Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Funchal?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Funchal or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Funchal or Essaouira? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Funchal or Essaouira?
Funchal
Funchal is the capital city of the autonomous region of Madeira on the island of Madeira. The city is located to the south between the cities of Santa Cruz and Camara de Lobos. It is actually named for the fennel plant which grows liberally on the island. The city was most significant as a shipping center between the 15th and 17th centuries. Today it has a population of over 100,000 people and is, arguably, one of the most picturesque cities in Portugal. It's appeal as a tourist destination has made it the leading Portuguese port for cruise line dockings.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best G Adventures Tours to Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFunchal €93Essaouira €43
The average daily cost (per person) in Funchal is €93, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is €43. 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 Funchal and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFunchal €52Essaouira €24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFunchal €104Essaouira €48
Compare Hotels in Funchal and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Funchal or Essaouira? 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: Funchal Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Funchal €9.94Essaouira €1.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Funchal
Also for Funchal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Funchal Airport to Madeira Island: $123
- Transfers Wheelchair Scooter Transfers Airport / Funchal: $87
- PR18 Levada do Rei Private transfer: $71
- Madeira Airport Transfers Round Trip (FNC): $65
- Transfer to Hiking Achada Teixeira - Pico Ruivo: $60
- Madeira Airport (FNC) Arrival Transfer (Airport to Funchal Hotels or Address): $54
- Madeira Island Transfers: $53
- Funchal Airport(FNC) to Madeira Island - Arrival Private Transfer: $51
- Madeira Airport Round Trip Shuttle Transfers Service: $49
- Madeira airport transfer for up to 8 people: $49
- Minibus Transfer: Madeira Airport - Funchal: $38
- Minibus Transfer: Funchal - Madeira Airport: $38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Private Transfer to Casablanca: $320
- Private Transfer Essaouira - Rabat: $261
- Essaouira : Private Transfer from or to Agafay Desert: $160
- From Private Transfer to Taghazout or Agadir: $149
- Essaouira private transfer from Essaouira city to Agadir airport (AGA): $138
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakesh Menara (RAK) Airport: $127
- From Private Transfer to Marrakech: $123
- Airport transfer, Departure : Essaouira, Arrival : Agadir: $118
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $102
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech : $95
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira : $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Funchal or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Funchal 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 dayFunchal €31Essaouira €13
Typical Food Prices in Funchal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Funchal:
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Coffee€1.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Funchal
For Funchal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Madeira Nights Tour - Dinner and Show: $41
- Sunset Tour to Pico do Arieiro with Dinner and Drinks included: $76
- Gourmet Wine & Food Tour: $112
- Gourmet Wine & Food Tour: $112
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava€1.31
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Breakfast Crepes€0.47
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Fish for Lunch€14
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: $54
- Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $67
- 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $169
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Funchal €15Essaouira €11
Tours and Activities in Funchal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Funchal.
- Wheelchair Full Day Tour Porto Moniz E Sao Vicente : $190
- Wheelchair Handicap Full Day East Tour Santana Tour : $190
- “Le tour de Churchill” - From Funchal to Câmara de Lobos: $58
- Magnificent East Tour: $33
- 4 Days Tour Discovering Madeira: $279
- 4 Hours Adventure Jeep Tour in Central Madeira Portugal: $47
- 4x4 Jeep Safari Porto Moniz - the "Farowest" tour - Full Day Small Groups : $71
- Accessible Half Day Tour Cabo Girão: $120
- Adventure Trikes Private Tour in Madeira : $157
- Agriculture Green Tour : $92
- Amazing East Tour : $30
- Around The Island - Two Days Tour From 9am To 5pm (Each Day): $65
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: $56
- Discover Essaouira Full-Day Tour: $43
- Essaouira : 1H quad bike tour and 1H camel ride: $56
- Essaouira : Half-day E-Experience from Mountains to Sea: $128
- Essaouira Adventure Full-Day Excursion from Marakech: $47
- Essaouira Exclusive Dune Buggy Adventure: $163
- Essaouira Guided Tour: 3 on 1 - Nightlife tour, Live like a local & Street food: $65
- Essaouira Sand Dunes: Half Day Quad Bike Tour: $65
- Essaouira Tour - Half day visit to berber market : $56
- 3-Hour Camel Tour: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFunchal €16Essaouira €8.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Funchal
Also in Funchal, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half day jeep Wine tour and tasting, & sea cliff adventure: $53
- Bestselling Wine Tour, Tasting Experience & Skywalk 4x4 Adventure: $53
- Wine tasting and Jeep Adventure in Madeira's Majestic Countryside: $55
- Pub Crawl: $59
- Shore Excursion: Private Madeira Tour & Wine Tasting: $86
- Guided Toboggan Ride and Madeira Wine Tasting Tour: $98
- Tuk Tuk Wine Tour - Madeira Island: $101
- Exclusive Wine Tasting in the Wine Region of Boaventura: $103
- Weekends Madeira Wine Tasting São Vicente: $109
- Visiting local Vineyard With Wine Tasting & Lunch included: $158
- Full Day Private Madeira Wine Tour from Funchal: $171
- Full-Day Madeira Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch: $190
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Funchal and Essaouira, we can see that Funchal is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Funchal is in Europe and Essaouira is in Africa, 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 Funchal would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Funchal 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 Funchal Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Funchal or Essaouira?
Funchal has a larger population, and is about 43% larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Funchal and Essaouira, 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.