Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Jaisalmer?
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 Jaisalmer or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Jaisalmer 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: Jaisalmer or Essaouira?
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is located in western part of the Rajasthan state of India. The city is known as the "Golden City" for its Sonar Qila, or 'Golden Fort'. This fort is different than other forts in India in that it is a living fort, meaning that it contains many hotels, homes, and shops for locals and visitors. The city is very close to the Thar Desert, to which excursions can be made.
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 Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Jaisalmer Prices
India PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJaisalmer $41Essaouira $57
The average daily cost (per person) in Jaisalmer is $41, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $57. 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 Jaisalmer and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJaisalmer $12Essaouira $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJaisalmer $24Essaouira $52
Compare Hotels in Jaisalmer and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Jaisalmer 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: Jaisalmer Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Jaisalmer $11Essaouira $2.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaisalmer
Also for Jaisalmer, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Delhi: $197
- Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Agra: $181
- Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Jaipur: $117
- 2-Night Camel Safari with Meals & Transfers: $96
- Transfer From Jaisalmer To Udaipur Via Ranakpur Jain Temple: $90
- Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Pushkar: $85
- Jaisalmer To Bikaner Private One Way Transfer: $64
- From Bikaner : Private Transfer To Jaisalmer: $60
- Jaisalmer to Jodhpur Private Transfer with Door to Door AC Car: $58
- From Jaisalmer : Private Transfer To Bikaner: $55
- From Jaisalmer : Transfer To Jodhpur Via Osian Temple: $48
- Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Jodhpur Via Osian Temple: $45
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: $278
- Private transfer Essaouira Ouarzazate.: $228
- Private Transfer Essaouira-Taroudant: $228
- Private transfer Essaouira Taroudant.: $193
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $136
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakesh Menara (RAK) Airport: $133
- Private Transfer Essaouira-Agadir: $125
- Private transfer Marrakech city to Essaouira city: $125
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $121
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech: $109
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira: $108
Is it cheaper to fly into Jaisalmer or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Jaisalmer 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 dayJaisalmer $20Essaouira $24
Typical Food Prices in Jaisalmer
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jaisalmer:
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Dinner$4.21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaisalmer
For Jaisalmer, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- off beat Desert safari with sunset and dinner: $10
- Jaisalmer Food Tour: Taste the Flavors of the Golden City!: $13
- Authentic Desert Farm Visit and Cooking Class: $25
- Jodhpur Camel & Jeep Safari with Sunset, Folk Dance, Dinner: $25
- Dinner on the Dunes & Camel Safari: $25
- Jaisalmer Heritage & Cultural Walking & Street Food Tour: $25
- Camel Trails Sunset Safari with Dinner: $32
- Pleasant Sunset Safari With Dinner On Dunes (From 2:00 PM to Approx. 10:00 PM): $35
- Sunset Safari With Dinner: $37
- Cooking Class with Local Family & Rooftop Meal: $37
- Jeep Camel Ride, Musical Evening & Traditional Buffet Dinner: $37
- Blissful Half-Day Sunset Camel Safari, Musical Eve & Dinner: $38
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.43
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Breakfast Crepes$0.51
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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:
- Agadir Cooking Class Experience with Local Market Visit: $30
- Cooking class: How To Be a Real Moroccan Chef: $40
- Essaouira Sunset Tour: Sidi M’barek Waterfall,Coastal Walk&Dinner: $46
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $51
- Sidi Kaouki Sunset Walk and Berber Tent Dinner by Atlantic: $51
- Essaouira Cooking Class At Home: $51
- Essaouira Berber Cooking Class & Organic Farm Tour Al Aaila Farm: $54
- Cooking Class in Essaouira Countryside: $57
- Essaouira Family Dinner Experience: $64
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $67
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $68
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $210
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Jaisalmer $11Essaouira $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jaisalmer
For Jaisalmer, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Sam Sand Dunes for Two$3.16
Tours and Activities in Jaisalmer
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jaisalmer.
- 02 nights authentic wild camping & Luxury Camping Experience: $129
- 2 Days Sharing Group Thar Desert Safari Adventure Tour: $8.60
- 2 Days-1 Night Camel Tour: $110
- 2 Night 3 Days Non Touristic Thar Desert & Camel Safari Adventure: $49
- 2 Nights 3 Days Nomadic Thar Desert Adventure Safari Tour: $105
- 3 Days Private Jaisalmer Tour: $180
- 4-day Jaisalmer And Jodhpur Combo Tour: $210
- 5 Days Udaipur Jodhpur & Jaisalmer Tour: $266
- Adventure & Campfire Overnight Desert Safari: $32
- Adventure non touristic camel safari: $27
- All-Inclusive Jaisalmer Full or Half Day Sightseeing Tour: $48
- Amazing Overnight experience under the stars in Thar Desert: $59
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: $284
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira desert: $32
- 1-Hour Scenic Quad Bike Tour: Discover Essaouira’s Coastline: $34
- 1-hour buggy tour in Essaouira desert (2 places/buggy): $136
- 2 - Hour Quad Biking and Sandboarding Experience in Essaouira: $42
- 2 Hours Dromedary Ride Tour in Essaouira Morocco: $51
- 2-Hours Buggy Adventure in Essaouira desert (2 places per buggy): $94
- 2H Buggy Adventure in Essaouira beaches ́Dunes & Forest Ride: $153
- 3-Days Desert Tour From Fes to Marrakech: $193
- 3H Buggy Adventure – Dunes, Ocean & Sunset Ride: $226
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $33
- Discovery Tour around Essaouira by Electric Motorcycle: $110
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJaisalmer $8.13Essaouira $9.36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jaisalmer and Essaouira, we can see that Essaouira is more expensive. And not only is Jaisalmer much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jaisalmer is in Asia 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 Jaisalmer would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jaisalmer 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 Essaouira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Essaouira than you might in Jaisalmer.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Jaisalmer Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Jaisalmer or Essaouira?
Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 4% larger than the population of Jaisalmer. When comparing the sizes of Jaisalmer 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.