Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Durban?
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 Durban or Merzouga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Durban and Merzouga. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Durban or Merzouga?
Durban
The third largest city in South Africa, Durban sits on the east coast of the country in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The city also has the country's most active port. The city's comfortable weather and vast beaches make it one of the country's major tourist centers. There's a population of about 3.5 million in the entire metropolitan area that spreads over 2,295 square kilometers.
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 Overlanding Trips in South Africa, The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Durban Prices
South Africa PricesMerzouga Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDurban $63Merzouga $23
The average daily cost (per person) in Durban is $63, 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 Durban and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDurban $24Merzouga $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDurban $48Merzouga $22
Compare Hotels in Durban and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Durban 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: Durban Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Durban $13Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durban
Also for Durban, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Durban airport to Durban city transfer: $39
- Private Transfers - Minibus - Durban Arrivals and Departures: $43
- 1-3 Passenger Private Durban - Airport Transfer: $46
- Durban Cruise Ship Transfers : $46
- Private Sedan Transfers - Durban King Shaka: $46
- Durban Airport (DUR) to Durban - Arrival Private Transfer: $53
- Departure Private Transfer Durban to Durban Airport DUR by Sedan: $81
- Private transfers from King Shaka Airport: $106
- Durban King Airport (DUR) to Durban - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $106
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way Errachidia airport transfer: $90
Is it cheaper to fly into Durban or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Durban 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 dayDurban $27Merzouga $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: $43
- Desert excursion with camel trek into the camp Dinner breakfast : $50
- 1-Night in Desert Camp With Dinner & camel ride: $56
- Overnight Stay in Luxury Desert Tent with Dinner: $61
- Sunset With Dinner And Berber Music in Merzouga Desert With 4WD : $64
- Berber Cooking Class in Merzouga Desert: $70
- Moroccan Berber Pizza Cooking Class in Khamelia: $73
- Day Trip By Camels In Erg Chebbi Dunes, Lunch With Berber Pizza: $81
- Overnight in Desert Camp Camel Ride, Dinner & Show: $83
- 1-Night in the luxury camp. camel ride & Dinner: $86
- Overnight in Luxury camp with camels dinner: $91
- Merzouga Desert Tour, Quad Sandboarding Camel Ride & Dinner: $141
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Durban $16Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Durban
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Durban.
- 30-Minute Harbor Boat Cruise: $5.84
- Durban Point Waterfront: Luxury Canal Boat Cruise: $8.24
- Luxury Canal Boat Cruise - Fun Things Durban Ushaka: $8.40
- 1-Hour Boat Cruise from Wilson's Wharf: $8.50
- Pontoon Boat Harbor Cruise: $10
- Luxury Harbour Ocean Boat Cruise: $11
- Magical Gondola Night Boat Cruise in Durban: $11
- Durban Half-Day City Tour - Golden Mile, Botanical Gardens: $49
- Durban City Sightseeing Tour: $50
- Local Markets and Culture Guided Walking Tour: $58
- Culture Walking Tour of Durban: $60
- Durban Shore Excursion: Private Small Group Durban City Tour: $70
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- Private Desert Tour and Visit to Nomadic Families: $104
- 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Buggy Experience: $149
- 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Quad Biking Tour & Sandboarding: $70
- 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $64
- 2 Hours Merzouga Desert Quad Bike Adventure: $142
- 2 days tour in Merzouga Erg Chabbi with 4WD Jeep and Camel Treck : $174
- 2 hours Merzouga Dunes ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour: $119
- 2-Day Desert Tour with Return to Marrakech: $193
- 2-Days Merzouga tour from Errachidia: $200
- 3 Days Private Desert Tour in Merzouga with ATV and Sandboarding : $278
- 3 Days Tour From Marrakech To Sahara Desert Of Merzouga: $115
- 3-Day Best Desert Tour from Fez to Marrakech via Merzouga: $290
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDurban $12Merzouga -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Durban and Merzouga, we can see that Durban 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 Durban would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Durban 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 Durban 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.