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

Should you visit Taormina or Ouarzazate?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Taormina and Ouarzazate can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Taormina or Ouarzazate?

Taormina

A quaint hillside town on the eastern side of Sicily, Taormina is arguably one of the most popular tourist resorts on the island. It's peak season is the months of July and August when Italian and European tourists alike flock to the beaches. During this time it can be crowded and hot, but if you visit during the spring or fall months you might find the crowds slightly less and the weather more comfortable. The town is popular with package tours, which stay at the beach resorts around Giardini Naxos to the south or Letojanni to the north.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy, The Best Walking Tours in Italy, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Morocco, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Ouarzazate or Taormina?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Taormina is €108, while the average daily cost in Ouarzazate is €40. 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 Taormina and Ouarzazate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taormina 70
    Ouarzazate 20
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taormina 140
    Ouarzazate 40
Compare Hotels in Taormina and Ouarzazate

Looking for a hotel in Taormina 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 Taormina


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: Taormina Hotel Prices and Ouarzazate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taormina 4.29
    Ouarzazate 3.17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taormina

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

  • Sicily Catania Airport: Bus Transfer to and from Taormina: $7.49
  • Roundtrip Transfer from Messina: $41

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ouarzazate

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


  • Taxi Ride
    1.87

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ouarzazate

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ouarzazate:

  • Private Transfer between Ouarzazate & Marrakech: $309
  • Private Transfer from Marrakech to Dades Gorges: $187
  • "Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Your Comfortable Private Transfer": $107
  • Ouarzazate Airport: Private Transfer: $41

Is it cheaper to fly into Taormina or Ouarzazate?

Prices for flights to both Ouarzazate and Taormina 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
    Taormina 33
    Ouarzazate 15

Typical Food Prices in Ouarzazate

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


  • Dinner for Two
    10

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.
    Taormina 11
    Ouarzazate 9.88

Tours and Activities in Taormina

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

  • From Catania: Guided Tour of Mount Etna and Taormina: $57
  • From Catania: Guided Tour of Taormina and Castelmola: $106
  • Tour di Taormina, Savoca e Forza D' Agro': $139
  • Tour Messina Taormina Castelmola: $150
  • Taormina private tour: $160
  • Sicily: Best of Taormina and Castelmola Private Tour: $213
  • Taormina. Highlights Tour with Isolabella and Castelmola: $267
  • Taormina & Castelmola: Shore tour from Messina cruise port: $428
  • Taormina Walking Tour & Ancient theather Private or shared: $588
  • 5 Hours Private Tour of Taormina from Messina: $606
  • Tour da Messina a Taormina, Castelmola, Isola Bella: $695
  • From Catania or Agrigento and Piazza Armerina Tour: $743

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
    Taormina 8.57
    Ouarzazate -

Sample the Local Flavors in Taormina

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taormina:

  • Mt Etna Private guided walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $181
  • Catania: Mt. Etna Private Tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $299


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


Which is Bigger, Taormina or Ouarzazate?

Ouarzazate has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Taormina. When comparing the sizes of Taormina 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.

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