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

Should you visit Ios or Essaouira?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Ios 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: Ios or Essaouira?

Ios

Ios is an island in the south of Greece, located in the Cyclades group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a peaceful beach getaway by day, and a lively party scene by night. While its main town is the hub for nightlife, it is also a charming place during the day, typical of a traditional Greek village with shops and cafes against a backdrop of whitewashed buildings and turquoise waters.

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 Greece, The Best 3-Day Tours in Greece, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Ios?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Ios is €91, 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 Ios and Essaouira in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ios 39
    Essaouira 24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ios 78
    Essaouira 48
Compare Hotels in Ios and Essaouira

Looking for a hotel in Ios 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.

Hotels in Ios


Hotels in Essaouira


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: Ios Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ios 16
    Essaouira 1.87

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ios

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ios:

  • 1-Way Private Helicopter Transfer to the Greek Islands: $2,417

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Ios or Essaouira?

Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Ios 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
    Ios 33
    Essaouira 13

Typical Food Prices in Essaouira

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:


  • Baklava
    1.31
  • Breakfast Crepes
    0.47
  • 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: $55
  • Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $67
  • 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $170

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ios 26
    Essaouira 11

Tours and Activities in Ios

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

  • 5 -6 Hour Private Chora E-Bike Tours: $131
  • Electric Bike Tour Chora to Diaseli Cheesery: $109
  • Electric Bike Tour Chora to Homer's Tomp: $109
  • From RIB Boat Trip to Sikinos Island and Winery Tour: $84
  • Ios Island Trekking Tours: Discover Ios Unexplored: $27
  • Ios Island: Speedboat Cruise from Mylopotas Beach: $52
  • 4-Hour Cruise of the Best Beaches: $63
  • Private Orienteering Experience in Mylopotas: $163

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ios 33
    Essaouira 8.58

Sample the Local Flavors in Ios

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

  • Bar Crawl Ios Ticket in Cyclades: $38


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ios and Essaouira, we can see that Ios is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ios 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 Ios would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ios 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 Ios Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ios or Essaouira?

Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Ios. When comparing the sizes of Ios 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.