A Travel Price Comparison for Morocco Essaouira vs. Chefchaouen for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Essaouira or Chefchaouen?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Essaouira and Chefchaouen can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Essaouira or Chefchaouen?

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.

Chefchaouen

To feel like you've really stepped back in time to the glory days of Morocco, you're going to want to spend time in Chefchaouen. This town's beautiful medina is filled with white washed buildings with blue highlights. The wandering alleyways provide a fairy tale setting where you can relax for a few days. This mountainous region is a humble example of the classic picture of this area. Set against the backdrop of the Rif Mountains, the white and powder blue accented buildings and call to calls to prayer throughout the day let every visitor know they've arrived in a relaxing spot of peace and serenity.

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 2-Week Tours in Morocco, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Chefchaouen or Essaouira?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $62, while the average daily cost in Chefchaouen is $78. 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 Essaouira and Chefchaouen in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Essaouira $29
    Chefchaouen $27
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Essaouira $58
    Chefchaouen $54
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Chefchaouen

Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Chefchaouen? 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 Essaouira


Hotels in Chefchaouen


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: Essaouira Hotel Prices and Chefchaouen Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Essaouira $2.21
    Chefchaouen $17

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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Chefchaouen

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Chefchaouen:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.11

Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Chefchaouen?

Prices for flights to both Chefchaouen and Essaouira 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
    Essaouira $26
    Chefchaouen $34
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:


  • Baklava
    $1.55
  • Breakfast Crepes
    $0.55
  • 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

Typical Food Prices in Chefchaouen

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Chefchaouen:


  • Lunch for Two
    $9.96
  • Dinner for Two
    $11
  • Cupcake
    $0.33
  • Nutella and Yogurt
    $2.21

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Essaouira $13
    Chefchaouen $18

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Essaouira $10
    Chefchaouen $15


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Chefchaouen, we can see that Chefchaouen 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 Chefchaouen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chefchaouen than you might in Essaouira.

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


Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Chefchaouen?

Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 95% larger than the population of Chefchaouen. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Chefchaouen, 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.