Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Ouarzazate?
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 Ouarzazate or Essaouira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Ouarzazate and Essaouira can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Ouarzazate or Essaouira?
Ouarzazate
Morocco can be quite an energetic country, but if you're looking for more of a quiet getaway, consider Ouarzazate. Small by Moroccan standards, this town is built up mostly around a main street – the Avenue Mohammad V. Ouarzazate. The name "Ouarzazate" comes from the Berber language meaning "without noise" or "without confusion." It was once a crossroad for a African traders traveling to northern cities in Morocco and Europe. Today, Ouarzazate is the largest town in the Moroccan Sahara, and its central location serves as a good home base touring the rest of Morocco.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Morocco, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Morocco, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Ouarzazate Prices
Morocco PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOuarzazate $60Essaouira $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Ouarzazate is $60, 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 Ouarzazate and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOuarzazate $24Essaouira $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOuarzazate $48Essaouira $58
Compare Hotels in Ouarzazate and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Ouarzazate 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: Ouarzazate Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ouarzazate $3.76Essaouira $2.21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ouarzazate
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ouarzazate are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$2.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ouarzazate
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ouarzazate:
- "Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Your Comfortable Private Transfer": $115
- Private Ouarzazate Airport Transfer: $30
- Ouarzazate Airport Transfer: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- "Essaouira to Agafay Desert Marrakech: Exclusive Private Transfer: $90
- Airport transfer, Departure : Essaouira, Arrival : Agadir: $127
- Essaouira Desert Quad and Sandboarding with Photos and Transfer: $71
- Essaouira P5: Quad EN route DE la mer (free transfer): $38
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Aéroport : $36
- Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport : $40
- Private Transfer Essaouira-Essaouira Airport: $23
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- Private transfer Essaouira to Marrakech or Marrakech / essaouira : $119
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech : $114
- Transfer Airport Essaouira Mogador : $24
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $127
Is it cheaper to fly into Ouarzazate or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Ouarzazate 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 dayOuarzazate $31Essaouira $26
Typical Food Prices in Ouarzazate
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ouarzazate:
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Dinner for Two$12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ouarzazate
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ouarzazate.
- Private Berber Cooking Class at Fint Oasis with Lunch: $48
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.Ouarzazate $12Essaouira $13
Tours and Activities in Ouarzazate
Here are a few actual costs in Ouarzazate for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Hour Horse Riding Adventure in Ait Ben Haddou: $26
- 3 Days Group Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga Desert: $119
- Ait-Ben-Haddou - City Tour: $24
- Guided tour of the Palmerie de Skoura by electric mountain bike : $54
- Marrakech Half-Day Guided City Tour : $72
- Marrakech Palm Grove 2-Hour Quad Biking Adventure.: $54
- Ouarzazate ‘Hollywood of Morocco’ Private Full-Day Tour with Ait Ben Haddou: $227
- Ouzoud Waterfall Day Tour from Marrakech: $32
- Private Full-Day Tour of Ouarzazate and Oasis Fint: $173
- Private One Day Tour AIT BENHADDOU and TELOUET via Ouarzazate: $119
- Private Quad Experience in the Ouarzazate Desert: $54
- Private half-day mountain bike tour discover Palmeraie Skoura: $33
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 dayOuarzazate -Essaouira $10
When comparing the travel costs between Ouarzazate and Essaouira, we can see that Essaouira 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 Ouarzazate Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ouarzazate or Essaouira?
Essaouira has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of Ouarzazate. When comparing the sizes of Ouarzazate 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.