Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Mombasa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Mombasa or Merzouga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Mombasa and Merzouga. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Mombasa or Merzouga?
Mombasa
Mombasa is a beautiful, large city on the eastern coast of Kenya, bordering the Indian Ocean. The city is famous for its stunning beaches, friendly locals, and diverse marine life. Mombasa experiences a tropical climate year round, meaning temperatures rarely drop below 70° Fahrenheit. The rainiest months of the year are April and May and the driest months are January and February. Temperatures tend to be more mild from May through October, usually in the 70's and 80's. Temperatures get much warmer from November through April, with daily averages reaching the high 90's.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesMerzouga Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Merzouga $23
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $23. 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 Mombasa and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Merzouga $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Merzouga $22
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa 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: Mombasa Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $22
- Transfer From Mombasa (Moi Airport/SGR) To Diani: $35
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $36
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $36
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $42
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $42
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $57
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $57
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA): $57
- Diani Taxi and Airport Transfers: $70
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $72
- From Mombasa Airport Diani Transfer in a Minivan 5 Pax: $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Mombasa 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 dayMombasa $41Merzouga $11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Special African Dinner: $46
- Sultan's Spoon Mombasa Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Mombasa Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Swahili Street Food Tour: $55
- Swahili Cooking Class Experience with a Local Chef: $65
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $70
- Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $135
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.
- Merzouga Cooking Class Familye: $45
- Authentic Moroccan Cooking Class with Aicha in Temara: $45
- Desert excursion with camel trek into the camp Dinner breakfast: $50
- Exclusive Merzouga Desert Safari: Camel Ride, Sandsurf & Dinner: $51
- Private trip 4x4 in Merzouga Lunch with Berber Pizza: $58
- Merzouga Luxury AC/ Heating Camp: Camel Ride, Dinner & breakfast: $64
- Overnight At Luxury Desert Camp with Camel Ride and Dinner: $104
- Magical Dinner and Camel Trek with 1 Night In Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp: $105
- Merzouga Desert Sunset Dinner and Stargazing Tour: $139
- 2 Nights Private Camp in Merzouga with Dinner and Camel Ride: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Sunset Canoe Tour on a River within the Mangroves: $24
- Mombasa Guided City Tour Experience: $25
- Mombasa city tour: $30
- Mombasa walking tour: $30
- Elky Diani Glass Bottom Tour to Robinson Island: $35
- Mombasa old town Walking Tour and Fort Jesus: $38
- Private Mombasa Food & Sightseeing Tour: $39
- Walking Tour Through Old Town Mombasa and Fort Jesus: $40
- Mombasa City Tour: $40
- Half day city tour of mombasa: $40
- Private Mombasa City Tour Watamu Diani and Malindi: $40
- Haller Park Tour observing hippos, giraffes, birds, monkeys, crocs & others: $45
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- 1 Hour Merzouga Buggy Desert Tour: $70
- 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp: $64
- 1 hour Quad in the Sahara: Merzouga Off Roading Experience: Nature & Wildlife: $79
- 1 hour tour Quad biking experience: $100
- 1/2 day 4x4 tour of Erg Chebbi: $93
- 2 Hour Merzouga Buggy Adventure in the Sahara Dunes: $163
- 2 Hour Quad Desert Experience with Sandboarding: $38
- 2 days tour in Merzouga Erg Chabbi with 4WD Jeep and Camel Treck: $290
- 2 hours Merzouga Dunes ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour: $113
- 2-Days Merzouga tour from Errachidia: $200
- 2-Hour Quad Desert Tour, Dunes Oasis, Nomads Family & Sandboard: $44
- 2-Night Desert Camp Experience with Jeep Tour in Merzouga: $151
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.84Merzouga -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Merzouga, we can see that Mombasa 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 Mombasa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mombasa 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 Mombasa 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.