Should you visit Tangier or Essaouira?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Tangier and Essaouira can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Tangier
Welcome to the gateway to Africa. Sitting on the coast of the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier, Morocco has historically served as the meeting point of the Mediterranean and Africa.
After World War II, this city became a destination for eccentric foreigners, artists, spies and hippies. After that, the city was neglected and gained a horrible reputation for the hustlers cheating visitors left and right.
In 1999 Morocco saw the beginning of a new monarch who was more progressive with his vision for tourism. This message lit a fire under Tangier, helping the people see the amazing potential in their great city. They built a new port, a new business district and revamped the airport. The beaches and streets have been cleaned up of trash and hustlers and there's a sudden surge in cultural activities.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Essaouira or Tangier?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Tangier is $53, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $40. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Tangier and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around $38 for a double occupancy room in Tangier If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $46 in Essaouira For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Tangier food costs typically run travelers around $18 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
Essaouira food costs typically run travelers around $12 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Tangier $18
Essaouira $12
Typical Food prices in Tangier
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tangier:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tangier
For Tangier, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Moroccan Cooking Class in Marrakech:
$78
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Tangier Food Tour | Tangier Food Cultural Tour:
$101
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Tangier Cooking Lesson:
$121
Typical Food prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava
$1.54
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Breakfast Crepes
$0.55
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Fish for Lunch
$17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Essaouira
For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Cous Cous party and Show Cooking:
$37
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Essaouira Cooking Class:
$50
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Moroccan Cooking Class in Marrakech:
$78
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Berber Cooking Class at a Farm in the Countryside & shopping at a rural Souk.:
$109
Local Transportation
To get around in Tangier, the average visitor spends $21 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Essaouira than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $1.76 on transportation in Essaouira on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tangier
Also for Tangier, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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5-days Tour package from Tangier to Fes via Chefchaouen & Private transfers:
$1,120
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Tanger to Agadir airport transfer:
$626
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Private transfer: Tangier to Tangier Airport (TNG):
$622
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Transfer from Tanger to Marrakesh:
$530
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Private transfer from Tangier to Marrakech:
$518
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Private Transfer from Tanger to Casablanca (CMN) Airport:
$414
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Private Transfer from Tangier to Marrakech / or vice versa:
$398
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Transfer from Tanger to Casablanca:
$397
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Airport transfer from Tanger to Agadir:
$391
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Transfers From Tangier To Fes:
$390
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Tangier to Casablanca: Private Transfer (English Speaking Driver):
$389
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Private Transfer from Tanger to Rabat (RBA) Airport:
$352
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer from Essaouira to Rabat (RBA) Airport:
$581
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Essaouira to Casablanca: Private Transfer (English Speaking Driver):
$459
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Airport Transfer Essaouira - Marrakech:
$398
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Private Transfer from Essaouira to Casablanca (CMN) Airport:
$342
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One-Way Transfer from Essaouira Fez:
$337
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Private Transfer Essaouira - Rabat:
$299
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Private Transfer Essaouira-Taroudant:
$250
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Private Transfer Essaouira-Casablanca:
$208
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Essaouira to Agadir airport transfer:
$202
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Essaouira to Marrakesh airport transfer:
$202
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Transfer from Essaouira to your Riad or Hotel in Marrakech:
$187
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Private Transfer from Essaouira Center to Marrakech Center per Car:
$186
Is it cheaper to fly into Tangier or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Tangier 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.
Entertainment
In Tangier, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $17 per person, per day.
Sightseeing expenses in Essaouira, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $11 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Tangier
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tangier.
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.Said Private Day Tours:
$153
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07 D /06 N north-imperial-desert tours from Tanger to Marrakech:
$2,488
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10Days Imperial Cities of Morocco Tour package from Tangier to Marrakech:
$2,177
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14 Days New Year Eve Morocco tour 2019 from Tangier:
$4,230
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14 Days private Tour from Tangier in Morocco adventure travel:
$2,538
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15-Days Private Tour Highlights of Morocco from Tangier:
$3,795
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2 Days Marrakech tour from Tangier:
$638
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2 Days Tour of Tangier & Chefchaouen:
$160
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2 Hours Tour Cap spartel & Hercules caves with a Camel ride:
$83
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2 hours Tangier Sightseeing tour:
$61
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2-days Private Tour from Tangier to Chefchaouen via Asilah:
$622
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3 Days Desert Tour from Tangier:
$1,276
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
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2 Day tour from Marrakech to Essaouira:
$239
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3 days Desert Tour from Essaouira to Sahara in Morocco camel trip:
$761
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ATV Quad biking in Essaouira Beach, Big Dunes & Atlantic Coast tour:
$64
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Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS:
$57
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Essaouira Guided Tour: 3 on 1 - Nightlife tour, Live like a local & Street food:
$51
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Essaouira Tour - Half day visit to berber market:
$64
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Essaouira discovery -Private Day Tour:
$192
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Experience Food and Art Walking Tour of the Medina and Ramparts:
$51
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Experience Morocco: Essaouira Gnawa Music and Dance Performances:
$80
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Full-Day Quad bike Adventure from Essaouira to Sidi Kaouki:
$114
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Full-Day Tour to Essaouira from Marrakech with Hotel Pick Up:
$27
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Kite Surfing and Surfing Experience in Essaouira:
$31
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Tangier, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $9.32.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Essaouira, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $8.11.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tangier and Essaouira, we can see that Tangier 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 Tangier would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tangier than you might in Essaouira.
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