Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Istanbul?
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 Istanbul or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Essaouira, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Istanbul or Essaouira?
Istanbul
Istanbul is strategically located on the Bosphorus and is split between Europe and Asia. It truly is a city where east meets west. Istanbul is the cultural and financial hub of Turkey, and also the most populous city. The sites are countless and there's something for everybody, whether you're interested in art, music, food, or adventure. You can pass many days exploring both the residential and commercial pockets of this city. Much of the appeal is hidden away along back alleys or within corner shops.
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 2-Week Tours in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Istanbul Prices
Turkey PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIstanbul $159Essaouira $60
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $159, 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 Istanbul and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $74Essaouira $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $148Essaouira $56
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul 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: Istanbul Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $35Essaouira $2.17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Metro Cards$4.59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Dolmabahçe Palace Private Tour with Transfers: $297
- Istanbul Old City Private Tour With Professional Guide & Transfer: $274
- Private Transfer from Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gökcen Airport: $268
- Private Transfer to Bursa Uludag Hotels from Sabiha Gokcen airport: $245
- Istanbul Layover Tour: Private & Personalized with Transfers: $186
- Istanbul Private Tour Designed for Layover Flight, Transfer incl.: $175
- Istanbul Private Guided Tour for Cruise Layovers. Transfers incl.: $175
- Istanbul Layover Tour –Private Guide & Airport / Port Transfers: $170
- Private Transfers Between Istanbul New Airport - Istanbul Far Anatolian Side: $166
- Istanbul NEW Airport Private Transfer: $165
- Istanbul Private Airport Transfer: $157
- Istanbul to Gallipoli Full Day Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $152
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $24
- From Agadir : Day in Essaouira with Transfer: $33
- Essaouira P17: Quad ride dunes beaches free transfer.: $34
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport: $35
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $40
- Essaouira to Marrakech:Private Transfer for a Hassle-Free Journey: $72
- Essaouira P13: 2h quad + 2h camel free transfer: $92
- "Essaouira to Agafay Desert Marrakech: Exclusive Private Transfer: $93
- Transferts Marrakech à Essaouira ou Essaouira à Marrakech: $98
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- Private transfer Essaouira Safi.: $110
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech: $112
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Istanbul 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 dayIstanbul $59Essaouira $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour: $23
- Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Optional 4 Course Dinner: $25
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: Live Folk Dance & DJ Experience: $28
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Show Private Table: $29
- Mega Lüfer Dinner Cruise Bosphorus and Show with Private Table: $30
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show in Istanbul: $30
- Istanbul Night Life : Bosphorus Dinner Cruise - Unlimited Drinks: $31
- Bosphorus Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Private Table: $31
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Night Show: $33
- Istanbul Turkish Coffee Cooking and Tasting with Locals at Home: $33
- Luxury Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkis Night Show in Istanbul: $34
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show: $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.Istanbul $39Essaouira $13
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- "Classic Wonders" Tour: $117
- "Walk Through History: A Bespoke Istanbul Adventure": $149
- 1 Istanbul Tour: Highlights, Street Food & Hidden Pearls: $280
- 1 or 2 Day Private Istanbul Guided Tour: $72
- 1,2 or 3 DAY: Private Guided Istanbul Tour from CRUISE SHIP or HOTEL: $130
- 1-Day Best of Istanbul Private Tour with the Best Local Guides: $295
- 1-Day Private Istanbul Layover Tour: $240
- 10 Tastings of Istanbul Foodie Tour: $105
- 2 Hours Bosphorus Cruise ((MORNING TOUR)): $23
- 2 Hours Bosphorus Cruise with Audio Guide: $14
- 2 Hours Small Group Guided Bosphorus Luxury Yacht Cruise: $33
- 2-Hour Scenic Bosphorus Cruise in Istanbul Throughout the Day: $12
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- Essaouira to Marrakech Supratours bus tickets: $18
- Full-Day Essaouira Tour from Marrakech: $29
- Small Group Surf Lesson in Essaouira 3 Hour Experience: $29
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira desert: $32
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $34
- Essaouira P6: Cape Sim quad bike tour: $34
- Quad Adventure in 1 Hour: $39
- Wingfoil Experience in Essaouira with Bleuryde Watersports: $50
- 2 Hours Dromedary Ride Tour in Essaouira Morocco: $53
- 2 – Hours Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Desert with Moroccan Tea: $54
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $61
- Essaouira Private Art Class Adventure: $64
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $11Essaouira $9.96
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Pub Crawl: Bars, Dancefloors, & Beyond: $18
- Pub Crawler VIP Entry Rooftop Bars&Clubs with Party Bus: $27
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
- Istanbul Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus in Sultanahmet and Taksim: $30
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries: $209
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Essaouira, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul 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 Istanbul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Istanbul 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 Istanbul Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Essaouira?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 160 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul 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.