A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Faro vs. Zagora for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Faro or Zagora?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Faro or Zagora, 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 Zagora?

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.

Zagora

A small town in southern Morocco, Zagora is a popular base camp for excursions on foot, by camel, or four wheel drive vehicles into the surrounding desert. One of the most famous and historic treks is the ancient caravan route to Timbuktu, marked by a famous sign at the end of town - indicating a journey of "52 days" by camel.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Portugal, The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, and The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Zagora or Faro?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Faro is €133, while the average daily cost in Zagora is €47. 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 Zagora in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Faro 75
    Zagora 33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Faro 150
    Zagora 66
Compare Hotels in Faro and Zagora

Looking for a hotel in Faro or Zagora? 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 Faro


Hotels in Zagora


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 Zagora Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Faro 9.52
    Zagora 1.33

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 Zagora

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagora:

  • Airport Private Transfer: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Faro or Zagora?

Prices for flights to both Zagora 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Faro 36
    Zagora 12

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Faro 9.41
    Zagora 2.67

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 Zagora

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

  • 2 Days Tour to Zagora Desert with sunset from Marrakech: $82
  • 2 days tour from Zagora to Erg Chegaga: $136
  • From Agadir 4 Days 3 night Désert Tours to Marrakech: $1,326
  • From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $353
  • From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $356
  • From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $376
  • From 2-Day Desert Tour to Erg Chegaga: $288
  • Marrakech: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour Zagora & BenHaddou: $111
  • Private Day Camel Trekking Tour in Draa Valley from Zagora: $214
  • Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164
  • Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Faro 3.13
    Zagora -

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 Zagora, we can see that Faro is more expensive. And not only is Zagora much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Faro is in Europe and Zagora 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 Zagora would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zagora 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 Zagora.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Faro Expensive? and Is Zagora Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Faro or Zagora?

Faro has a larger population, and is about 18% larger than the population of Zagora. When comparing the sizes of Faro and Zagora, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.