Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Aswan or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan 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: Aswan or Essaouira?
Aswan
Lounging along the Nile like Egyptian royalty is a fantasy for most world travelers. If you want to do it without the hustle and bustle of Cairo, there's always Aswan. This city in the south of Egypt is the smallest of the three major cities on the Nile. Located just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Aswan's 275,00 people include a large portion of Nubians – mostly resettled from their flooded homeland.
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 Egypt, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $31Essaouira $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $31, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $62. 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 Aswan and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $10Essaouira $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $20Essaouira $58
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Aswan 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: Aswan Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $5.70Essaouira $2.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Transfer Round Trip To Abu Simbel From Aswan: $300
- 3-Day Guided tours to Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor & Train and Transfers : $167
- Marvel 3-Days Unique Guided Tours Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers : $167
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $150
- "Aswan to Hurghada: Luxe Private Transfer - Comfort Guaranteed ": $130
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Marsa Alam: $130
- Edfu and Kom Ombo Day Tour with Luxor Transfer: $115
- Aswan to Hurghada - or vice ( Private Transfer ): $115
- Transfer from Aswan to Abu Simbel: $107
- Private Transfer Aswan to Luxor: $105
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $99
- Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada : $95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Essaouira-Essaouira Airport: $23
- Transfer Airport Essaouira Mogador : $24
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport : $36
- Essaouira P5: Quad EN route DE la mer (free transfer): $38
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport : $40
- Essaouira Desert Quad and Sandboarding with Photos and Transfer: $71
- "Essaouira to Agafay Desert Marrakech: Exclusive Private Transfer: $90
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $114
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech : $114
- Private transfer Essaouira to Marrakech or Marrakech / essaouira : $119
- Airport transfer, Departure : Essaouira, Arrival : Agadir: $127
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Aswan 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 dayAswan $16Essaouira $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Savor Nubian Cuisine: Lunch or Dinner in a Local Village: $50
- Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $51
- Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $60
- Private 3-Hour Nubian Party with Dinner and Pickup in Aswan: $77
- Aswan Sunset Dinner Cruise: $80
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $90
- Experience the Magic of Aswan in One Day Food Tour with Guide: $177
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.55
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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:
- Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $39
- Essaouira Moroccan Cooking Class Experience: $42
- Essaouira Sunset Experience, Waterfall Walk & Romantic Dinner: $43
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $71
- Essaouira Food Tour: $88
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $220
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $9.77Essaouira $13
Typical Entertainment Prices in Aswan
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:
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Temple Kom Ombo for Two$1.26
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Abu Simbel Temple from Aswan private full day tour: $80
- Abu Simbel Temples Full Day Tour From Aswan With Entry Tickets : $99
- Aswan Luxury Car Tour: $75
- Aswan OR Luxor : Full Day Private Guided Tour to Kom Ombo and Edfu temples: $99
- High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, & Philae Private Tour: $20
- Kalabsha Temple and Nubian Museum Tour: $89
- Kayak Tour around the Temple of Philae & Heissa Island : $30
- Nubian Village Day Tour In Aswan: $25
- Nubian Village and Philae Temple Private Guided Tour From Aswan: $29
- Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam Tour: $95
- Private Abu Simbel Temple tour : $123
- Private Day Tour to Abu Simble Temple from Aswan: $29
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- Essaouira to Marrakech Supratours bus tickets: $18
- Essaouira Donkey Tours : $30
- Full-Day Essaouira Tour from Marrakech: $30
- guided Oriental city tour marrakech from agadir 1 day: $39
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Forest Beach: $42
- Essaouira Dar Sultan Palace Horseback Tour Experience: $54
- 2 Hours Dromedary Ride Tour in Essaouira Morocco: $54
- Essaouira P12: 1h Quad bike tour and 1h dromedary Ride: $58
- Essaouira Tour - Half day visit to berber market : $61
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $62
- Essaouira Guided Tour: 3 on 1 - Nightlife tour, Live like a local & Street food: $71
- Authentic Berber Tour near Essaouira – Fishing,Tagine & Waterfall: $71
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.12Essaouira $10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Essaouira, we can see that Essaouira is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Aswan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aswan 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 Essaouira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Essaouira than you might in Aswan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aswan Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Essaouira?
Aswan has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Aswan 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.