Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Jinja?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Jinja or Merzouga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Jinja 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: Jinja or Merzouga?
Jinja
Jinja is a city located at the source of the Nile in Uganda, Africa. Many backpackers travel to Jinja, as it is known for its white water rafting. This city is the third largest economy in all of the East African Community. It has a population of about 72,000 people.
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 Wildlife Tours to Uganda, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Uganda, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJinja $92Merzouga $17
The average daily cost (per person) in Jinja is $92, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $17. 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 Jinja and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJinja $44Merzouga $10
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJinja $88Merzouga $20
Compare Hotels in Jinja and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Jinja 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: Jinja Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Jinja $22Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way transfer: $62
Is it cheaper to fly into Jinja or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Jinja 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 dayJinja $28Merzouga $5.92
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
- Day Trip By Camels In Erg Chebbi Dunes, Lunch With Berber Pizza: $76
- Merzouga Orange Dunes ATV Sandsurf Camels with 5 Stars Dinner: $85
- Camel trek with 1 Night in Luxury camp with Dinner+ Sundbording: $87
- 5 Hour Sunset Tour with Camel Ride and Dinner In Desert: $87
- Visit The Nomads, Gnawa Music, Rally In Dunes, Berber Pizza : $104
- 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.Jinja $29Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Jinja
Here are a few actual costs in Jinja for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Half-Day Banana Kayak Experience in Bubugo with Lunch: $25
- Half-Day Jinja Walking Tour: Source of Nile & Boat Ride Options: $31
- Guided Walking Tour with Optional Source of the Nile: $31
- David's Shared Walking Tour in Jinja with a Local Cultural Meal: $40
- Three days source of the nile & sipi falls tour: $760
- White Water Rafting & Source of the Nile Adventure: $760
- 3days jinja and sipi falls tour: $800
- Uganda: 4 Day Jinja City Tour Uganda: $1,655
- 18 Days African Jungle Safari Tour: $9,433
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 4x4 Desert Tours & Excursions: $46
- Extreme Adventure with Harness Zorbing in Merzouga dunes: $48
- Merzouga one hour Adventure Tour: $54
- Merzouga 4x4 tour - Excursion around dunes: $54
- 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
- One Hour Sahara Desert Quad Biking tour: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJinja $13Merzouga -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jinja and Merzouga, we can see that Jinja 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 Jinja would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jinja 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 Jinja 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.