A Travel Price Comparison for Morocco Merzouga vs. Essaouira for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Merzouga or Essaouira?

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

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

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.

Essaouira

Essaouira is a beautiful beach town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The city has a pleasant medina that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site and is interesting to explore. It's an 18th century fortified town with a lot of character and charm. The city is rich and culture and you'll find a handful of art galleries throughout the town. The city is also a gathering place for artists and musicians, particularly during the Gnaoua Festival of World Music, which takes place the last week of June. This event attracts about 450,000 visitors yearly.

Which place is cheaper, Essaouira 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 Essaouira is $45. 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 Essaouira in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Merzouga $10
    Essaouira $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Merzouga $20
    Essaouira $52
Compare Hotels in Merzouga and Essaouira

Looking for a hotel in Merzouga or Essaouira? 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 Essaouira


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 Essaouira Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Merzouga -
    Essaouira $1.98

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:

  • Private Transfer from Merzouga to Fes (FES) Airport : $620

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira

Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Departure Transfer from Essaouira City to Essaouira Airport: $14
  • Private Arrival Transfer Essaouira Airport to Essaouira City: $14
  • Private Transfer Essaouira-Essaouira Airport: $21
  • Transfer Essaouira Airport to Essaouira: $22
  • Airport Transfer From Essaouira Airport To Medina: $22
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport (ESU): $22
  • Transfer Marrakech City <<>> airport marrakech ( 1 up to 4 pers ): $23
  • Transfert Airport essaouira <<>> Essaouira city (1 up to 4 pers ): $23
  • Private Transfer from or to Essaouira Airport: $27
  • Private Airport Round-Trip Transfer: Essaouira Airport to Essaouira City: $28
  • Hinterland Quad Bike Tour with Transfer: $36
  • Essaouira Airport To city Transfer: $38

Is it cheaper to fly into Merzouga or Essaouira?

Prices for flights to both Essaouira 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 $5.88
    Essaouira $13

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.

  • Camel trek with 1 Night in Luxury camp with Dinner+ Sundbording: $49
  • Dinner In Merzouga Desert With Berber Music, Transport With 4WD : $66
  • One Night in Private Camp in the Sahara Desert in Merzouga with Dinner: $71
  • Day Trip By Camels In Erg Chebbi Dunes, Lunch With Berber Pizza: $77
  • 5 Hour Sunset Tour with Camel Ride and Dinner In Desert: $79
  • Magical Dinner and Camel Trek with 1 Night In Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp: $105
  • Visit The Nomads, Gnawa Music, Rally In Dunes, Berber Pizza : $109
  • 2 Nights Private Camp in Merzouga with Dinner and Camel Ride: $200

Typical Food prices in Essaouira

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:


  • Baklava
    $1.39
  • Breakfast Crepes
    $0.50
  • Fish for Lunch
    $15

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Essaouira

For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $35
  • Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $55
  • L'Atelier Madada Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $55
  • Authentic Moroccan Family Home Cooking Class: $57
  • Essaouira Cooking Class: $66
  • Traditional Family Style Moroccan Cooking Class: $67
  • Essaouira Walking Food Tour: $70
  • Berber Cooking Class at a Farm in the Countryside & shopping at a rural Souk.: $97
  • 3 hours Camel Ride in Essaouira with Dinner and Overnight in Berber Camp: $170
  • 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $173

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Merzouga -
    Essaouira $12

Tours and Activities in Merzouga

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

  • 2 Day KTM Adventure Tour Around Merzouga Dunes: $1,213
  • Berber Experience Private Sahara Desert Day Trip: $81
  • Overnight in Desert Camp Berber Experience in Merzouga Desert & Camel Ride: $83
  • Private Adventure to Merzouga Risani from Erfoud : $142
  • Private Desert Tour and Visit to Nomadic Families: $98
  • 1 Hour Merzouga ATV Quad Biking Tour: $64
  • 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $60
  • 1/2 day 4x4 tour of Erg Chebbi: $82
  • 10-Day Private Tour in Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, and Merzouga: $2,187
  • 2 Hours Merzouga Desert Quad Bike Adventure: $129
  • 2 hours Merzouga ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour: $126
  • 3 Days Private Desert Tour in Merzouga with ATV and Sandboarding : $263

Tours and Activities in Essaouira

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.

  • Full Day Tour From Marrakech To Essaouira Mogador: $12
  • From Marrakech: Guided tour of Essaouira the coastal city: $19
  • Supratours Essaouira to Marrakech Moroccan Bus and Train Tickets: $20
  • Private City Tour: $26
  • From Marrakech: Essaouira Guided Day Tour: $26
  • KiteSurfing or Surfing Experience in Essaouira: $28
  • Full Day Tour To Essaouira from Marrakech: $33
  • Friend-Guide Essaouira city tour: $36
  • Cultural & Historical Sightseeing Guided Tour: $38
  • 3-Hour Camel Tour: $40
  • From Agadir to Essaouira : Coastal Day Tour with Guide: $47
  • Half-Day Old Town Guided Tour: $49

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Merzouga -
    Essaouira $9.10


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merzouga and Essaouira, we can see that Essaouira 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 Essaouira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Essaouira than you might in Merzouga.

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.
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Merzouga vs. Essaouira Travel Comparison

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