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

Should you visit Soweto or Ouarzazate?

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 Soweto and Ouarzazate. 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: Soweto or Ouarzazate?

Soweto

The name Soweto is an acronym for South Western Townships, first used in 1963 to describe the groups of townships to the south west of Johannesburg. It is a city of contrasts, featuring anything from tin shanties to luxurious mansions, and is probably best known for being the home of two Nobel Prize winners.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cape Town, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cape Town, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Morocco, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Ouarzazate or Soweto?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Soweto is $61, 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 Soweto and Ouarzazate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Soweto $31
    Ouarzazate $21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Soweto $62
    Ouarzazate $42
Compare Hotels in Soweto and Ouarzazate

Looking for a hotel in Soweto 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 Soweto


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.
    Soweto $12
    Ouarzazate $3.39

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: $309
  • Ouarzazate Airport: Private Transfer: $41
  • "Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Your Comfortable Private Transfer": $107

Is it cheaper to fly into Soweto or Ouarzazate?

Prices for flights to both Ouarzazate and Soweto 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
    Soweto $20
    Ouarzazate $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.
    Soweto $16
    Ouarzazate $11

Tours and Activities in Soweto

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

  • Johannesburg: Soweto Half-Day Tour: $59
  • Johannesburg: Soweto Tour with Lunch: $69
  • Johannesburg: Soweto Night Tour: $95

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: $464
  • 7 night 8 day Casablanca morocco tour via merzouga: $1,508
  • Ait-Ben-Haddou - City Tour: $22
  • Casablanca: 6 Days Tour Blue City, Fes, Desert & Marrakech: $1,082
  • Desert by Quad: 5 Days of Pure Adventure from Ouarzazate: $2,884
  • Experience of kasbah ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate city: $131
  • Fez to Merzouga & Marrakech Combined 3 Day Desert Tour: $213
  • From Agadir : 4-Day Private Desert Tour To Zagora & Merzouga: $571
  • From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $382

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Soweto $8.10
    Ouarzazate -


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Soweto and Ouarzazate, we can see that Soweto 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 Soweto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Soweto 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 Soweto Expensive? and Is Ouarzazate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Soweto or Ouarzazate?

Soweto has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Ouarzazate. When comparing the sizes of Soweto 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.