Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Darjiling?
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 Darjiling or Merzouga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Darjiling 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: Darjiling or Merzouga?
Darjiling
What began as a cluster of villages grew to prominence in the 19th Century when the British first established a hill station here and eventually realized that the climate was well-suited for tea plantations. Darjeeling (or Darjiling) has since become known for its teas in addition to cultural diversity, stunning views, and trekking opportunities.
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 Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Darjiling Prices
India PricesMerzouga Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDarjiling $39Merzouga $23
The average daily cost (per person) in Darjiling is $39, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $23. 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 Darjiling and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDarjiling $11Merzouga $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDarjiling $22Merzouga $22
Compare Hotels in Darjiling and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Darjiling 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: Darjiling Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Darjiling $6.56Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darjiling
Also for Darjiling, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Darjeeling Hotels To Bagdogra Airport IXB Drop: $64
Is it cheaper to fly into Darjiling or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Darjiling 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 dayDarjiling $21Merzouga $11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.
- Exclusive Merzouga Desert Safari: Camel Ride, Sandsurf & Dinner: $51
- Private trip 4x4 in Merzouga Lunch with Berber Pizza: $58
- Merzouga Luxury AC/ Heating Camp: Camel Ride, Dinner & breakfast: $64
- Overnight At Luxury Desert Camp with Camel Ride and Dinner: $105
- Magical Dinner and Camel Trek with 1 Night In Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp: $105
- 2 Nights Private Camp in Merzouga with Dinner and Camel Ride: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Darjiling $11Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Darjiling
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Darjiling.
- Discover the Spiritual Trails of Gangtok (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $11
- Heritage & Cultural Walk of Darjeeling (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $11
- Gangtok Food Crawl (2 Hours Guided Local Food Tasting Tour): $21
- Tiger Hill Darjeeling Nature Walk (3 Hours Guided Trekking Experience): $22
- Colonial Heritage Walking Tour in Darjeeling: $27
- Darjeeling City Tour with Uber: $56
- Private Calcutta Tour With Guide and Authentic Bengali lunch: $87
- The Land Mark Tour (Nautical Day Darjeeling To Mirik crusade): $91
- Day_Trippers (Darjeeling Full Day Tour).: $91
- Touristic Highlights of Gangtok (Guided Fullday Sightseeing Tour by Car): $113
- Day Trip to Kalimpong (Guided Private Sightseeing Experience from Darjeeling): $128
- Day Trip to Buddha Park (Guided Private Sightseeing Tour from Gangtok): $128
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- 1 Hour Merzouga Buggy Desert Tour: $70
- 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp: $64
- 1 hour tour Quad biking experience: $100
- 2 Hour Merzouga Buggy Adventure in the Sahara Dunes: $163
- 2 Hour Quad Desert Experience with Sandboarding: $38
- 2 days tour in Merzouga Erg Chabbi with 4WD Jeep and Camel Treck: $292
- 2 hours Merzouga Dunes ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour: $113
- 2-Hour Quad Desert Tour, Dunes Oasis, Nomads Family & Sandboard: $44
- 3 Days Marrakech to Sahara Adventure Merzouga Dunes & Camel Trek: $115
- 3 hour Jeep Tour in Merzouga Desert: $64
- 3-Day Best Desert Tour from Fez to Marrakech via Merzouga: $292
- 4×4 Jeep Tour in Merzouga: $2.80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDarjiling $7.69Merzouga -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Darjiling and Merzouga, we can see that Darjiling is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Darjiling is in Asia 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 Darjiling would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darjiling 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 Darjiling 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.