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

Should you visit Essaouira or Volterra?

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

Where Should I go: Essaouira or Volterra?

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.

Volterra

Located in Tuscany, Volterra has an interesting history and impressive sights for travelers who want to see more of the Tuscan region than the popular city of Florence. The town was originally a Neolithic settlement and is believed to have been continuously inhabited since the end of the 8th century BC. It was a bishop's residence during the 5th century and then an episcopal power during the 12th century. It was later conquered by the Florentines but opposition to their rule led to much rebellion.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy, and The Best Walking Tours in Italy.


Which place is cheaper, Volterra 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 Volterra is $108. 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 Volterra in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Essaouira $26
    Volterra $65
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Essaouira $52
    Volterra $130
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Volterra

Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Volterra? 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 Volterra


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 Volterra Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Essaouira $1.99
    Volterra $4.59

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 Volterra

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Volterra:

  • Private Transfer from San Gimignano to Firenze (FLR) Airport: $248

Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Volterra?

Prices for flights to both Volterra 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
    Volterra $38
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 Volterra

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Volterra.

  • Buffet dinner at the farm: $49
  • Dining experience at a local's home in San Gimignano with show cooking: $93
  • Volterra - Olive oil tasting with lunch with lunch or dinner: $112
  • Pizza Cooking Class: $112
  • Fresh Pasta Cooking Class: $112
  • "Hands in dough" Cooking Class with Lunch: $120
  • Tuscan Cooking Class: $126
  • Tuscany: Wine Tasting Lunch or Dinner: $128
  • Winery Cave Dinner & Tasting in Tuscany - Romantic & Lovely : $137
  • Fiorentina Steak Dinner & Wine Tasting: $164
  • Cooking class, wine tasting and 2500 year old granaries: $175
  • Cooking Classes in Tuscany among the Chianti Vineyards: $175

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

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 Volterra

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

  • Cesani Wine Experience: $33
  • Chianti and Castle Small Group Tour from San Gimignano: $93
  • Discover Volterra with Licensed Tour Guide: $214
  • Private Balsamic Vinegar Experience with Wine, Evo Oil & Meal: $69
  • Private Tour in San Gimignano: $150
  • Private Tour: San Gimignano Walking Tour: $207
  • Private walking tour in San Gimignano with a local licensed guide: $218
  • San Gimignano Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide: $293
  • San Gimignano, Volterra, St Galgano Abbey small group tour: $149
  • Truffle Lunch & Hunting Experience in San Gimignano: $180
  • Tuscany: Volterra Truffle Hunting Experience: $203
  • Volterra - Archeotour by e-bike with tasting: $187

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Essaouira $9.16
    Volterra $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Volterra

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Volterra:

  • San Gimignano: Chianti wine tasting : $33
  • Casa Emma Wine Tasting : $34
  • Gourmet Wine Tour San Gimignano Wine Tasting - San Quirico Winery: $36
  • 5 Wine Tastings in San Gimignano: $60
  • Lunch with Wine Tasting: $60
  • "Gourmet" Wine Tasting at Cesani's: $66
  • Wine Tour with Lunch and Wine Tasting: $71
  • Vineyard Walk & Wine Tasting in Tuscany: $115
  • Brunello Wine Tasting from San Gimignano: $130
  • Exclusive evening wine tasting at organic winery : $218
  • Chianti e-bike tour from Florence with wine tasting: $284
  • Private Excursion: Volterra & San Gimignano+wine tastings: $289


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


Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Volterra?

Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Volterra. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Volterra, 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.