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

Should you visit Essaouira or Sarajevo?

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

Where Should I go: Essaouira or Sarajevo?

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.

Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the capital city of Bosnia and is one of the most culturally and historically interesting cities to visit in Europe. The city was at the crossroads where the Eastern and Western Roman Empires divided, and the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches divided. Today it is most associated with the Civil War that occurred here between 1992 and 1995. There are still many remnants of the war left, from the cemeteries that dot the countryside to the leftover damage done by bombs. Despite its brutal history, Sarajevo has begun to thrive again, both economically and as a tourist destination.

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 Cultural Tours in Bosnia and Herzegowina, and The Best Budget Tours to Bosnia and Herzegowina.


Which place is cheaper, Sarajevo 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 Sarajevo is $70. 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 Sarajevo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Essaouira $26
    Sarajevo $27
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Essaouira $52
    Sarajevo $54
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Sarajevo

Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Sarajevo? 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 Sarajevo


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 Sarajevo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Essaouira $1.99
    Sarajevo $7.02

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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sarajevo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Sarajevo:


  • Tram Tickets (for 2)
    $1.64

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sarajevo

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

  • Private 1-Way Transfer to/from Split: $321
  • Split Private Transfer Service: $299
  • Dubrovnik Private Transfer Service: $299
  • Transfer from/to Sarajevo - Belgrade: $288
  • Private Transfer from Sarajevo Airport (SJJ) to Lukavac: $271
  • Private Transfer from Sarajevo Airport (SJJ) to Doboj: $271
  • Transfer from city of Sarajevo to city of Mostar: $251
  • Private transfer (FROM-TO) Sarajevo - Kotor - Budva : $245
  • Private Transfer from Sarajevo Airport (SJJ) to Travnik: $232
  • Private Transfer from Sarajevo Airport (SJJ) to Živinice grad: $232
  • Private transfer (FROM-TO) Sarajevo - Dubrovnik: $229
  • Sarajevo ⇄ Mostar / Private Transfer: $203

Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Sarajevo?

Prices for flights to both Sarajevo 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
    Sarajevo $31
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

Typical Food Prices in Sarajevo

For Sarajevo, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Restaurant Dinner (for 2)
    $12

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sarajevo

For Sarajevo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Sarajevo Local Food Tour: $27
  • Walking Food Tour with Local Craft Experience: $43
  • Traditional Bosnian Dinner with your Host Family: $44
  • Traditional Bosnian Dinner with Host Family: $53
  • Bosnian Cooking Lessons: $80

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Essaouira $12
    Sarajevo $12

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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Sarajevo

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Sarajevo's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • National Museum (for 2)
    $7.64

Tours and Activities in Sarajevo

For Sarajevo, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2 Days Private Guided Tour in Sarajevo and Mostar: $163
  • 4-Hour Sightseeing Walking Tour with Food Tastings and Craft Experience: $44
  • 8 to 9 Hours Daily Tour To Travnik and Jajce From Sarajevo: $104
  • Amazing Prokoško jezero - Full day Tour: $82
  • Assassination Tour: $27
  • BOSNIAN PYRAMIDS TOUR (nature, history & archeology): $64
  • Best of Sarajevo - Full Day All Inclusive Tour: $76
  • Bijambare Cave & Bosnia Spring Park: Half-Day Tour from Sarajevo: $81
  • Bijambare Cave & Bosnia Spring Park: Tour from Sarajevo: $79
  • Bijambare Cave and Spring of River Bosna Tour: $45
  • Bosnia's Treasures: 7-Day Private Tour: $1,310
  • Bosnian Castles Tour: Vranduk Tešanj Srebrenik from Sarajevo: $161

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Essaouira $9.16
    Sarajevo $7.34

Sample the Local Flavors in Sarajevo

Also in Sarajevo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Small-group Wine Tasting Expiriance, with lunch in vineyard: $70


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


Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Sarajevo?

Sarajevo has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Sarajevo, 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.