
Typical Food Prices in Santiago de Compostela
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santiago de Compostela:
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Raspberries$3.75
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Ice Cream$2.14
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Cookie$1.07
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Kebab$7.77
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Dinner & Tapas (for 2)$29
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Tuna Empanada$3.75
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Fruit Shake$3.75
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Crepe$4.29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Essaouira $12Santiago de Compostela $41
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 Santiago de Compostela
Here are a few actual costs in Santiago de Compostela for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 5-day Private Tour Northern Spain (from Bilbao or Santiago): $5,294
- Christmas Enchantment: Walking Tour in Compostela: $459
- Complete Santiago Tour with tickets- Full experience in 4H: $48
- Excursion to Finisterre, Muxia and Cabo Vilan With Boat Cruise : $59
- Exploration of Compostela Walking Tour for Families: $352
- Exploring Santiago de Compostela Walking Tour for Couples: $352
- Finisterre y Costa da Morte el tour más completo desde Santiago: $53
- From Santiago: Finisterre Lighthouse Sunset Tour: $36
- From Santiago: Fuciño do Porco Hiking Tour: $80
- From Santiago: Rías Baixas Galicia Seafood & Wine Day Tour: $59
- From Santiago: Ribeira Sacra Tour & Boat Trip: $61
- Full-Day Excursion to Santiago from A Coruña- Cruisers Only: $74
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEssaouira $9.16Santiago de Compostela $24
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santiago de Compostela
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santiago de Compostela from other travelers:
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1 Pint Beer$2.14
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago de Compostela
Also in Santiago de Compostela, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience: $31
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience: $32
- Albariño Wine Tasting with Winery Tour: $33
- Premium Porto Santiago Compostela tour lunch & wine tasting: $214
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Santiago de Compostela, we can see that Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Santiago de Compostela?
Santiago de Compostela has a larger population, and is about 31% larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Santiago de Compostela, 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.