Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Faro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Faro or Merzouga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Faro or Merzouga, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Faro or Merzouga?
Faro
Faro (or sometimes Faros) is the capital city of the scenic Algarve Region of Portugal, located at the edge of the Ria Formosa National Park. This is a fantastic place to experience the beauty, culture, and traditions of Portugal in laid back atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities. Faro offers everything from ancient architecture to beautiful beaches all while being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Algarve Region.
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 2-Week Tours in Portugal, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Portugal, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFaro €133Merzouga €16
The average daily cost (per person) in Faro is €133, 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 Faro and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFaro €75Merzouga €9.57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFaro €150Merzouga €19
Compare Hotels in Faro and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Faro 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: Faro Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Faro €9.52Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Faro
Also for Faro, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lisbon Oriente Station: Transfer to/from Faro City Center: $4.23
- Faro Airport: Private Transfer to Quarteira & Vilamoura: $19
- Faro Airport: Private transfer to Vilamoura & Quarteira: $19
- Private Transfer from Faro Airport to Albufeira: $26
- Private Transfer: Faro to Faro International Airport (FAO): $28
- Private Arrival Transfer: Faro Airport to Algarve Hotels: $29
- Transfer from Faro airport to Almancil: $30
- Private Car or Van Transfer Faro Airport FAO to Albufeira Area: $36
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Faro HTL-APT (FAO): $36
- Private Transfer from Faro (FAO) Airport to Olhao: $37
- Private Transfer from Loulé to Faro (FAO) Airport: $37
- Private Transfer from Faro (FAO) Airport to Vilamoura: $38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way transfer: $62
Is it cheaper to fly into Faro or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Faro 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 dayFaro €36Merzouga €5.55
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Faro
For Faro, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- The Most Delicious Private Food Tour of 6 or 10 Tastings: $83
- 3 Hours Classic Food Tour in Faro: $97
- Authentic Portuguese Cooking Experience in Algarve: $162
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.Faro €9.41Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Faro
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Faro.
- Camera Obscura - Tavira Eye - Admission Ticket: $5.45
- Faro Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Lagos Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Tavira Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $7.84
- Faro Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
- Algarve Life Sciences Center Museum Family Ticket: $13
- Cork Factory Tour & Cork Shop: $18
- Ria Formosa Sunset Boat Tour: $21
- Eco Boat Tour in the Ria Formosa Lagoon from Faro: $22
- 1 or 2 Hour Speed Boat Tour - Ria Formosa: $26
- 2 Hours Boat Tour in Ria Formosa: $27
- Tavira Route Boat Tour: $27
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFaro €3.13Merzouga -
Sample the Local Flavors in Faro
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Faro:
- Wine tastings, with Tour option - Authentic Algarve Flavours by Quinta da Tôr: $19
- Visit to a Family Brewery in Loulé with Tasting: $27
- Algarve Traditional Food and Wine Tasting: $48
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Faro and Merzouga, we can see that Faro is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Faro 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 Faro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Faro 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 Faro 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.