Which place is cheaper, Caen or Merzouga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Merzouga or Caen?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merzouga or Caen, 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 Caen?
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.
Caen
Caen is a city in France on the coast in the Calvados department of Lower Normandy. Caen is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who was buried there. The town was destroyed almost completely in 1944 during WWII and it is a remarkable achievement that Caen has kept so many of its historical monuments given the terrible battle that besieged the town following the Normandy beach landings. After the war the town passed through 15 years of reconstruction, and continued to improve afterwards. In recent years the town has made further significant efforts and Caen now has an attractive, carefully restored, historic center. The city has also preserved the memory of its past by erecting a memorial and a museum dedicated to peace, the Memorial de Caen. The city is often considered the archetype of Normandy.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMerzouga $17Caen $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Merzouga is $17, while the average daily cost in Caen is $132. 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 Caen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMerzouga $10Caen $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMerzouga $20Caen $130
Compare Hotels in Merzouga and Caen
Looking for a hotel in Merzouga or Caen? 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: Merzouga Hotel Prices and Caen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Merzouga -Caen $38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way transfer: $62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Caen
Also for Caen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Caen Carpiquet Airport (CFR) to Caen - Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Caen to Caen Carpiquet Airport (CFR) - Departure Private Transfer: $32
- Private Transfer Round-Trip from Caen Airport (CFR) to Caen: $63
Is it cheaper to fly into Merzouga or Caen?
Prices for flights to both Caen 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
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Food Meals for one dayMerzouga $5.92Caen $43
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Merzouga -Caen $20
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- Overnight in Desert Camp Berber Experience in Merzouga Desert & Camel Ride: $82
- Private Adventure to Merzouga Risani from Erfoud : $142
- Private Desert Tour and Visit to Nomadic Families: $98
- 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Buggy Experience: $140
- 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Quad Biking Tour & Sandboarding: $64
- 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $60
- 1/2 day 4x4 tour of Erg Chebbi: $82
- 2 Hours Merzouga Desert Quad Bike Adventure: $113
- 2 hours Merzouga Dunes ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour: $112
- 2-Day Desert Tour with Return to Marrakech: $182
- 3 Days Tour from Fes to Marrakech via Merzouga with Luxury Camp: $218
- 3 Days Tour to Merzouga Dunes and Camel Trek: $87
Tours and Activities in Caen
For Caen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Memorial Museum Entrance Ticket: $21
- Caen Like a Local: Customized Guided Walking Tour: $51
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $59
- Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide in Caen: $60
- Private Guided Bike Tour of Cabourg and Dives in French: $74
- Guided Tour in an Old Convertible Car on the Côte de Nacre: $93
- Guided D-Day Sites Tour & Caen Memorial Museum Ticket: $127
- Mémorial de Caen Museum Admission and Guided Tour of D-Day Sites: $133
- Private Guided Walking Tour: $160
- Guided Tour of the Landing Sites and the Memorial of Caen: $191
- Small Group Guided D-Day Tour and Mémorial de Caen Museum: $201
- D-Day private tour Juno Beach departing Caen with audio guide. 2Pers. minimum: $268
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMerzouga -Caen $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merzouga and Caen, we can see that Caen 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 Caen 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 Caen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Caen 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 Caen 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.