Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Marrakech?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Marrakech or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Marrakech 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: Marrakech or Essaouira?
Marrakech
Marrakech is on of the most popular travel destinations in Morocco. It is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat and is located near the foothills of the Atlas Mountains only a few hours from the Sahara Desert. It's a beautiful city that is often referred to as the "Pink City" because of the pale pink color of many of the city's buildings. These striking colors make the city particularly beautiful during the evening hours when the low sun creates a very dramatic lighting.
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 10-Day Tours in Morocco, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco, The Best 2-Week Tours in Morocco, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMarrakech $71Essaouira $47
The average daily cost (per person) in Marrakech is $71, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $47. 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 Marrakech and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMarrakech $48Essaouira $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMarrakech $96Essaouira $54
Compare Hotels in Marrakech and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Marrakech 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: Marrakech Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Marrakech $6.50Essaouira $2.06
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech
Also for Marrakech, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer between Marrakech and Casablanca: $320
- One way transfer from Fes to Marrakech: $319
- Agadir and Marrakech airport transfer : $299
- Agadir private transfer from Ouirgane to Agadir airport (AGA): $299
- Private Premium Transfert From / To Marrakech To / From Tangier: $293
- Agadir private transfer from Imlil to Agadir airport (AGA): $280
- Private Transfer Marrakech - Rabat : $271
- Private Transfer from Safi to Casablanca (CMN) Airport: $263
- Essaouira Day Trip From Marrakech With Private Transfers: $260
- City to City Transfer - Marrakesh > MHamid: $260
- "Marrakech to Chefchaouen: Your Exclusive Private Transfer": $250
- Private Transfer one way from/to Taghazout - Marrakesh: $250
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfert Essaouira to Agadir - Private Agadir to Essaouira : $169
- Transfer from Essaouira to your Riad or Hotel in Marrakech: $169
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $113
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $121
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $121
- Transfer Essaouira Airport to Essaouira: $23
- Quad day with meal: Sidi M'Barek 6 hours (free transfer): $156
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $108
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakesh Menara (RAK) Airport: $132
- Private Transfer Essaouira-Essaouira Airport: $22
- Private Transfer Essaouira - Rabat: $271
- Marrakech : Private Transfer from or to Marrakech Airoport: $23
Is it cheaper to fly into Marrakech or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Marrakech 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 dayMarrakech $13Essaouira $14
Typical Food Prices in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Orange Juice on the Square$0.31
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Breakfast$1.23
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Dates$0.62
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Olives$0.93
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Sandwich$1.33
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Souvenir Spices$6.38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride and Dinner from Marrakech: $15
- Online Moroccan Cooking Class: $17
- Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride and Dinner Show: $19
- Dinner in Agafay desert from Marrakech & camel riding: $19
- Agafay Desert Camel Ride and Dinner Show: $20
- From Agafay Desert Sunset at Dinner And Fireshow: $21
- From Agafay Desert Sunset Dinner with Live Show: $21
- Desert Quad Bike with Dinner, Show, & Live Music: $21
- From Agafay Sunset Camel Tour with Dinner & Show: $21
- Agafay Camel Ride Sunset and Dinner with Show: $21
- Marrakech : Moroccan Cooking Class with our Executive Chef: $21
- From Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride, and Dinner: $21
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.44
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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:
- Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $39
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $68
- Essaouirra cooking class: $72
- Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $72
- Essaouira Cooking Class: $78
- Essaouira Food Tour: $93
- Berber Cooking Class at a Farm in the Countryside & shopping at a rural Souk.: $100
- 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $176
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $178
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Marrakech $7.23Essaouira $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Marrakech
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Marrakech's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Palace Tickets$2.06
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Golf at Atlas Golf$58
Tours and Activities in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Days Tour - Marrakech To Fez via Sahara Desert Erg chebbi: $213
- Agafay Desert: Three Valley Guided Tour From Marrakech : $21
- Atlas Mountains Tour & three valleys with camel ride : $40
- Atlas Mountains and Berber villages & Waterfalls Day Tour from Marrakech : $20
- Berber Experience Atlas and Sahara: $202
- Desert Agafay & Berber Villages Day Tour From Marrakech including Camel Ride: $51
- Desert Agafay and Atlas Mountains Day Tour & Camel ride From Marrakech: $18
- Desert tour small group with luxury tent: $102
- Experience Moroccan Hammam and Massage: $73
- Full Day Guided Tour in Ouzoud Waterfalls : $30
- Full day tour Ourika Valley And Atlas Mountains : $62
- Full-Day Tour in Atlas Mountain from Marrakech with Lunch: $21
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.: $72
- 1-Day Quad Adventure in Essaouira near Marrakech: $188
- 2 Hour Quad & ATV Experience: $60
- 3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech via Merzouga with Luxury Camp: $214
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $59
- Day Tour on Dromedary and Overnight Stay Near Essaouira Morocco: $233
- Discovery Tour around Essaouira by Electric Motorcycle: $109
- Essaouira 2-Hour Camel Adventure Ride: $40
- Essaouira : 1 Hour Quad Bike Tour and 1 Hour Dromedary Ride: $61
- Essaouira : Half-day E-Experience from Mountains to Sea: $160
- Essaouira Guided Tour: 3 on 1 - Nightlife tour, Live like a local & Street food: $68
- Essaouira Sand Dunes: Half Day Quad Bike Tour: $74
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMarrakech $15Essaouira $9.45
Sample the Local Flavors in Marrakech
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marrakech:
- Moroccan Wine tasting from Marrakech at Atlas Mountains & Desert and Camel ride: $113
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Marrakech and Essaouira, we can see that Marrakech 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 Marrakech would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Marrakech 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 Marrakech Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Marrakech or Essaouira?
Marrakech has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Marrakech 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.