Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Zanzibar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zanzibar or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Zanzibar and Essaouira can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Zanzibar or Essaouira?
Zanzibar
Just off the coast of Tanzania lies an entrancing archipelago known as Zanzibar. This gorgeous string of islands is the land of sultans, palaces beaches and spice-filled markets. Once an important trading center, many restorations have been done in recent years to restore Zanzibar to its ancient grandeur - earning its capital city UNESCO World Heritage status in 2000.
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 Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, 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 dayZanzibar $49Essaouira $47
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $49, 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 Zanzibar and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $23Essaouira $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $46Essaouira $54
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar 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: Zanzibar Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $11Essaouira $2.06
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- Safari blue tour with Lunch and Transfers: $180
- Zanzibar Sunset Dhow Cruise with Transfers.: $149
- Zanzibar : Off-Road Quad Bike Adventure with hotel transfer: $138
- Departure Private Transfer from Island to Zanzibar Airport ZNZ by Luxury Sedan: $125
- Arrival Private Transfer Zanzibar Airport ZNZ to Island by Luxury Car: $125
- Jozani Forest and Spice Farm Tour With Transfer: $110
- Airport Arrival And Departure Private Transfer.: $99
- Fishing Boat Tour with Transfer: $95
- Private Transfer from Makunduchi to Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport: $93
- Private Transfer from Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport to Makunduchi: $93
- Zanzibar Ferry Terminal Departure Transfers.: $90
- Zanzibar 1h30 Padel lesson Kiwengwa with hotel transfer: $86
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Excursion: 1H/Quad+1H/Camels (free transfer): $67
- Essaouira Airport To city Transfer: $39
- Essaouira private transfer from Essaouira city to Agadir airport (AGA): $142
- 1-Hour Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $37
- 2-Hour Quad Ride (free transfer): $65
- 3 Hours Quad Ride with Transfer: $83
- 3-Hour Quad Ride (Free Transfer): $72
- Guided Quad Biking Adventure with Transfer: $62
- Private Transfer from or to Agafay Desert: $164
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $27
- Private Transfer to Marrakech Comfort Convenience: $159
- From Beachside Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $71
Is it cheaper to fly into Zanzibar or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Zanzibar 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 dayZanzibar $16Essaouira $14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zanzibar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zanzibar.
- Half-Day Kuza Cave Swimming Adventure and Cooking Class: $13
- Spice Farm Tour with Cooking Lesson | Half day: $45
- Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour: $59
- Zanzibar Cooking Class & Spice Tour : $59
- Local Cooking Class with Spice Tour in Zanzibar: $60
- Zanzibar Spice farm and Cooking Class: $60
- Experience Night Local Food Tour at Stone Town: $60
- Walking Spice Farm with Local Cooking Class: $60
- Stone Town Private Food Tour with a Guide: $65
- Spice Farm Tour with Traditional Cooking Lesson: $65
- Traditional Zanzibar Cooking Class including Spice Tour: $68
- Spice farm tour with local foods cooking class: $69
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.44
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Breakfast Crepes$0.52
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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
- Traditional Moroccan and Berber Cooking Classes : $45
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $67
- Essaouira Walking Food Tour: $70
- Essaouirra cooking class: $71
- Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $72
- Essaouira Food Tour: $92
- Essaouira Food Tour: $97
- Berber Cooking Class at a Farm in the Countryside & shopping at a rural Souk.: $99
- 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $174
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zanzibar $12Essaouira $12
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4 hours Spice Tour in Tanzania: $80
- City Tour in Zanzibar : $33
- Dolphin tour,See food lunch ,Aquarium ,Nunqwi beach,Sunset cruse: $125
- Full Day Spice Tour, Prison Island and City Tours: $140
- Group Tour to Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank: $80
- Stone City, Spice Farm and Prison Island Full Day Tour: $120
- Zanzibar Spice Tour : $124
- ½-Day Zanzibar Spices Tour: $150
- 1 DAY TRIP ADVENTURE TO MIKUMI PARK FROM ZANZIBAR BY FLIGHT: $450
- 10 DAYS MOSHI TO ZANZIBAR BIKE TOUR: $4,286
- 2 Days Tour In Zanzibar: $180
- 2 Hours Private Stone Town City Tour: $50
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- Private Tour of Souk Had Dra and Traditional Moroccan Breakfast: $22
- Private City Tour: $27
- Friend-Guide Essaouira city tour: $27
- Full-Day Essaouira Tour from Marrakech: $28
- Explore Essaouira's Secrets: A Guided Tour with a Local!: $30
- Historical & Cultural Sightseeing Tour - half day: $34
- 3-Hour Camel Tour: $49
- Half-Day Old Town Guided Tour: $49
- Guided Dromedary Riding Tour: $49
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $58
- 2 Hour Quad & ATV Experience: $59
- Essaouria: Beach & Big Dunes 2-Hour Quad Biking Tour: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZanzibar $6.50Essaouira $9.48
Sample the Local Flavors in Zanzibar
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Zanzibar:
- Thrilling Pub Crawl In Zanzibar. Visit 3 Unique Bars: $26
- Pub Crawl & Club Experience: $30
When comparing the travel costs between Zanzibar and Essaouira, we can see that Zanzibar is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zanzibar Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Essaouira?
Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar 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.