Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Catania?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Catania or Merzouga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Catania and Merzouga can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Catania or Merzouga?
Catania
Located on the east coast of Sicily, Catania is at the base of Mount Etna, which is the largest volcano in Europe. It's also the island's second largest city and a major transportation center for the area. With almost one million residents in the metropolitan area, the city serves as an important economic base and university town for Sicily. It's a vibrant city with a young population, a lively downtown, and an excellent nightlife. The city has an abundance of Sicilian Baroque architecture and the downtown area, where much of it is this architecture is concentrated, has been declared a World Heritage Site.
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 The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy, The Best Walking Tours in Italy, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCatania €120Merzouga €16
The average daily cost (per person) in Catania is €120, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is €16. 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 Catania and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCatania €65Merzouga €9.57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCatania €130Merzouga €19
Compare Hotels in Catania and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Catania 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.
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: Catania Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Catania €20Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Catania
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Catania:
- Sicily: Catania Airport Bus Transfer to Giardini Naxos: $5.99
- Catania International Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Syracuse: $6.63
- Catania International Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Taormina: $7.49
- Sicily: Catania Airport Bus Transfer to Licata: $9.84
- Private Transfer from Catania Airport (CTA) to Siracusa Port: $44
- Catania Airport: Private Transfer to Catania and Acireale: $52
- Mt Etna: Winter Trekking Tour with Optional Catania Transfer: $52
- Private Transfer from Catania Airport (CTA) to Messina Port: $61
- From Catania Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Catania: $63
- PRIVATE TRANSFER from CATANIA to TAORMINA (and VICEVERSA): $69
- Catania Private Transfer (Taormina, Siracusa, Noto, Messina, Naxos, Etna, etc): $71
- Taxi Catania Airport with transfer to Syracuse or Taormina: $76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way transfer: $62
Is it cheaper to fly into Catania or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Catania 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 dayCatania €41Merzouga €5.55
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Catania
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Catania.
- Catania Street Food Tour: Fish Market & City Centre: $38
- Catania Street Food Tour: $52
- Cooking class & visit to the Catania Historical market: $59
- Patisserie Food tour: $60
- Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $63
- Food tour of Catania by night: $64
- Catania Street Food Tour: $67
- Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $73
- Aci Trezza boat tour with dinner on board: $85
- Cooking Class Tiramisù: $95
- Cooking Class Arancini in Catania: $96
- Cooking class Pizza: $96
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Catania €19Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Catania
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Catania are as follows:
- One-way tickets to travel between airport and city: $2.69
- Benedictine Monastery of Guided tour in English: $11
- Heart of the City Guided Walking Tour: $21
- The heart of the City - Guided tour in Italian: $21
- Underground Catania Tickets and Guided Tour: $21
- the heart of the City - Guided Walking Tour: $21
- City Highlights Walking Tour: $24
- City Highlights Tour with Guide: $27
- Food Tasting Tour in an ancient church: $35
- Tasting tour in the ancient church of Piazza Scammacca: $35
- Pozzo di Gaspare Farm Guided Tour with Tastings: $37
- 2 hours guided tour of Catania: $40
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- Camel Ride Experience: $27
- Merzouga Desert Quad bike Adventure with Sand boarding: $38
- Merzouga 4x4 Desert Excursion - Sahara 4WD Adventure: $43
- Merzouga ATV Quad Desert Tours: $43
- Merzouga 4x4 Desert Tours & Excursions: $46
- Extreme Adventure with Harness Zorbing in Merzouga dunes: $48
- Merzouga one hour Adventure Tour: $55
- Merzouga 4x4 tour - Excursion around dunes: $55
- Merzouga Experience -1.5h Quad buggy : $55
- Merzouga 4X4 Half-Day Tour with Lunch: $55
- 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $60
- From Quad bike tour to the peak of Erg Chebbi dune: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCatania €18Merzouga -
Sample the Local Flavors in Catania
Also in Catania, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Volcanic Wine Tasting in a Metropolitan Market: $48
- Wine Tasting in the South Slope of Etna: $50
- Etna: Urban Winery, Vineyards Walk & Wine Tasting at Sunset: $62
- Wine tour in Catania: $102
- Mt Etna and Wine tasting tour from Catania: $116
- Full-Day Etna and Wine Tour from Catania: $126
- From Mt.Etna picnic and wine tasting: $128
- Guided Tour of Etna with Wine Tasting & Appetizers: $139
- Etna trekking and wine tasting: $147
- Tour Etna & Wine Tasting: $158
- Etna Tour and Lunch in a Winery with Wine Tasting: $265
- From Catania/Taormina: Mount Etna Private Wine Tasting Tour: $433
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Catania and Merzouga, we can see that Catania is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Catania 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 Catania would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Catania 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 Catania Expensive? and Is Merzouga Expensive?.
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.