A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pamukkale vs. Merzouga for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pamukkale or Merzouga?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Pamukkale and Merzouga can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Pamukkale or Merzouga?

Pamukkale

Pamukkale is in southeastern Aegean Turkey and is historically a spa town that has been in existence since the 2nd century BC. It is popular with tourists for its beautiful hot springs and travertines, or pools that are coated in a very unique calcium covering. The area is very rich in mineral content and the water, which has been flowing for thousands of years, has deposited calcium in each pool. This unique whiteness creates an unworldly beauty that draws visitors from around the world. If you're visiting during the summer months when the sun is out in full force, don't forget the sunscreen, as the white reflects the light and you can end up with a sunburn quite quickly. You'll also want to make sure you have sunglasses available because the glare can be quite extreme.

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 Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best G Adventures Tours to Turkey, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Pamukkale?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Pamukkale is $156, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $17. 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 Pamukkale and Merzouga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pamukkale $56
    Merzouga $10
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pamukkale $112
    Merzouga $20
Compare Hotels in Pamukkale and Merzouga

Looking for a hotel in Pamukkale 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.

Hotels in Pamukkale


Hotels in Merzouga


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: Pamukkale Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pamukkale $35
    Merzouga -

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pamukkale

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

  • Denizli Cardak Airport Transfers to Pamukkale Saraykoy Hotels: $81
  • Antalya: Guided Pamukkale Tour w/Lunch/Transfer: $84
  • Pamukkale Hot Air Balloon w/Flight Certificates,Champagne Toast & Hotel Transfer: $90
  • Private Denizli Pamukkale Airport Transfer Service: $98
  • Pamukkale - Karahayit Transfer from Denizli Cardak Airport: $100
  • Transfer from Denizli Airport to Pamukkale Karahayit Hotels: $102
  • Denizli Cardak Airport Transfers to Denizli City Hotels: $104
  • Denizli Cardak Airport Transfers to Pamukkale Karahayit Hotels: $104
  • Pamukkale Saraykoy Hotels to Denizli Cardak Airport Transfers: $109
  • Pamukkale to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport-Departure Transfer: $125
  • Denizli City Hotels to Denizli Cardak Airport Transfers: $136
  • City of Pamukkale/Denizli: Antalya Airport Private Transfer: $165

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:

  • 1 way transfer: $62

Is it cheaper to fly into Pamukkale or Merzouga?

Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Pamukkale 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
    Pamukkale $69
    Merzouga $5.92

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pamukkale $54
    Merzouga -
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pamukkale

For Pamukkale, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Entrance fees Travertines & Pool
    $2.01

Tours and Activities in Pamukkale

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

  • Antalya: Pamukkale Guided Tour With Optional Balloon Flight: $37
  • Pamukkale City Highlights Small Group Guided Tour with Lunch: $40
  • Full Day Pamukkale City Tour From Pamukkale And Karahayit Hotels: $45
  • Pamukkale Paragliding Experience By Local Expert Pilots: $48
  • From Antalya: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour with Lunch: $48
  • Shared Pamukkale Group Tour from Pamukkale: $57
  • From Bodrum: Pamukkale & Hierapolis Guided Tour with Lunch: $63
  • Kusadasi or Selcuk: Pamukkale Guided Group Tour: $67
  • Pamukkale Tour From Pamukkale : $71
  • Antalya: Full-Day Pamukkale Tour: $80
  • Shared Cultural Tour in Pamukkale and Hierapolis: $81
  • Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour: $85

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pamukkale $15
    Merzouga -


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pamukkale and Merzouga, we can see that Pamukkale is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pamukkale is in Europe and Merzouga is in Africa, 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 Pamukkale would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pamukkale 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 Pamukkale Expensive? and Is Merzouga Expensive?.