Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Durban?
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 Durban or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Durban and Essaouira. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Durban or Essaouira?
Durban
The third largest city in South Africa, Durban sits on the east coast of the country in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The city also has the country's most active port. The city's comfortable weather and vast beaches make it one of the country's major tourist centers. There's a population of about 3.5 million in the entire metropolitan area that spreads over 2,295 square kilometers.
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 Overlanding Trips in South Africa, The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Durban Prices
South Africa PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDurban $69Essaouira $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Durban is $69, 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 Durban and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDurban $27Essaouira $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDurban $54Essaouira $58
Compare Hotels in Durban and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Durban 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: Durban Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Durban $14Essaouira $2.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durban
Also for Durban, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfers from King Shaka Airport: $116
- Durban King Airport (DUR) to Durban - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $111
- Departure Private Transfer Durban to Durban Airport DUR by Sedan: $81
- Durban Private Airport Arrival Transfer: $66
- Private Durban Airport Departure Transfer: $65
- Durban to Durban King Airport (DUR) - Departure Private Transfer: $55
- Durban Airport (DUR) to Durban - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Durban Cruise Ship Transfers : $50
- Private Sedan Transfers - Durban King Shaka: $50
- 1-3 Passenger Private Durban - Airport Transfer: $49
- Private Transfers - Minibus - Durban Arrivals and Departures: $47
- Durban airport to Durban city transfer: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Essaouira to your Riad or Hotel in Marrakech: $179
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $127
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $127
- Airport transfer, Departure : Essaouira, Arrival : Agadir: $127
- Private transfer Essaouira to Marrakech or Marrakech / essaouira : $119
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $114
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech : $114
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- "Essaouira to Agafay Desert Marrakech: Exclusive Private Transfer: $90
- Essaouira Desert Quad and Sandboarding with Photos and Transfer: $71
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport : $40
- Essaouira P5: Quad EN route DE la mer (free transfer): $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Durban or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Durban 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 dayDurban $30Essaouira $26
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.Durban $18Essaouira $13
Tours and Activities in Durban
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Durban.
- Sani Pass Lesotho 4x4 Tour from Durban : $229
- 1 Day Safari Isimangaliso Boat Cruise & Game Safari From Durban : $205
- 1/2 Day Durban City Tour: $144
- 1/2 Day Durban City Tour & Phezulu Tour: $181
- 1/2 Day Tala Game Reserve & Lion Park Tour From Durban: $190
- 1/2 Day Tour to Drakensberg Mountains & Hiking from Durban: $191
- 1/2 Tala Game Reserve & Phezulu Safari Park Tour: $191
- 5-Day Zululand Tour of Drakensberg, Hluhluwe & Isimangaliso: $1,731
- A Full Day Safari Tour to the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Big 5 Game Reserve: $202
- Battle of Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift Battle Day Tour From Durban: $261
- Battlefield Tour, Duration : 14hrs, Cost : R4390pp -2/more trav.: $260
- Battlefields Tour (Anglo-Zulu) 1879, Rorkes drift & Isandlwana: $225
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.: $76
- 1 Day Horseback Riding Tour with Overnight Stay in Berber Tent: $298
- 1 Hour Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Forest Beach: $42
- 1-Day Quad Adventure in Essaouira near Marrakech: $211
- 2 Hours Dromedary Ride Tour in Essaouira Morocco: $54
- 3-Hour Quad Biking Adventure in Essaouira: $89
- Authentic Berber Tour near Essaouira – Fishing,Tagine & Waterfall: $71
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $62
- Day Tour on Dromedary and Overnight Stay Near Essaouira Morocco: $298
- Discovery Tour around Essaouira by Electric Motorcycle: $115
- Essaouira Dar Sultan Palace Horseback Tour Experience: $54
- Essaouira Donkey Tours : $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDurban $14Essaouira $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Durban
Also in Durban, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Stellenbosch and Franschoek Winelands Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $259
When comparing the travel costs between Durban and Essaouira, we can see that Durban 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 Durban Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Durban or Essaouira?
Durban has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Durban 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.