Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Lisbon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lisbon or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Lisbon 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: Lisbon or Essaouira?
Lisbon
Portugal's capital city of Lisbon continues to grow in popularity as a travel destination. The cultural scene has come to life in recent years and the city itself is stunningly beautiful. It sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is made up of hills that create a dramatic and scenic layout. The city has many white-bleached limestone buildings, narrow alleyways, and a laidback charm that appeals to visitors.
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 Portugal, The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLisbon €131Essaouira €43
The average daily cost (per person) in Lisbon is €131, 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 Lisbon and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLisbon €58Essaouira €24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLisbon €116Essaouira €48
Compare Hotels in Lisbon and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Lisbon 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: Lisbon Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lisbon €24Essaouira €1.87
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lisbon
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Lisbon:
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Taxi Ride€6.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon
Also for Lisbon, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lisbon to Seville private transfer one way max 6 persons: $736
- Full Day Tour - Transfer to Porto from Lisbon with Stops: $719
- Full Day Tour - Transfer to Algarve from Lisbon with Stops: $666
- From Private Transfer to Six Senses Douro Valley: $639
- Lisboa - Porto Private Transfer, with 2 visits on the way: $629
- One-way Private Transfer to/from Lisbon Airport - Lagos: $586
- One-way Private Transfer to/from Lisbon Airport - Faro: $586
- From the Algarve to Lisbon; Guided transfer with extra Wow!: $554
- To/From the Lisbon Airport: Faro Private Transfer: $533
- One-way Private Transfer to/from Lisbon Airport and Portimão: $533
- One-way Private Transfer to/from Lisbon Airport - Albufeira: $533
- Private Transfer Algarve / lisbon center city or for airport: $527
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech : $95
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $93
- Transfer Essaouira Airport to Essaouira: $22
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $102
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira : $87
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakesh Menara (RAK) Airport: $127
- Private Transfer Essaouira - Rabat: $261
- Marrakech : Private Transfer from or to Marrakech Airoport: $22
- From Scenic Diabat Horseback Ride with Transfer: $48
- From Private Transfer to Taghazout or Agadir: $149
- From Private Transfer to Marrakech: $123
- From Private Transfer to Casablanca: $320
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Lisbon 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 dayLisbon €42Essaouira €13
Typical Food Prices in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Soirée Rivage - Sunset cruise with dinner and Party: $25
- Hard Rock Cafe Lisbon with Set Lunch or Dinner : $28
- Tapas Food Tour: $37
- Fado Show and Portuguese Dinner: $48
- Lisbon Food Tour: $53
- Alfama Tour and Live Fado with Traditional Dinner: $53
- 2-Hour Pastel de Nata Cooking Class: $53
- Legendary Beer Dinner: $53
- No Diet Club - Unique food tour in Lisbon with many Tastings: $62
- Original Morning Food Tour: $63
- Lisbon Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks and Food inlcuded: $69
- Tipsy Food Crawl Walking Tour with Dinner: $69
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava€1.31
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Breakfast Crepes€0.47
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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: $54
- Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $67
- 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $169
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lisbon €24Essaouira €11
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Óbidos - Nazaré - Mafra (National Palace of Mafra)Private tour from Lisbon: $217
- 2-Hour Night Sailing Tour in Lisbon with a Drink: $49
- Divine Journey : Fatima Full Day Private Tour: $164
- Lisbon Full Day Small Group City Tour: $71
- Lisbon by Heart Private Walking Tour: $65
- Saint George Castle Guided Tour from Lisbon: $34
- Sintra or Cascais Half-day Private Tour - The real portuguese essence!: $120
- Street Art Walking Tour in Lisbon - Parque das Nações: $16
- Évora Private Tour - Cork Factory and Wine Estate Included: $245
- Évora Tour - Évora Town and Surroundings Private Tour: $243
- Évora Tour - The heart of Alentejo region: $104
- Évora Unveiled: A Half-Day Discovery| Premium Private Experience : $109
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- Big Cap Sim dunes and forest 3 hours tour.: $70
- 2 Hour Quad & ATV Experience: $58
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $56
- Discover Essaouira Full-Day Tour: $43
- Essaouira : 1H quad bike tour and 1H camel ride: $56
- Essaouira : Half-day E-Experience from Mountains to Sea: $128
- Essaouira Adventure Full-Day Excursion from Marakech: $47
- Essaouira Exclusive Dune Buggy Adventure: $163
- Essaouira Guided Tour: 3 on 1 - Nightlife tour, Live like a local & Street food: $65
- Essaouira Sand Dunes: Half Day Quad Bike Tour: $65
- Essaouira Tour - Half day visit to berber market : $56
- 3-Hour Camel Tour: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLisbon €18Essaouira €8.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Drinks and VIP Club Entry: $18
- 1-Hour Portuguese Wine Tasting Session: $20
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $21
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar and VIP Club Entry: $21
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots, & VIP Club Entry: $21
- Private Bar Crawl in Lisbon: $22
- Lisbon Wild Pub Crawl : $22
- Beer Tasting in a Classic Brewery: $27
- Pub Crawl Lisbon: $27
- Wine Tasting at Quinta das Murgas: $38
- Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $42
- Bar Crawl with Local Guide & Drinks: $42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Essaouira, we can see that Lisbon is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lisbon 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 Lisbon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lisbon 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 Lisbon Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lisbon or Essaouira?
Lisbon has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Lisbon 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.