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

Should you visit Ios or Zagora?

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

Should I visit Ios or Zagora? 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: Ios or Zagora?

Ios

Ios is an island in the south of Greece, located in the Cyclades group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a peaceful beach getaway by day, and a lively party scene by night. While its main town is the hub for nightlife, it is also a charming place during the day, typical of a traditional Greek village with shops and cafes against a backdrop of whitewashed buildings and turquoise waters.

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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best 3-Day Tours in Greece, The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, and The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Zagora or Ios?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Ios is €91, 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 Ios and Zagora in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ios 39
    Zagora 33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ios 78
    Zagora 66
Compare Hotels in Ios and Zagora

Looking for a hotel in Ios 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 Ios


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: Ios Hotel Prices and Zagora Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ios 16
    Zagora 1.33

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ios

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ios:

  • 1-Way Private Helicopter Transfer to the Greek Islands: $2,417

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagora

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagora:

  • Airport Private Transfer: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Ios or Zagora?

Prices for flights to both Zagora and Ios 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
    Ios 33
    Zagora 12

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ios 26
    Zagora 2.67

Tours and Activities in Ios

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

  • Ios Island Trekking Tours: Discover Ios Unexplored: $27
  • Ios Island: Speedboat Cruise from Mylopotas Beach: $52
  • 4-Hour Cruise of the Best Beaches: $63
  • From RIB Boat Trip to Sikinos Island and Winery Tour: $84
  • Electric Bike Tour Chora to Homer's Tomp: $109
  • Electric Bike Tour Chora to Diaseli Cheesery: $109
  • 5 -6 Hour Private Chora E-Bike Tours: $131
  • Private Orienteering Experience in Mylopotas: $163

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ios 33
    Zagora -

Sample the Local Flavors in Ios

Also in Ios, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bar Crawl Ios Ticket in Cyclades: $38


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


Which is Bigger, Ios or Zagora?

Zagora has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Ios. When comparing the sizes of Ios 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.