Which place is cheaper, Ouarzazate or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
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.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $49Ouarzazate $42
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $49, while the average daily cost in Ouarzazate is $42. 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 personPretoria $25Ouarzazate $21
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Ouarzazate $42
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.
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 $12Ouarzazate $3.39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $26
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $86
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ouarzazate
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ouarzazate are as follows:
-
Taxi Ride$1.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ouarzazate
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ouarzazate:
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Dades Gorges: $187
- Private Transfer between Ouarzazate & Marrakech: $307
- Ouarzazate Airport: Private Transfer: $41
- Ouarzazate Airport transfer: $22
- Ouarzazate Airport Transfer: $23
- "Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Your Comfortable Private Transfer": $107
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 dayPretoria $15Ouarzazate $16
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.
- Oases Fint Tour With Dinner: $65
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Ouarzazate $11
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Harties Cableway Experience Ticket: $16
- Private 1 hour Cruise on Hartebeespoort Dam: $29
- Soweto walking tour with a taxi ride: $32
- History Bicycle Tour of Soweto: $38
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $50
- Johannesburg guided city tour: $51
- Private local authentic soweto Moto taxi experience : $52
- Pretoria Tour - Voortrekker Monument, Union Buildings, Pretoria : $53
- Soweto and Johannesburg Tours: $53
- Johannesburg Walking Tours: $54
- Johannesburg and Soweto guided tour: $54
- Soweto Township Tour from Johannesburg - Friday Special: $56
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
- 3 days group tour from Marrakech to Merzouga desert: $125
- 3-Day Desert Adventure: Ouarzazate to Merzouga: $100
- 4 day Fantastic Desert Tour From Fes To Marrakech via desert: $461
- 7 night 8 day Casablanca morocco tour via merzouga: $1,500
- Ait-Ben-Haddou - City Tour: $22
- Casablanca: 6 Days Tour Blue City, Fes, Desert & Marrakech: $1,076
- Desert by Quad: 5 Days of Pure Adventure from Ouarzazate: $2,869
- Experience of kasbah ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate city: $130
- Fes-bound 3-Day Desert Tour departing from Marrakech: $249
- Fez to Merzouga & Marrakech Combined 3 Day Desert Tour: $212
- From Agadir : 4-Day Private Desert Tour To Zagora & Merzouga: $568
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Ouarzazate -
When comparing the travel costs between Pretoria and Ouarzazate, we can see that Pretoria is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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.
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.