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

Should you visit Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam and Merzouga can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Merzouga?

Dar es Salaam

Having grown from a fishing village, Dar es Salaam is now a major city and commercial port on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. While it is mainly used as a stopping point on the way to Zanzibar, it has a few unique treasures of its own such as the Kariakoo Market, National Museum, and the open-air Village Museum.

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 Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Dar es Salaam?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $477, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $22. 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 Dar es Salaam and Merzouga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dar es Salaam $437
    Merzouga $10
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dar es Salaam $874
    Merzouga $20
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Merzouga

Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam


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: Dar es Salaam Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dar es Salaam $13
    Merzouga -

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam

Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam city to Dar es Salaam Airport DAR by Minivan: $17
  • Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR) Private Transfer to Dar es Salaam: $50
  • Dar Es Salaam - Airport Transfers & City Centre Shuttles: $50
  • Dar Es Salaam Transfer from Airport Hotel Ferry or Train : $60
  • Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar: Airport Transfer to the Hotel: $70
  • Dar es Salaam Airport Transfer: $75
  • Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam Airport DAR to Dar es Salaam by Business Car: $100
  • Luxury Coach - Dar Es Salaam Airport Transfer to the City Centre/Out ( 22 max): $113
  • Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
  • Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam to Dar es Salaam Airport by luxury car: $167
  • Dar Es Salaam City Tour. All Must See Things (private Guide And Transfer) 9 Hrs : $190
  • Dar es salaam-Morogoro-Dar es salaam transfer with comfortable car: $192

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:

  • 1 way Errachidia airport transfer: $83
  • Transfer Service From Merzouga to Marrakesh: $53

Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Merzouga?

Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Dar es Salaam 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
    Dar es Salaam $32
    Merzouga $10

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dar es Salaam

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

  • Taste of Tanzania Cooking Class and Food Tour: $20
  • Tanzania: traditional Swahili cooking class: $45

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga

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

  • 1-Night in Desert Camp With Dinner & camel ride: $44
  • From 1 Night in the luxury camp. Camel ride and dinner: $45
  • Sunset With Dinner And Berber Music in Merzouga Desert With 4WD : $58
  • Berber Cooking Class in Merzouga Desert: $63
  • Moroccan Berber Pizza Cooking Class in Khamelia: $66
  • Overnight in Luxury camp with camels dinner: $67
  • 1-Night in the luxury camp. camel ride & Dinner: $69
  • 5 Hour Sunset Tour with Camel Ride and Dinner In Desert: $70
  • Merzouga Orange Dunes ATV Sandsurf Camels with 5 Stars Dinner: $74
  • Visit The Nomads, Gnawa Music, Rally In Dunes, Berber Pizza : $84
  • Merzouga Desert Tour, Quad Sandboarding Camel Ride & Dinner: $145
  • Quad Biking, Sandboarding, Camel & Sunset Dinner: $145

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dar es Salaam -
    Merzouga -

Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.

  • Dar es Salaam City Center: Walking Tour: $24
  • Dar Es Salam City: Children's Homes Visit & Donation Tour.: $24
  • Dar Es Salaam :City Historical & Sightseeing Guided Tour.: $24
  • City Walking Tour And Street Food Tasting.: $25
  • Dar es salaam City Guided Walking Tour Experience: $27
  • Dar es Salaam Walking Tour: History and Hidden Treasures: $30
  • Dar Es Salaam Airport Layovers Guided Tour: $31
  • Private Insightful City Tour of Dar es Salaam: $32
  • Dar es Salaam City Sightseeing And Discovery Guided Tour..: $34
  • Dar Es Salaam City Guided Sightseeing Tour By Car: $35
  • Dar Es Salaam:Shore Excursion Tour And Street Food Tasting.: $35
  • Walking Tour Dar es Salaam City: $41

Tours and Activities in Merzouga

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

  • Berber Experience Private Sahara Desert Day Trip: $78
  • Overnight Sahara Tours luxury camp : $63
  • Overnight in Desert Camp Berber Experience in Merzouga Desert & Camel Ride: $50
  • Private Desert Tour and Visit to Nomadic Families: $95
  • 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Buggy Experience: $135
  • 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Quad Biking Tour & Sandboarding: $64
  • 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $46
  • 1 hour Quad in the Sahara: Merzouga Off Roading Experience: Nature & Wildlife: $72
  • 1/2 day 4x4 tour of Erg Chebbi: $84
  • 2 Hours Merzouga Desert Quad Bike Adventure: $130
  • 2 hours Merzouga Dunes ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour: $109
  • 2-Day Desert Tour with Return to Marrakech: $176

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dar es Salaam $7.72
    Merzouga -


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Merzouga, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Dar es Salaam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam Expensive? and Is Merzouga Expensive?.