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

Should you visit Merzouga or Arles?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merzouga or Arles, 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: Merzouga or Arles?

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.

Arles

Arles is a city (and commune) in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhone department. A large part of the Camargue is located on the territory of the commune, making it the largest commune in Metropolitan France in terms of territory. The city has a long history, and was considerably important in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. The Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981. The Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles from 1888 to 1889 and produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his time there. The Arles area is full of culture and rich in history. It has many treasures, points of interest, and colorful sunbaked houses and is a great introduction into the Camarguais culture.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco, The Best Contiki Tours to France, and The Best G Adventures Tours to France.


Which place is cheaper, Arles or Merzouga?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Merzouga is $17, while the average daily cost in Arles is $152. 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 Merzouga and Arles in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Merzouga $10
    Arles $76
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Merzouga $20
    Arles $152
Compare Hotels in Merzouga and Arles

Looking for a hotel in Merzouga or Arles? 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 Merzouga


Hotels in Arles


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 and Arles Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Merzouga -
    Arles $24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:

  • 1 way transfer: $62

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arles

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arles:

  • Arles to Marseille Airport (MRS) - Departure Private Transfer: $117

Is it cheaper to fly into Merzouga or Arles?

Prices for flights to both Arles and Merzouga 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
    Merzouga $5.92
    Arles $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

Typical Food Prices in Arles

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arles:


  • Cooked Clams
    $4.82
  • Ice Cream
    $1.07

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Merzouga -
    Arles $33

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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Arles

Here are a few typical costs in Arles for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Castle Entrance Fee
    $5.89

Tours and Activities in Arles

Here are a few actual costs in Arles for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Provence Region Roman Abbey of Montmajour Entrance Ticket: $7.64
  • City tour 45mn of the city, its history, its monuments,: $70
  • City tour 1 hour of the city, its history, its monuments,: $84
  • From Avignon: Arles, Les Baux-de-Provence & Saint-Rémy Tour: $106
  • Arles 2-Hour Private Walking Tour: $187
  • 2-Hour Private Walking Tour: $201
  • Half Day Private Guided Tour of Arles: $202
  • Private Guided Tour of Arles: $218
  • Art and History Walking Tour: $299
  • Arles Private guided walking tour from Marseille: $342
  • Arles, Saint-Rémy & Les Baux De Provence: Guided Tour: $1,176

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Merzouga -
    Arles $26

Sample the Local Flavors in Arles

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Arles:

  • Lavender Field & Distillery Tour between Nimes & Arles: $6.20


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