A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Essaouira vs. Cinque Terre for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Essaouira or Cinque Terre?

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 Cinque Terre can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Essaouira or Cinque Terre?

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.

Cinque Terre

Located on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline, Cinque Terra consists of five seaside villages exuding a charm that dates back to medieval times. Fishing boats bob in the harbors, bringing fresh seafood to the tables of the region, while age old vineyards make for fragrant signature wines. Cinque Terre is considered to be a National Park, with its five villages earning a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their beauty and timelessness.

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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Italy, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Italy.


Which place is cheaper, Cinque Terre or Essaouira?

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

  • Essaouira Prices
    Morocco Prices
    Cinque Terre Prices
    Italy Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Essaouira $62
    Cinque Terre $199

The average daily cost (per person) in Essaouira is $62, while the average daily cost in Cinque Terre is $199. 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 Cinque Terre in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Essaouira $29
    Cinque Terre $85
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Essaouira $58
    Cinque Terre $170
Compare Hotels in Essaouira and Cinque Terre

Looking for a hotel in Essaouira or Cinque Terre? 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 Cinque Terre


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 Cinque Terre Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Essaouira $2.21
    Cinque Terre $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira

Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech : $114
  • 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
  • Transfer Airport Essaouira Mogador : $24
  • Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $114
  • Private transfer Essaouira to Marrakech or Marrakech / essaouira : $119
  • Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
  • Private Transfer Essaouira-Essaouira Airport: $23
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport : $40
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport : $36
  • Essaouira P5: Quad EN route DE la mer (free transfer): $38

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cinque Terre

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


  • Ferry Day Pass
    $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cinque Terre

Also for Cinque Terre, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Cinque Terre to La Spezia by Car or Van: $156

Is it cheaper to fly into Essaouira or Cinque Terre?

Prices for flights to both Cinque Terre 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
    Cinque Terre $84
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 Cinque Terre

For Cinque Terre, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Whole Pizza
    $11
  • Panini
    $4.40
  • Sitdown Dinner (for Two)
    $61
  • Fresh Focaccia
    $2.49

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cinque Terre

For Cinque Terre, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Cesarine: Sunset Spritz Masterclass with Dinner in Cinque Terre: $213

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Essaouira $13
    Cinque Terre $15

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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Cinque Terre

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cinque Terre's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Double Kayak Rental (One Hour)
    $12
  • Bagni Eden Beach Club Umbrella
    $19
  • Cinque Terre Card (One Day)
    $5.87
  • Cinque Terre Card (Three Days)
    $14

Tours and Activities in Cinque Terre

For Cinque Terre, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Private Cinque Terre Boat Tour : $255
  • 2 Hr Shared Cinque Terre Sunset Cruise with Swim Stop {wine inc!}: $179
  • 3 Hour shared Cinque Terre tour + Swim Stops at Secluded Beaches!: $155
  • 3-Hour Private Boat Tour of the Cinque Terre: $287
  • A unique experience of the Cinque Terre by sea.: $152
  • Cinque Terre Daytime Boat Tour : escape into beauty and color: $142
  • Cinque Terre Hybrid Boat Tour from Monterosso: $142
  • Cinque Terre Lunch boat tour: $251
  • Cinque Terre Morning Tour: $120
  • Cinque Terre Paddleboarding cruise at sunrise or sunset: $239
  • Cinque Terre Private Boat Tour: $201
  • Cinque Terre Small Group or Private Day Tour from Florence: $274

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Essaouira $10
    Cinque Terre $7.87

Typical Alcohol Prices in Cinque Terre

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Cinque Terre:


  • Glass of Local Wine
    $3.40

Sample the Local Flavors in Cinque Terre

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cinque Terre:

  • BarCa Winery Cinqueterre Trekking & Wine Tasting & Pesto Class: $71
  • Pesto Class and Wine Tasting in Vernazza, Cinque Terre: $74
  • Cinque terre wine tour and tasting with the somelier: $80
  • Eco Hiking and Wine Tasting in Cinque Terre : $106
  • Private Tour of Cinque Terre's Wine tasting with a local: $156
  • Cinque Terre Walking Tour with Food and Wine Tastings: $166


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Essaouira and Cinque Terre, we can see that Cinque Terre is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Essaouira is in Africa and Cinque Terre is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Cinque Terre would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cinque Terre 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 Cinque Terre Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Essaouira or Cinque Terre?

Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Cinque Terre. When comparing the sizes of Essaouira and Cinque Terre, 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.