Which place is cheaper, Ouarzazate or Albufeira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Albufeira or Ouarzazate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Albufeira or Ouarzazate? 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: Albufeira or Ouarzazate?
Albufeira
Located in the Algarve region in the south of Portugal, Albufeira was once a small fishing village which has since evolved into a popular destination for tourists attracted by the area's beaches, pleasant climate, and fresh seafood.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Morocco, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAlbufeira €148Ouarzazate €39
The average daily cost (per person) in Albufeira is €148, while the average daily cost in Ouarzazate is €39. 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 Albufeira and Ouarzazate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAlbufeira €74Ouarzazate €20
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAlbufeira €148Ouarzazate €40
Compare Hotels in Albufeira and Ouarzazate
Looking for a hotel in Albufeira or Ouarzazate? 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: Albufeira Hotel Prices and Ouarzazate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Albufeira €34Ouarzazate €3.14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Albufeira
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Albufeira:
- Albufeira - Faro Airport Transfers 4pax: $50
- Faro Airport (Algarve) Departure Transfer (Vilamoura Hotels to Faro Airport): $91
- Faro Airport Private Transfer - Albufeira (Departure): $27
- Private Airport Transfer To Albufeira Area: $112
- Private Airport Transfer To Albufeira Area: $101
- Private Faro Airport Transfer from Albufeira (up to 4 passangers): $54
- Private Faro Airport Transfer from Albufeira (up to 8 passangers): $78
- Private Transfer From Albufeira To Faro Airport By Minibus: $77
- Private Transfer From Algarve to Sevilha By 8 Seats Minibus: $527
- Private Transfer Lisbon to Algarve South Portugal and Seville : $196
- Private Transfer from Albufeira to Faro Airport (5 to 8 pax): $60
- Private Transfer from Ferreiras to Faro (FAO) Airport: $84
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ouarzazate
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ouarzazate are as follows:
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Taxi Ride€1.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ouarzazate
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ouarzazate:
- "Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Your Comfortable Private Transfer": $115
- Ouarzazate Airport Transfer: $24
- Ouarzazate Airport transfer: $22
- Ouarzazate Airport: Private Transfer: $43
- Private Ouarzazate Airport Transfer: $20
- Private Transfer between Ouarzazate & Marrakech: $319
- Private Transfert Between Marrakech & Ouarzazate: $166
Is it cheaper to fly into Albufeira or Ouarzazate?
Prices for flights to both Ouarzazate and Albufeira 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 dayAlbufeira €48Ouarzazate €15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Albufeira
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Albufeira.
- Portuguese Dinner and Cocktail Experience with Pick up: $54
- Albufeira Food Tour: Wine and Traditional Tapas Experience: $55
- Sunset Safari with Traditional Dinner : $67
- 6-Hour Sunset Dinner Catamaran Cruise with Open Bar: $67
- Sunset Tour - Champagne and Traditional Dinner: $73
- Half-Day-Orange Picking &Jam Cooking/Lunch with the Orange Farmer: $106
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€10
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: $45
- Oases Fint Tour With Dinner: $68
- Zagora 2 Days Sahara Desert Tour with Dinner and Desert Camp: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Albufeira €39Ouarzazate €9.77
Tours and Activities in Albufeira
Here are a few actual costs in Albufeira for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Silves Scavenger Hunt and Sights Private Self-Guided Tour: $4.17
- Old Town History Walking Tour with Tapas & Wine: $21
- Authentic Algarve: Loulé Town Tour and Markets: $21
- Quarteira Town & Gypsy Market Tour with Beach Bliss: $21
- Albufeira History Walking Tour with Wine and Tapas: $21
- 3-Day & 5-Day Giro Albufeir Tourist Passes: $22
- 70 Minutes Guided Old Ruins Walking Tour in Albufeira: $22
- 70 Minutes Guided Secrets of Albufeira Walking Tour: $22
- Albufeira 1 hour Off-Road Tour Quad Adventure Tour: $25
- Algarve Wines Tasting Shared Experience at Mercado Municipal de Silves: $28
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $29
- Caves and Coastline Cruise from Albufeira to Benagil: $30
Tours and Activities in Ouarzazate
Here are a few actual costs in Ouarzazate for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Royal Private Tour of Ksar Ait Ben Haddou: $22
- Ait-Ben-Haddou - City Tour: $23
- 1 Hour Horse Riding Adventure in Ait Ben Haddou: $26
- Private Quad Experience in the Ouarzazate Desert: $57
- Marrakech: 2-Day Zagora Desert and Atlas Mountains Tour: $66
- Marrakech:2-Day group tour to Zagora Desert&Atlas Mountains: $69
- Marrakech to Merzouga: 3-Day Desert Camp Adventure: $91
- 3-Day Desert Adventure: Ouarzazate to Merzouga: $100
- from Marrakech: 3-day tour to Merzouga and the Sahara Desert: $104
- From Marrakech : Merzouga 3 day desert tour with camel ride: $106
- Private One Day Tour AIT BENHADDOU and TELOUET via Ouarzazate: $114
- Private tour Ait Ben Haddou - Ouarzazate. Lunch included.: $124
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAlbufeira €26Ouarzazate -
Sample the Local Flavors in Albufeira
Also in Albufeira, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half Day Safari Tour with Wine Tasting: $59
- Winery Tour with Wine Tasting and Tapas: $65
- Small-Group Wine Tour & Silves Exploration (from Albufeira): $69
- Albufeira Coast Tour w/ Wine tasting & Chicken lunch: $76
- Albufeira Coast Tour with Wine Tasting and Chicken PiriPiri Lunch: $77
- From Private Lagos Tour Whith Wine Tasting: $94
- Full-Day Private Algarves Wine Tour Experience from Albufeira: $158
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Albufeira and Ouarzazate, we can see that Albufeira is more expensive. And not only is Ouarzazate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Albufeira is in Europe and Ouarzazate is in Africa, 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 Ouarzazate would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ouarzazate 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 Albufeira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Albufeira than you might in Ouarzazate.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Albufeira Expensive? and Is Ouarzazate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Albufeira or Ouarzazate?
Ouarzazate has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Albufeira. When comparing the sizes of Albufeira and Ouarzazate, 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.