Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Johannesburg?
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 Johannesburg or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Johannesburg and Essaouira can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Johannesburg or Essaouira?
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
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 South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Johannesburg Prices
South Africa PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohannesburg $122Essaouira $60
The average daily cost (per person) in Johannesburg is $122, 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 Johannesburg and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohannesburg $62Essaouira $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohannesburg $124Essaouira $56
Compare Hotels in Johannesburg and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Johannesburg 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: Johannesburg Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johannesburg $18Essaouira $2.14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- Pilanesberg Transfer from Johannesburg and Pretoria: $244
- Private Transfer to Sun City Resort from Johannesburg: $234
- Suncity Transfer: $213
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) to Pretoria hotels: $174
- JHB: Lesedi Cultural Village Tour TRANSFER&ENTRANCE INCLUDED: $159
- Kwa Maritane Transfer and Game Drive Package: $156
- Private Transfers from Airport to Hotel/Game Lodge: $155
- Johannesburg Quad Biking & Return Transfer: Haartebeespoort: $145
- Abseiling & Return Transfer Included Lanseria: $145
- Go Karting & Transfer to Lanseria Included: $145
- Pilanesberg Shared Transfer and 3 Hour Safari: $143
- Pilanesberg Transfers: $121
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: $23
- From Agadir : Day in Essaouira with Transfer: $33
- Essaouira P17: Quad ride dunes beaches free transfer.: $34
- Essaouira Airport Private Transfer: $34
- Essaouira P3: Quad and Buggy tour beach dunes free transfer: $34
- Essaouira P1: Quad ride / family & friends (free transfer): $34
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $39
- 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: $92
- Transferts Marrakech à Essaouira ou Essaouira à Marrakech: $97
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Johannesburg or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Johannesburg 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 dayJohannesburg $33Essaouira $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Joburg street food tour in it's oldest suburb!: $78
- Zulu Food Cooking & Dining Experience with a local Chef: $85
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $96
- Johannesburg Culture and Food Tour: $98
- Zulu Food Cooking and Dining Experience with a local Chef: $109
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $111
- Lesedi Cultural Village Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $122
- Lesedi Cultural Village with lunch or dinner cultural food: $133
- Pan African Cooking Class & Dinning Experience: $134
- Soweto Township Tour With African food tour: $145
- Rooftop Bar, Dinner and Clubbing (Amapiano): $217
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.50
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Breakfast Crepes$0.53
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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
- Essaouira Sunset Tour: Sidi M’barek Waterfall,Coastal Walk&Dinner: $47
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $52
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $68
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $70
- Essaouira Cooking Class: $75
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $214
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johannesburg $24Essaouira $13
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- 2 Day Kruger Glamping Budget Adventure: $487
- 2-Day Kruger National Park Safari Tour from Johannesburg: $1,010
- 5 Days 4 Nights Safari Tour In Madikwe And Pilanersbeg: $2,402
- 6 Days Johannesburg and Kruger National Park Tour: $1,737
- Aerial cableway Hartebeespoort Halfday tour: $160
- African Food Tasting Tour: $73
- Amapiano & Afrobeats Nightlife Experience in Johannesburg: $113
- Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria: $204
- Apartheid Museum & Soweto Tour: $133
- Apartheid Museum & Soweto Tour with Hotel Pickup: $85
- Apartheid Museum Guided Tour: $77
- Apartheid Museum Tour: $58
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
- Essaouira Camel Ride, Quad Bike & Buggy Adventure: $22
- Scenic Horseback Adventure Along Essaouira’s Beaches: $25
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $34
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira desert: $34
- Essaouira P6: Cape Sim quad bike tour: $34
- Sunset Horse Ride Experience in Essaouira: $34
- Quad Adventure in 1 Hour: $34
- 1-Hour Scenic Quad Bike Tour: Discover Essaouira’s Coastline: $35
- Essaouira Experience Bike Quad: $41
- Essaouira 2-Hour Camel Adventure Ride: $41
- Essaouira Dar Sultan Palace Horseback Tour Experience: $52
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohannesburg $5.37Essaouira $9.82
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $9.14
- Wine Tasting: $12
- Wine Tasting and Cableway Half Day Tour: $157
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johannesburg and Essaouira, we can see that Johannesburg is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Johannesburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johannesburg or Essaouira?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Johannesburg 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.