Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Haifa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Haifa or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Haifa and Essaouira. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Haifa or Essaouira?
Haifa
Located on the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel, Haifa is Israel's third largest city. It is also a beautiful and strategically located city near the border with Lebanon. The population of Haifa, which is approximately 300,000, is surprisingly diverse. There are Jews, Muslim, and Christian Arabs throughout the city. While Haifa is an industrial city with a strong work ethic and a good job base, it is also a beautiful city with many gardens and a stunning coastline. Today the job base has increasingly become technology based with some large companies such as Google and Microsoft offering employment in the area. Haifa University is also the country's top technology university.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Israel, The Best 2-Week Tours in Israel, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Haifa Prices
Israel PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHaifa $197Essaouira $60
The average daily cost (per person) in Haifa is $197, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $60. 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 Haifa and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHaifa $94Essaouira $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHaifa $188Essaouira $56
Compare Hotels in Haifa and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Haifa 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: Haifa Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Haifa $6.27Essaouira $2.17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Haifa
Also for Haifa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Haifa Cruise Port to Tel Aviv Airport (TLV): $229
- Transfers all over the Holyland: Haifa, TLV, Airport, JLM, Jordan: $199
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- private transfer essaouira to casablanca or casablanca-essaouira: $287
- Transferts Marrakech à Essaouira ou Essaouira à Marrakech: $98
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech: $112
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $125
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira: $117
- Private transfer Essaouira Taroudant.: $199
- Private transfer Essaouira Safi.: $110
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakesh Menara (RAK) Airport: $137
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech: $114
- Private Transfer Essaouira-Agadir: $129
- From Agadir : Day in Essaouira with Transfer: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Haifa or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Haifa 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 dayHaifa $98Essaouira $25
Typical Food Prices in Haifa
For Haifa, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner$34
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.52
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Breakfast Crepes$0.54
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Fish for Lunch$16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Essaouira
For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Agadir Cooking Class Experience with Local Market Visit: $30
- Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $39
- Cooking class: How To Be a Real Moroccan Chef: $41
- Essaouira Sunset Tour: Sidi M’barek Waterfall,Coastal Walk&Dinner: $48
- Moroccan cooking class in Essaouira city: $53
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $53
- Essaouira Cooking Class At Home: $53
- Al Aaila Farm Moroccan Natural And Healthy Cooking Experience: $59
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $69
- Essaouira Walking Food Tour: $70
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $70
- 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $214
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Haifa $7.24Essaouira $13
Tours and Activities in Haifa
For Haifa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day Tour to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee: $299
- Haifa Port Shore Excursion: Nazareth and Sea of Galilee Day Tour from Haifa Port: $125
- Haifa Port: Full-Day Christianity Tour to Galilee: $501
- Haifa Private Tour: $199
- Haifa, Acre and Rosh Anikra for Cruises with Licensed Guide: $510
- Guided Walking & Car Tour with Bahai Gardens Entry: $229
- Holy Jerusalem Joint Minibus Tour for Holland America Cruise: $269
- In the Footsteps of Jesus Minibus Tour for Holland America Cruise: $249
- Jerusalem & Bethlehem Tour from Haifa Port 2026 - Small Group: $255
- Jerusalem & Bethlehem Tour from Haifa Port. Private Tour: $287
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- 1 Day Horseback Riding Tour with Overnight Stay in Berber Tent: $293
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira desert: $32
- 1-Day Quad Adventure in Essaouira near Marrakech: $207
- 1-hour buggy tour in Essaouira desert (2 places/buggy): $77
- 2 – Hours Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Desert with Moroccan Tea: $54
- 2 Hours Dromedary Ride Tour in Essaouira Morocco: $53
- 2-Hours Buggy Adventure in Essaouira desert (2 places per buggy): $92
- 2H Buggy Adventure in Essaouira beaches ́Dunes & Forest Ride: $158
- 3-Days Desert Tour From Fes to Marrakech: $199
- 3H Buggy Adventure – Dunes, Ocean & Sunset Ride: $233
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $34
- Big Cap Sim dunes and forest 3 hours tour.: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHaifa $17Essaouira $9.96
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Haifa and Essaouira, we can see that Haifa is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Haifa is in Middle East 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 Haifa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Haifa 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 Haifa Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Haifa or Essaouira?
Haifa has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Haifa 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.