A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Antalya vs. Merzouga for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Antalya or Merzouga?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Antalya or Merzouga? 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: Antalya or Merzouga?

Antalya

Antalya is the largest city along Turkey's Mediterranean coast and the eighth largest city in the country with over one million people in the metropolitan area. The city dates back to about 200 BC when it was settled by the Attalid Dynasty of Pergamon and soon conquered by the Romans. The city was ruled by several different groups and most recently was transferred to Italian suzerainty following World War I. It became part of Turkey following the War of Independence. The city has seen an influx of development in recent years and it has grown into a tourism mecca with more than 12 million visitors in 2014.

Merzouga

Let's say you want to truly get away. I don't mean putting your ear buds in on some beach with a stronger on the next chair over. I mean really get away, and find yourself deserted. Merzouga, Morocco lets you do just that. This land of sand dune after sand dune is ideal for anyone yearning to ride a camel to the ends of civilization. And you'll find plenty of options to get here with a tour, or even on your own.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best Anzac Day Tours in Turkey, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Antalya?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Antalya is $147, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $17. 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 Antalya and Merzouga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Antalya $55
    Merzouga $10
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Antalya $110
    Merzouga $20
Compare Hotels in Antalya and Merzouga

Looking for a hotel in Antalya or Merzouga? 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 Antalya


Hotels in Merzouga


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: Antalya Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Antalya $110
    Merzouga -

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antalya

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

  • From Land of Legends Transfer and Boat Parade Show: $8.98
  • Antalya airport Belek shuttle transfer: $9.61
  • Pamukkale Day Trip From Antalya With Lunch & Transfer : $14
  • Antalya Airport - Antalya City Hotels Private Transfers (Lara, Kundu, Old Town): $15
  • Antalya Ariport (AYT) to Antalya hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $16
  • Antalya to Antalya Ariport (AYT) - Departure Private Transfer: $16
  • Antalya Ariport (AYT) to Belek hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $19
  • Antalya Airport (AYT) to Antalya hotel - Arrival Private Transfer: $19
  • Antalya Family Rafting Adventure w/ Free Hotel Transfer: $20
  • Antalya Land of Legend Night Show Transfer w/Boat Parade Show: $20
  • Antalya Scuba Diving With Lunch, Transfer: $20
  • Private Departure Transfer: Kundu / Lara Region Hotels to Antalya Airport: $20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:

  • 1 way transfer: $62

Is it cheaper to fly into Antalya or Merzouga?

Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Antalya 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
    Antalya $25
    Merzouga $5.92

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antalya

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

  • Pamukkalea and Salda Lake Tour with Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner: $40
  • Traditional Turkish Tastes at Antalya Food Tour: $47
  • Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show with Dinner: $73
  • Full day trip to Pamukkale from Side with dinner: $104

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.

  • One Night in Private Camp in the Sahara Desert in Merzouga with Dinner: $65
  • Sunset With Dinner And Berber Music in Merzouga Desert With 4WD : $65
  • Merzouga Orange Dunes ATV Sandsurf Camels with 5 Stars Dinner: $85
  • Camel trek with 1 Night in Luxury camp with Dinner+ Sundbording: $87
  • Visit The Nomads, Gnawa Music, Rally In Dunes, Berber Pizza : $98
  • Magical Dinner and Camel Trek with 1 Night In Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp: $105
  • Overnight in Luxury Camp With camel Trek & Dinner: $107
  • From Fes: 2-Day Merzouga Desert Trip(Luxury Tent & Dinner): $124
  • From Fes: 2-Day Merzouga Desert Trip w/Luxury Tent & Dinner: $127
  • 2 Nights Private Camp in Merzouga with Dinner and Camel Ride: $200

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Antalya $46
    Merzouga -

Tours and Activities in Antalya

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

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
  • Antalya Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $3.21
  • Bazaar Self-Guided Smartphone App Tour: $6.00
  • Antalya Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
  • Antalya Scavenger Hunt And Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
  • Antalya Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Self-Guided Audio City Tour on Your Phone: $11
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • Antalya Sand Sculpture Museum Admission Ticket: $11
  • Sulu Island and Adrasan Bay: Boat Tour with Lunch: $13
  • Full-Day Private Rafting Adventure in Karabük Türkiye: $13
  • Spa and Skin Care Experience with Massage and Drink: $14

Tours and Activities in Merzouga

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:

  • Overnight in Desert Camp Berber Experience in Merzouga Desert & Camel Ride: $82
  • Private Adventure to Merzouga Risani from Erfoud : $142
  • Private Desert Tour and Visit to Nomadic Families: $98
  • 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Buggy Experience: $140
  • 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Quad Biking Tour & Sandboarding: $64
  • 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $60
  • 1/2 day 4x4 tour of Erg Chebbi: $82
  • 2 Hours Merzouga Desert Quad Bike Adventure: $113
  • 2 hours Merzouga Dunes ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour: $112
  • 2-Day Desert Tour with Return to Marrakech: $182
  • 3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech via Merzouga with Luxury Camp: $218
  • 3 Days Tour to Merzouga Dunes and Camel Trek: $87

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Antalya $20
    Merzouga -


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Antalya and Merzouga, we can see that Antalya is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Antalya is in Europe and Merzouga 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 Merzouga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Merzouga 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 Antalya would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Antalya than you might in Merzouga.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Antalya Expensive? and Is Merzouga Expensive?.