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:
- Nairobi: Private Kibera Slum Tour with Roundtrip Transfer.: $28
- Mombasa Private Airport Transfer: Cheap & Comfortable: $33
- Transfer From Mombasa (Moi Airport/SGR) To Diani: $35
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Nyali, Bamburi & Shanzu: $35
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $36
- Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Arrival Private Transfer: $36
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $36
- Private Transfer: Mombasa SGR Train Station to Nyali/Bamburi: $40
- Mombasa Town: Private Airport Transfer to Hotel and AirBnB: $40
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $42
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $42
- Mombasa SGR Train Station Private transfer to Shanzu/Mtwapa: $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way Errachidia airport transfer: $90
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:
- 1-Hour city tour, food tour, cultural tour: $25
- Fort Jesus Sound & Lights Show And Romantic Dinner.: $38
- Fort Jesus Light and music Night Shows With Dinner.: $49
- Swahili food Cooking Class Experience: $49
- Swahili Street Food Tour: $50
- Spicy Food Tour in Mombasa Streets And City tour: $150
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.
- Exclusive Merzouga Desert Safari: Camel Ride, Sandsurf & Dinner: $43
- 1-Night in Desert Camp With Dinner & camel ride: $56
- From 1 Night in the luxury camp. Camel ride and dinner: $58
- Overnight Stay in Luxury Desert Tent with Dinner: $61
- Sunset With Dinner And Berber Music in Merzouga Desert With 4WD : $64
- Berber Cooking Class in Merzouga Desert: $69
- Moroccan Berber Pizza Cooking Class in Khamelia: $73
- Day Trip By Camels In Erg Chebbi Dunes, Lunch With Berber Pizza: $81
- Overnight in Desert Camp Camel Ride, Dinner & Show: $83
- 1-Night in the luxury camp. camel ride & Dinner: $86
- Overnight in Luxury camp with camels dinner: $91
- Magical Dinner and Camel Trek with 1 Night In Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp: $105
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:
- Mombasa City tour; Old Town,tusks,Fort Jesus: $20
- Mombasa Half Day City Tour: $20
- Giraffes Feeding Experience At Haller Park by Car.: $25
- FortJesus,OldTown,NatureWalk near Giraffes DayTour.: $26
- Old Town and Haller Park Guided Day Tour.: $26
- Sunset Canoe Tour on a River within the Mangroves: $28
- Tusks, Fort Jesus, Old Town, Beach and City Tour: $30
- Mombasa Old Town Walking Tour: $30
- Mombasa City: Swahili Cuisines Rich Culinary Heritage Tour.: $31
- Diani Giriama Cultural Dance Show and Local Village Tour: $33
- Day Tour with Haller Park and Fort Jesus: $34
- Mombasa :City Historical And Sightseeing Guided Walking Tour: $35
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- Overnight Sahara Tours luxury camp : $69
- Overnight in Desert Camp Berber Experience in Merzouga Desert & Camel Ride: $55
- Private Desert Tour and Visit to Nomadic Families: $104
- 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Buggy Experience: $150
- 1 Hour Merzouga Desert Quad Biking Tour & Sandboarding: $70
- 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $64
- 1 hour Quad in the Sahara: Merzouga Off Roading Experience: Nature & Wildlife: $79
- 2 Hours Merzouga Desert Quad Bike Adventure: $142
- 2 days tour in Merzouga Erg Chabbi with 4WD Jeep and Camel Treck : $174
- 2 hours Merzouga Dunes ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour: $119
- 2-Day Desert Tour with Return to Marrakech: $193
- 3 Days Tour From Marrakech To Sahara Desert Of Merzouga: $114
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.83Merzouga -
Sample the Local Flavors in Mombasa
Also in Mombasa, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Coastal Pub Crawl - Bamburi Drunk Tour: $25
- Mombasa Bar Crawl and Matatu Experience. Pickup from Diani Beach: $35
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.