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

Should you visit Hydra or Merzouga?

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

Should I visit Hydra 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: Hydra or Merzouga?

Hydra

The island of Hydra is located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic and Argolic Gulfs. Named for its natural springs, the island now has most of its freshwater imported from the mainland. The real gem of the place is the absence of motorized vehicles. Car and scooters are nowhere to be seen by the narrow marble-cobbled lanes, rocks, and sea. Such vehicles have been outlawed and so the way to navigate the island is by donkey, water taxi, or on foot.

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 Historical Tours in Greece, The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Hydra?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Hydra is €97, 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 Hydra and Merzouga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hydra 51
    Merzouga 9.57
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hydra 102
    Merzouga 19
Compare Hotels in Hydra and Merzouga

Looking for a hotel in Hydra 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 Hydra


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: Merzouga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hydra 26
    Merzouga -

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:

  • 1 way transfer: $62

Is it cheaper to fly into Hydra or Merzouga?

Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Hydra 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
    Hydra 30
    Merzouga 5.55

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hydra 11
    Merzouga -

Tours and Activities in Merzouga

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

  • Camel Ride Experience: $27
  • Merzouga Desert Quad bike Adventure with Sand boarding: $38
  • Merzouga 4x4 Desert Excursion - Sahara 4WD Adventure: $43
  • Merzouga ATV Quad Desert Tours: $43
  • Merzouga 4x4 Desert Tours & Excursions: $46
  • Extreme Adventure with Harness Zorbing in Merzouga dunes: $48
  • Merzouga one hour Adventure Tour: $55
  • Merzouga 4x4 tour - Excursion around dunes: $55
  • Merzouga Experience -1.5h Quad buggy : $55
  • Merzouga 4X4 Half-Day Tour with Lunch: $55
  • 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $60
  • From Quad bike tour to the peak of Erg Chebbi dune: $62

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hydra 11
    Merzouga -


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