Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Karachi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Karachi or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Karachi 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: Karachi or Essaouira?
Karachi
Karachi is the capital of the Pakistani province of Sindh. It is the most populous city in Pakistan, and sixth most populous city proper in the world. Karachi, located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, is the financial and commercial center of the nation, as well as its largest port. The pace of life here is more hurried, and social attitudes are far more liberal than elsewhere in Pakistan. Locals call it the City of Lights, the City of The Quaid, and the City that Never Sleeps. The city credits its growth to the mixed populations of economic and political migrants along with refugees from different national, provincial, linguistic and religious origins, who generally come to the city to settle permanently.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Pakistan, The Best Historical Tours in Pakistan, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
-
Karachi Prices
Pakistan PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKarachi $34Essaouira $60
The average daily cost (per person) in Karachi is $34, 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 Karachi and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKarachi $11Essaouira $28
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKarachi $22Essaouira $56
Compare Hotels in Karachi and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Karachi 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: Karachi Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Karachi $4.58Essaouira $2.16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Karachi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Karachi:
- Karachi Half Day City Tour with Local Snacks and Private Transfer: $199
- Karachi airport transfer, pick and drop, private chauffeur: $68
- Karachi Pick up and Dropoff Transfer: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer services between Essaouira Airport and the city center: $18
- Marrakech : Private Transfer from or to Marrakech Airoport: $24
- From Agadir : Day in Essaouira with Transfer: $33
- Essaouira P17: Quad ride dunes beaches free transfer.: $34
- Essaouira P2: dunes wipe & beaches in quad with transfer: $34
- Essaouira P3: Quad and Buggy tour beach dunes free transfer: $34
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $40
- Essaouira to Marrakech:Private Transfer for a Hassle-Free Journey: $73
- Essaouira P13: 2h quad + 2h camel free transfer: $94
- "Essaouira to Agafay Desert Marrakech: Exclusive Private Transfer: $94
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira: $107
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Karachi or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Karachi 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 dayKarachi $19Essaouira $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Karachi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Karachi.
- Old Karachi Street food Tour with Private Transfers: $199
- Private Karachi Street Food Tour: $213
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
-
Baklava$1.51
-
Breakfast Crepes$0.54
-
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: $31
- Cooking class: How To Be a Real Moroccan Chef: $41
- Essaouira Sunset Tour: Sidi M’barek Waterfall,Coastal Walk&Dinner: $48
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $53
- Kids Moroccan Cooking Class: $53
- Sidi Kaouki Sunset Walk and Berber Tent Dinner by Atlantic: $53
- Essaouira Cooking Class At Home: $53
- Souk Stories Essaouira Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Essaouira Berber Cooking Class & Organic Farm Tour Al Aaila Farm: $65
- Essaouira Family Dinner Experience: $66
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $70
- Essaouira Walking Food Tour: $70
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Karachi $5.07Essaouira $13
Tours and Activities in Karachi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Karachi are as follows:
- Day Tour in Karachi Unesco Heritage: $140
- Experience local village life in Sindh: $300
- Explore Karachi Like a Local Full Day City Tour: $150
- Full Day Karachi to Thatta Unesco Sites Tour: $92
- Full Day Private City Tour of Karachi: $125
- Full Day Private Karachi City Tour (History and Culture): $125
- Karachi City Tour: $129
- Karachi City Tour, History, Culture & Sights: $60
- Karachi Heritage Express: Thatta UNESCO Tour: $150
- UNESCO World Heritage Tour Near Karachi: $150
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
- Small Group Surf Lesson in Essaouira 3 Hour Experience: $30
- Sunset Horse Ride Experience in Essaouira: $34
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $34
- Essaouira P6: Cape Sim quad bike tour: $34
- Essaouira Experience Bike Quad: $41
- 2 Hours Dromedary Ride Tour in Essaouira Morocco: $53
- 2 – Hours Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Desert with Moroccan Tea: $58
- 2 Seater Dune and Ocean Buggy Tour: $59
- 2-hour quad adventure between beach and dunes: $59
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKarachi $3.34Essaouira $9.94
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Karachi and Essaouira, we can see that Essaouira is more expensive. And not only is Karachi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Karachi 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 Karachi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Karachi 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 Karachi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Karachi Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Karachi or Essaouira?
Karachi has a larger population, and is about 160 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Karachi 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.