Which place is cheaper, Santillana or Marrakech?
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 Marrakech or Santillana?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Marrakech or Santillana? 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: Marrakech or Santillana?
Marrakech
Marrakech is on of the most popular travel destinations in Morocco. It is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat and is located near the foothills of the Atlas Mountains only a few hours from the Sahara Desert. It's a beautiful city that is often referred to as the "Pink City" because of the pale pink color of many of the city's buildings. These striking colors make the city particularly beautiful during the evening hours when the low sun creates a very dramatic lighting.
Santillana
A quaint town outside of Santander in northern Spain, Santillana de Mar is renowned for its medieval architecture. One of Spain's prettiest villages, Santillana del Mar and its cobbled streets are lined with palaces, churches, and balconies full of flowers. There are plenty of traditional shops selling local specialties, and it is nearby the UNESCO world heritage site of the Altamira Caves for something a little different.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Spain, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Spain.
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Marrakech Prices
Morocco PricesSantillana Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMarrakech $103Santillana $149
The average daily cost (per person) in Marrakech is $103, while the average daily cost in Santillana is $149. 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 Marrakech and Santillana in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMarrakech $59Santillana $70
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMarrakech $118Santillana $140
Compare Hotels in Marrakech and Santillana
Looking for a hotel in Marrakech or Santillana? 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: Marrakech Hotel Prices and Santillana Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Marrakech $14Santillana $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech
Also for Marrakech, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Agadir to Marrakech transfer One Way Private Transfer: $163
- Airport Marrakech Transfer one way: $24
- Hammam Massage Transfers Included: $83
- Hammam and Massage Experience with Transfers: $83
- Marrakech Airport Private Transfer: $30
- Marrakech Private Transfer to Hotels & Moroccan Cities: $159
- Private Horse carriages Experience & hotel transfer : $30
- Private Transfer Agadir airport - Marrakech: $238
- Private Transfer From Marrakech To Fez: $226
- Transfers from or to Marrakech Airport and Marrakech: $12
- private transfer to or from Marrakech and Taroudant one trip: $107
- "Marrakech to Chefchaouen: Your Exclusive Private Transfer": $270
Is it cheaper to fly into Marrakech or Santillana?
Prices for flights to both Santillana and Marrakech 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 dayMarrakech $29Santillana $62
Typical Food Prices in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Orange Juice on the Square$0.33
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Breakfast$1.33
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Dates$0.66
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Olives$1.00
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Sandwich$1.43
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Souvenir Spices$6.86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Marrakesh: Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride, Dinner and Show: $9.00
- Sunset Dinner in the Agafay Desert: $10
- Agafay Desert Dinner, Camel Ride & Quad Biking.: $12
- Agafay Desert Sunset Dinner Show – From Marra: $12
- Agafay Desert Quad & Camel Rides with Dinner Show: $12
- Marrakech Agafay Camel ride,Dinner , Fire Show: $12
- Camel Ride in the Agafay Desert, Dinner and Fire Show: $12
- Agafay Desert: Camel ride, dinner and fire show: $12
- Agafay Desert Sunset Camel Ride with Dinner in Camp: $13
- Morocco's Top Cooking Classes For Authentic berber Cuisine in the Atlas Mountain: $13
- Agafay Desert Sunset Camel Ride and Dinner Experience: $13
- Camel Ride at Marrakech Desert Agafy with Dinner: $13
Typical Food Prices in Santillana
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santillana:
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Breakfast$8.21
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Marrakech $11Santillana $27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Marrakech
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Marrakech's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Palace Tickets$2.21
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Golf at Atlas Golf$63
Tours and Activities in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Luxury Full-Day Atlas Mountains and Agafay Desert Tour: $9.52
- Atlas Mountains Ourika Valley Guided Tour From Marrakech : $11
- Full-Day Tour from Marrakech to the Imlil & Toubkal Valley: $11
- Group shared day tour to Ourika valley & Atlas Mountains: $11
- Small group to Atlas Mountains 4valleys;Waterfulls and camel Ride experience : $11
- Atlas Mountains ourika valley Guided Tour: $11
- Atlas Mountain Full Day Tour with Three Valleys and Waterfalls: $12
- Marrakech Airport to Hotel – Your Premium Arrival Experience: $12
- Shopping tour Marrakech Souks: $12
- Marrakech Cultural Tour Madrasa Ben Youssef and Secret Garden: $12
- Marrakech Culture Tour Guided Half Day Exploration of Medina: $12
- Medina Walking Tour with Souk Shopping in Marrakech: $12
Tours and Activities in Santillana
Here are a few actual costs in Santillana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private Guided Walking Tour of Santillana del Mar: $215
- Private Walking Tour of Altamira and Neocave Museum: $239
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMarrakech $10Santillana $5.03
Sample the Local Flavors in Marrakech
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marrakech:
- Marrakech Nightlife Adventure: The Ultimate Pub Crawl: $26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Marrakech and Santillana, we can see that Santillana is more expensive. And not only is Marrakech much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Marrakech is in Africa and Santillana 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 Marrakech would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Marrakech 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 Santillana would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santillana than you might in Marrakech.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Marrakech Expensive? and Is Santillana Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Marrakech or Santillana?
Marrakech has a larger population, and is about 210 times larger than the population of Santillana. When comparing the sizes of Marrakech and Santillana, 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.