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

Should you visit Essaouira or Zaragoza?

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

Where Should I go: Essaouira or Zaragoza?

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.

Zaragoza

As the sun slips below the horizon, the night is greeted by the familiar glow of the exquisite cathedral Basilica del Pilar that stands above the city like a shimmering castle. This city is none other than Zaragoza, Spain, the capital city of the Zaragoza province in Aragon, Spain. Overlooking the Ebro River, Zaragoza has a population of 701,090, ranking the 32nd most populated municipality in the European Union. Zaragoza has attracted travelers from all across the world, causing the city to host the Expo in the summer of 2008 and also stand as a candidate for the European Capital of Culture in 2012. Besides its glimmering cathedral, Zaragoza is also known for its rich history in folklore, local gastronomy, as well as hosting the well-known Fiestas del Pilar, the most celebrated of festivals in Spain.

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 2-Week Tours from Barcelona, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Spain.


Which place is cheaper, Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Essaouira $26
    Zaragoza $69
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Essaouira $52
    Zaragoza $138
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Zaragoza

Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Zaragoza? 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 Zaragoza


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 Zaragoza Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Essaouira $1.99
    Zaragoza $24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira

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

  • Marrakech : Private Transfer from or to Marrakech Airoport: $22
  • Airport Transfer From Essaouira Airport To Medina: $22
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport (ESU): $22
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $27
  • Hinterland Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $36
  • Essaouira Airport To city Transfer: $38
  • From Scenic Diabat Horseback Ride with Transfer: $48
  • From Beachside Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $70
  • Scenic Hinterland Quad Ride with Transfer: $80
  • Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira : $87
  • Transfert Marrakech to Agafay-Private Agafay to Marrakech : $87
  • Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zaragoza

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zaragoza:

  • Private transfers Airport-hotel Zaragoza.: $66
  • Zaragoza Private Transfer from Zaragoza Airport to City centre: $66
  • Zaragoza Private Transfer from the city centre to Zaragoza Airport: $66
  • Zaragoza Airport (ZAZ) to Zaragoza Downtown hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $55
  • Zaragoza Airport (ZAZ) to Zaragoza Downtown hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $27
  • Zaragoza Downtown hotels to Zaragoza Airport (ZAZ) - Departure Private Transfer: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Zaragoza?

Prices for flights to both Zaragoza 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
    Zaragoza $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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zaragoza

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

  • Midday Market Tour and Spanish Cooking Class: $108

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Essaouira $12
    Zaragoza $38

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 Zaragoza

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zaragoza are as follows:

  • Complete tour + wine and tapas: $202
  • Evening traditional tapas walking tour in old Zaragoza center: $104
  • Haft-day Winery tour from Zaragoza: $158
  • Kayaking in Fluvial EcoTourism with ebroNAUTAS: $44
  • Midday Olive Oil Tour and Visit to Old Town of Belchite: $102
  • Midday market and tapas tour of Zaragoza: $104
  • Monumental Walking Tour in Old Town of Zaragoza: $93
  • Olive Oil Tour and Visit to Belchite Old Town: $104
  • Olive Oil and Winery Tour from Zaragoza City: $164
  • Private custom tour with a local guide Zaragoza: $49
  • Zaragoza - Historic Walking Tour: $320
  • Zaragoza : Aquarium entry ticket: $19

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

Sample the Local Flavors in Zaragoza

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Zaragoza:

  • Wine Tasting and Tapas: $102
  • Wine Tasting and Tapas in the ancient Town of Zaragoza: $104


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


Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Zaragoza?

Zaragoza has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Zaragoza, 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.