Which place is cheaper, Essaouira or Zanzibar?
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 Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar 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: Zanzibar or Essaouira?
Zanzibar
Just off the coast of Tanzania lies an entrancing archipelago known as Zanzibar. This gorgeous string of islands is the land of sultans, palaces beaches and spice-filled markets. Once an important trading center, many restorations have been done in recent years to restore Zanzibar to its ancient grandeur - earning its capital city UNESCO World Heritage status in 2000.
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 Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Zanzibar Prices
Tanzania PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZanzibar $66Essaouira $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Zanzibar is $66, 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 Zanzibar and Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZanzibar $26Essaouira $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZanzibar $52Essaouira $58
Compare Hotels in Zanzibar and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Zanzibar 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: Zanzibar Hotel Prices and Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zanzibar $12Essaouira $2.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zanzibar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zanzibar:
- Arrival Transfer Zanzibar Airport ZNZ to Zanzibar by Luxury Car: $250
- The Top Best Tour in Stone Town and Prison Island with Transfer: $130
- Jet Ski to Zanzibar with photos and video and transfer included: $120
- Private Transfer from Makunduchi to Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport: $99
- Private Transfer from Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport to Kizimkazi: $99
- Private Transfer from Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport to Makunduchi: $99
- Zanzibar Ferry Terminal Departure Transfers.: $90
- Private Transfer from Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport to Matemwe: $89
- Private Transfer from Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport to Jambiani: $89
- Private Transfer from Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport to Kendwa: $89
- Private Transfer from Kiwengwa to Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport: $89
- Private Transfer from Michamvi to Zanzibar (ZNZ) Airport: $89
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 Zanzibar or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira and Zanzibar 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 dayZanzibar $30Essaouira $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zanzibar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zanzibar.
- Zanzibar Traditional Cooking Class: $49
- Zanzibar Spice Farm Tour and Cooking Class With Lunch: $52
- Zanzibar Spice Tour & Cooking Class : $59
- Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour: $59
- Spice Tour & Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $60
- Zanzibar Cooking Lesson: $70
- Traditional Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $77
- A Half Day Private Cooking Class At the Spice Farm: $90
- 5 Hours Guided Spice Tour and Cooking Class in Zanzibar: $101
- Full-Day Private Tour in Zanzibar with Cooking Class: $110
- Spice Tour; Secret Garden Restaurant; Stone Town; Dinner at The Rock Restaurant: $130
- Exclusive Private Sunset Dinner Sail along North Coast Zanzibar: $140
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.Zanzibar $13Essaouira $13
Tours and Activities in Zanzibar
Here are a few actual costs in Zanzibar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dolphin tour,See food lunch ,Aquarium ,Nunqwi beach,Sunset cruse: $145
- Fair Tourism In Paje: $27
- Full Day Spice Tour, Prison Island and City Tours: $140
- Mnemba Island, Nungwi Village & Sea Turtle Experience: $160
- Stone City, Spice Farm and Prison Island Full Day Tour: $120
- Stone Town Historical tour: $26
- Stone town historical walking tour with Mohamed: $30
- 2 Days Tour In Zanzibar: $180
- 2 days tour from Jozani forest to Stone town zanzibar: $270
- 3 Hours Private Stone Town Walking Tour : $20
- 3-Hour Private City Tour in Zanzibar Island : $25
- 3h-Zanzibar Archipelago Shared ATV Experience: $79
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 dayZanzibar $7.20Essaouira $10
When comparing the travel costs between Zanzibar and Essaouira, we can see that Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zanzibar or Essaouira?
Zanzibar has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Zanzibar 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.