Which place is cheaper, Zagora or Thessaloniki?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Thessaloniki or Zagora?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Zagora? 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: Thessaloniki or Zagora?
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and serves as the capital city of the Central Macedonia region. It also has a rich history dating back more than 3,000 years. As a visitor, you'll find that the city has been touched by the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, all of which left their mark. In particular, the many Byzantine churches are quite impressive, with some of them listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Zagora
A small town in southern Morocco, Zagora is a popular base camp for excursions on foot, by camel, or four wheel drive vehicles into the surrounding desert. One of the most famous and historic treks is the ancient caravan route to Timbuktu, marked by a famous sign at the end of town - indicating a journey of "52 days" by camel.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Greece, The Best Contiki Tours to Greece, The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, and The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayThessaloniki €134Zagora €47
The average daily cost (per person) in Thessaloniki is €134, while the average daily cost in Zagora is €47. 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 Thessaloniki and Zagora in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personThessaloniki €79Zagora €33
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomThessaloniki €158Zagora €66
Compare Hotels in Thessaloniki and Zagora
Looking for a hotel in Thessaloniki or Zagora? 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: Thessaloniki Hotel Prices and Zagora Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Thessaloniki €13Zagora €1.33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Thessaloniki
Also for Thessaloniki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bus Transfer to/from Kavala: $18
- Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) to Thessaloniki - Arrival Transfer: $21
- Thessaloniki to Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) - Departure Transfer: $21
- One Way Private Transfer SKG Airport to / from Thessaloniki City Center: $24
- Thessaloniki Airport Private Transfer Service: $32
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki Airport to Thessaloniki Port: $41
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki hotels to Thessaloniki Port: $41
- Thessaloniki Airport or Cruise Port Private Departure Transfer: $44
- Thessaloniki Airport - Sani Transfer: $81
- Thessaloniki Airport to Portes Lithos Luxury Resort Private Transfer: $82
- Thessaloniki Airport to Ikos Oceania Hotel Private Transfer: $87
- Private transfer to IKOS OLIVIA: $87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagora
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagora:
- Airport Private Transfer: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Thessaloniki or Zagora?
Prices for flights to both Zagora and Thessaloniki 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 dayThessaloniki €42Zagora €12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Open Market Food Tour with Tasting: $48
- Walking Open Market Food Tour and Tasting: $49
- Cooking & Dining Experience with Greek Family: $63
- Guided Food Tour: $70
- Food Tour in Thessaloniki: $71
- Private Walking Tour Gastronomic Food Tour in Thessaloniki: $87
- Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local: $95
- Greek Ouzo and Meze Food Tour: $95
- Greek Cooking Class, Market Visit and Lunch: $95
- Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local: $97
- Greek Ouzo and Meze Food Tour: $97
- Greek Cooking Class, Market visit and Lunch: $97
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Thessaloniki €26Zagora €2.67
Tours and Activities in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.95
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $6.95
- White Tower Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.54
- Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour & Narrative: $11
- Selfie Museum Entry Ticket: $11
- Self-Guided Game & Tour: $12
- Museum of Illusions Admission Ticket: $12
- Thessaloniki Self-Guided Game & Tour: $12
- Byzantine Museum E-Ticket with Audio Tour: $13
- E-ticket to Museum of Byzantine Culture with Audio Tour : $13
- Thessaloniki Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour: $17
Tours and Activities in Zagora
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zagora are as follows:
- 2 Days Tour to Zagora Desert with sunset from Marrakech: $82
- 2 days tour from Zagora to Erg Chegaga: $136
- From Agadir 4 Days 3 night Désert Tours to Marrakech: $1,326
- From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $353
- From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $356
- From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $376
- From 2-Day Desert Tour to Erg Chegaga: $288
- Marrakech: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour Zagora & BenHaddou: $111
- Private Day Camel Trekking Tour in Draa Valley from Zagora: $214
- Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164
- Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayThessaloniki €15Zagora -
Sample the Local Flavors in Thessaloniki
Also in Thessaloniki, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Thessaloniki: $25
- From Pella-Edessa wine tasting: $64
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $81
- Thessaloniki Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $83
- Winery Visit with Wine Tasting Experience: $91
- Wine Tasting Experience from Thessaloniki: $93
- Thessaloniki to Naoussa, Wine Tasting Tour – Private Day Trip: $207
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Thessaloniki and Zagora, we can see that Thessaloniki is more expensive. And not only is Zagora much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Thessaloniki is in Europe and Zagora 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 Zagora would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zagora 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 Thessaloniki would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Thessaloniki than you might in Zagora.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Thessaloniki Expensive? and Is Zagora Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Thessaloniki or Zagora?
Thessaloniki has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Zagora. When comparing the sizes of Thessaloniki and Zagora, 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.