Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Portimao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Portimao 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 Portimao 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: Portimao or Merzouga?
Portimao
The second biggest city in the Alrgarve region of Portugal, Portimao sits on the coast where the Arade River meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is renowned for its fresh fish restaurants and is also a popular destination for beachgoers at the Praia da Rocha to the south of the city.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Portugal, The Best Bicycle Tours in Portugal, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPortimao €152Merzouga €16
The average daily cost (per person) in Portimao is €152, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is €16. 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 Portimao and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPortimao €78Merzouga €9.57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPortimao €156Merzouga €19
Compare Hotels in Portimao and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Portimao 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: Portimao Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Portimao €37Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portimao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Portimao:
- Transfer Lagoa - Alamos Golf (Portimão): $34
- Transfer Armação de Pêra - Balaia Golf (Albufeira): $34
- Transfer Ferragudo - Alamos Golf (Portimão): $34
- Transfer Lagoa - Balaia Golf (Albufeira): $41
- Transfer Ferragudo - Balaia Golf (Albufeira): $41
- Transfer Carvoeiro - Alamos Golf (Portimão): $47
- Transfer Alvor - Boavista Golf (Lagos): $49
- Transfer Ferragudo - Boavista Golf (Lagos): $49
- Private Transfer from Armaçao de Pera to Faro (FAO) Airport: $55
- Transfer Alvor - Balaia Golf (Albufeira): $58
- Transfer Portimão - Balaia Golf (Albufeira): $59
- Transfer Lagoa - Boavista Golf (Lagos): $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way transfer: $62
Is it cheaper to fly into Portimao or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Portimao 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 dayPortimao €45Merzouga €5.55
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portimao
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Portimao.
- Algarve wine tour and mountain top trip with lunch or dinner at sunset time: $147
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
- Day Trip By Camels In Erg Chebbi Dunes, Lunch With Berber Pizza: $76
- Merzouga Orange Dunes ATV Sandsurf Camels with 5 Stars Dinner: $85
- Camel trek with 1 Night in Luxury camp with Dinner+ Sundbording: $87
- 5 Hour Sunset Tour with Camel Ride and Dinner In Desert: $87
- Visit The Nomads, Gnawa Music, Rally In Dunes, Berber Pizza : $104
- 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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Portimao €41Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Portimao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Portimao are as follows:
- Stand Up Paddleboard tour in Benagil: $14
- From Portimão to Paradise 60 minutes Sunrise Tour: $15
- SUP - Stand Up Paddle Algarve Adventure: $16
- From Portimão to Paradise 90 minutes Sunrise Tour: $22
- From Portimão to Paradise 90 minutes Sunset Tour: $22
- Kayak Tour around Benagil to see Sunset or Sunrise: $22
- Express Tour - Benagil Cave: $22
- From Portimão Early Birds Benagil Tour By Traditional Boat: $24
- Portimão: Benagil Caves Speedboat Tour: $24
- Portimão to Benagil: Adrenaline Wave - 90Mins Cave Tour: $25
- 2 Hours Cruise Portimão to Benagil Cave & Marinha Beach: $27
- Benagil Cave Kayak Self-Guided Tour: $27
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 4x4 Desert Tours & Excursions: $46
- Extreme Adventure with Harness Zorbing in Merzouga dunes: $48
- Merzouga one hour Adventure Tour: $54
- Merzouga 4x4 tour - Excursion around dunes: $54
- 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
- One Hour Sahara Desert Quad Biking tour: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPortimao €30Merzouga -
Sample the Local Flavors in Portimao
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Portimao:
- Algarve Wine Tasting & Music Experience: $60
- Algarve Wine Tour of Two Wine Estates: $74
- Algarve wine tour of 2 wine estates and lunch at the countryside: $154
- Alentejo Wine Tour from the Algarve: $210
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Portimao and Merzouga, we can see that Portimao is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Portimao 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 Portimao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Portimao 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 Portimao 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.