A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Marrakech vs. Santander for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Marrakech or Santander?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Marrakech or Santander? 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 Santander?

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.

Santander

Santander is the capital of the Cantabria Region which runs along the northern coast of Spain. Located right on the bay, it is a place of many historic churches and a handful of interesting museums that range from archaeological discoveries of the region, to maritime history, and cultural features like bullfighting. There is also a large selection of beaches for those looking for a more relaxing getaway in the sun and sand.

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 10-Day Tours from Madrid, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Barcelona.


Which place is cheaper, Santander or Marrakech?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Marrakech is $69, while the average daily cost in Santander is $116. 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 Santander in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Marrakech $46
    Santander $55
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Marrakech $92
    Santander $110
Compare Hotels in Marrakech and Santander

Looking for a hotel in Marrakech or Santander? 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.

Hotels in Marrakech


Hotels in Santander


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 Santander Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Marrakech $6.30
    Santander $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech

Also for Marrakech, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Marrakech Transfer one way: $22
  • Hammam Massage Transfers Included: $71
  • Private Transfer Agadir airport - Marrakech: $164
  • Private Transfer From or To Marrakesh Menara Airport RAK: $9.83
  • private transfer to or from Marrakech and Taroudant one trip: $98
  • transfer from Marrakech city to Agadir city (AGA) one-way: $82
  • "Marrakech to Chefchaouen: Your Exclusive Private Transfer": $250
  • "Marrakech to El Jadida: Private Transfer for Your Comfort": $109
  • 2h Buggy Adventure in the Marrakech Desert with Transfer and Tea Break: $49
  • Agadir and Marrakech airport transfer : $290
  • Agadir private transfer from Imlil to Agadir airport (AGA): $271
  • Agadir private transfer from Ouirgane to Agadir airport (AGA): $290

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santander

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santander:

  • Santander Private Transfer from the city centre to Santander Airport: $43
  • Santander Private Transfer from Santander Airport to City centre: $43
  • Santander Private Departure Transfer: $35
  • Santander Private Arrival Transfer: $35
  • Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao Airport: $251
  • Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao: $251
  • Private Transfer from Santander Port to Bilbao Airport: $251
  • One-way Private Transfer From/To Santander Airport: $41

Is it cheaper to fly into Marrakech or Santander?

Prices for flights to both Santander 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Marrakech $13
    Santander $44
Typical Food Prices in Marrakech

For Marrakech, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Orange Juice on the Square
    $0.30
  • Breakfast
    $1.20
  • Dates
    $0.60
  • Olives
    $0.90
  • Sandwich
    $1.29
  • Souvenir Spices
    $6.18

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
  • Cooking Lesson at the Ouirgane Ecolodge with Lunch: $19
  • Restaurant Dinner Experience with Hotel Pickup: $21
  • Sunset in Agafay: Dinner, Camel, Quad-Book Adventure with Viator: $22
  • Typical Moroccan Dinner at the inhabitant in Marrakech: $22
  • Marrakesh: Agafay Desert Sunset Dinner with a Show and Transfers : $22
  • Dinner Show in Agafay Desert with Quad Bike & Camels: $22
  • Dinner Show Under stars in Agafay Desert with Sunset Camel Ride: $22
  • Dinner in Desert Marrakech and Camel ride at Sunset: $23
  • Magical Dinner & Agafay Desert ,Under The Stars: $24
  • Moroccan Cooking Class with a Local Chef: $24

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Marrakech $7.01
    Santander $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Marrakech

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Marrakech's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Palace Tickets
    $1.99
  • Golf at Atlas Golf
    $56

Tours and Activities in Marrakech

For Marrakech, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 3-Hour Colorful Souks Tour: $5.00
  • Marrakesh: Cactus Thiemann Entry Ticket: $8.24
  • Atlas Mountains Tour with Camel Ride: $9.00
  • Palmerai adventure on quad atv: $10
  • Marrakech:Quad Tour in Palmeraie: $14
  • Historical Marrakech Walking Tour: $15
  • Full Day Hiking Tour to Atlas Mountains from Marrakech: $15
  • Full Day Tour to Atlas Mountains in Imlil Valley: $15
  • Marrakech Sightseeing Tour: $15
  • Marrakech activities: Camel ride tour Marrakech: $15
  • Essaouira 1 Day Tour From Marrakech: $16
  • Anima Garden Admission Ticket: $16

Tours and Activities in Santander

Here are a few actual costs in Santander for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • City Sightseeing Santander Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $23
  • From Cantabria Private Tour: $492
  • From Gastronomic Tour: $128
  • From Potes, Santillana and Altamira Day Tour: $42
  • From Santillana del Mar & Altamira Museum Tour: $64
  • Full Day Self Guided Tour in Santillana del Mar and Comillas: $54
  • Full Day Tour Lakes of Covadonga and Santillana from Santander: $46
  • Gastronomy tour: $119
  • Obregón: Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno Entry Ticket: $26
  • Picos de Europa and Potes Guided Tour from Santander : $84
  • Private Puente Viesgo Caves Full-Day Tour from Santander: $212
  • 1-Hour City Cruise Around the Bay: $14

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Marrakech $15
    Santander $15


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Marrakech and Santander, we can see that Santander is more expensive. And not only is Marrakech much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Marrakech is in Africa and Santander is in Europe, 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 Marrakech would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Marrakech 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 Santander would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santander than you might in Marrakech.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Marrakech Expensive? and Is Santander Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Marrakech or Santander?

Marrakech has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Santander. When comparing the sizes of Marrakech and Santander, 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.