A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pretoria vs. Ouarzazate for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pretoria or Ouarzazate?

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

Should I visit Pretoria or Ouarzazate? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Pretoria or Ouarzazate?

Pretoria

Located in Gauteng Province, Pretoria is the administrative capital city of South Africa, making it home to many government buildings and three universities. It is actually one of three capital cities, being home to the executive branch, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Within South Africa, Pretoria is also known as the "Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of jacaranda trees lining its streets, parks, and gardens.

Ouarzazate

Morocco can be quite an energetic country, but if you're looking for more of a quiet getaway, consider Ouarzazate. Small by Moroccan standards, this town is built up mostly around a main street – the Avenue Mohammad V. Ouarzazate. The name "Ouarzazate" comes from the Berber language meaning "without noise" or "without confusion." It was once a crossroad for a African traders traveling to northern cities in Morocco and Europe. Today, Ouarzazate is the largest town in the Moroccan Sahara, and its central location serves as a good home base touring the rest of Morocco.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Morocco, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Ouarzazate or Pretoria?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $54, while the average daily cost in Ouarzazate is $44. 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 Pretoria and Ouarzazate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $27
    Ouarzazate $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $54
    Ouarzazate $44
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Ouarzazate

Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Ouarzazate? 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 Pretoria


Hotels in Ouarzazate


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: Ouarzazate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $13
    Ouarzazate $3.51

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria

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

  • Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $57
  • Private Oneway Transfer from Johannesburg to Johannesburg Airport: $33
  • Shuttle and Transfers to Johannesburg and Pretoria: $47
  • Sun City & Pilanesberg Transfers: $250

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ouarzazate

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ouarzazate are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $2.06

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ouarzazate

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ouarzazate:

  • Private Transfert Between Marrakech & Ouarzazate: $166
  • Private Transfer between Ouarzazate & Marrakech: $319
  • Private Ouarzazate Airport Transfer: $20
  • Ouarzazate Airport: Private Transfer: $43
  • "Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Your Comfortable Private Transfer": $115

Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Ouarzazate?

Prices for flights to both Ouarzazate and Pretoria 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
    Pretoria $16
    Ouarzazate $17

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pretoria

For Pretoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Lesedi Cultural Experience + Lunch or Dinner: $112

Typical Food Prices in Ouarzazate

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ouarzazate:


  • Dinner for Two
    $11

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ouarzazate

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ouarzazate.

  • Private Berber Cooking Class at Fint Oasis with Lunch: $45
  • Oases Fint Tour With Dinner: $67
  • Zagora 2 Days Sahara Desert Tour with Dinner and Desert Camp: $80

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $16
    Ouarzazate $11

Tours and Activities in Pretoria

For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Dino Trail: Dino Kingdom Admission Ticket: $14
  • Soweto walking tour with a taxi ride: $29
  • History Bicycle Tour of Soweto: $42
  • Rietvlei Nature Reserve half-day tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $48
  • Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $54
  • Johannesburg guided city tour: $56
  • Pretoria Capital City Tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $58
  • Private local authentic soweto Moto taxi experience : $58
  • Johannesburg and Soweto guided tour: $59
  • Johannesburg Walking Tours: $59
  • Soweto & Johannesburg - walking, Bike , E-scooter, Tuk Tuk Tour : $62
  • Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $63

Tours and Activities in Ouarzazate

Here are a few actual costs in Ouarzazate for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 1 Hour Horse Riding Adventure in Ait Ben Haddou: $26
  • 10 Days Luxury Tour From Casablanca Via Chefchaouen And Fes: $2,305
  • 2 Night Tour From Fes To Marrakech Via Merzouga " Sahara": $410
  • 3 Days Group Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga Desert: $129
  • 3-Day Desert Adventure: Ouarzazate to Merzouga: $100
  • 4 day Fantastic Desert Tour From Fes To Marrakech via desert: $479
  • 4 days desert tour from Casablanca via Marrakech: $745
  • 4-Day Private Desert Tour from Casablanca to Marrakech: $1,051
  • 5-Day Morocco Desert Tour From Marrakech: $575
  • 5-Day Tour from Casablanca-Desert and Marrakech casablanca: $2,235
  • 6 Days Tour From Casablanca To Fes, Via Marrakech & Desert: $958
  • 7 Days Luxury Desert Tour From Casablanca to Marrakech: $1,866

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $34
    Ouarzazate -


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Ouarzazate, we can see that Pretoria is more expensive. And not only is Ouarzazate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ouarzazate would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ouarzazate 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 Pretoria would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pretoria than you might in Ouarzazate.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pretoria Expensive? and Is Ouarzazate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Ouarzazate?

Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Ouarzazate. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Ouarzazate, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.