Which place is cheaper, Pamplona or Merzouga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Merzouga or Pamplona?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merzouga or Pamplona, 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 Pamplona?
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.
Pamplona
Pamplona is a city in northern Spain located on the snow-capped foothills of the Pyrenees Range. With the backdrop of mountains, the city is surrounded by a setting ideal for skiing, mountaineering, hiking, wildlife and breathtaking scenery. Yet Pamplona itself is a place full of lively culture and stunning architecture. With a long history, the place is embedded in tradition and perhaps most famous for its annual "running of the bulls" celebrated in July, also known as the San Fermin festival.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco, The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMerzouga $17Pamplona $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Merzouga is $17, while the average daily cost in Pamplona is $141. 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 Pamplona in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMerzouga $10Pamplona $72
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMerzouga $20Pamplona $144
Compare Hotels in Merzouga and Pamplona
Looking for a hotel in Merzouga or Pamplona? 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 Pamplona Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Merzouga -Pamplona $26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way transfer: $62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pamplona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pamplona:
- Private Transfer from Pamplona city to San Sebastian: $244
- Private Transfer from Pamplona city to San Sebastian Airport: $244
- Private Transfer from Pamplona Airport to Laguardia town: $282
Is it cheaper to fly into Merzouga or Pamplona?
Prices for flights to both Pamplona 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 $5.92Pamplona $44
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 Pamplona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pamplona are as follows:
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Lunch for 2$11
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Ice Cream$4.82
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Coffee$1.39
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Merzouga -Pamplona $36
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
Tours and Activities in Pamplona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pamplona are as follows:
- Logroño historic&cultural guided walking tour: $32
- Pamplona pintxo tasting paired with Spanish wines small group tour: $72
- From San Sebastian: Pamplona City Tour: $91
- Private City Tour Pamplona: $174
- Private tour of Getaria, Zumaia, Zarautz and Orio. : $204
- Bilbao and Guggenheim Museum small group tour: $218
- Tour of the Bardenas " The great desert of Europe" and Tudela. : $234
- San Sebastian & Basque Coast Tour From Pamplona: $235
- Pamplona Private Tour with Castle of Javier : $240
- Private tour of Lourdes and the three sacred temples: $240
- San Sebastian And Basque Coast Tour From Pamplona: $240
- Private tour of the jewels of Bilbao, with Guggenheim and pintxos tasting. : $251
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMerzouga -Pamplona $33
Sample the Local Flavors in Pamplona
Also in Pamplona, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half Day Rioja Wine Tour: $218
- Wine tour of La Rioja, with two winery visits, and La Guardia. : $221
- Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Logroño: $240
- Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Pamplona: $240
- Wine Tour: Winery & Traditional Lunch From Logroño: $251
- Rioja Wine Tour: Winery & Traditional Lunch From Pamplona: $251
- Rioja Wine Tour: $283
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merzouga and Pamplona, we can see that Pamplona 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 Pamplona 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 Pamplona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pamplona 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 Pamplona 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.