A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Zagora vs. Puerto del Carmen for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Zagora or Puerto del Carmen?

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

Should I visit Zagora or Puerto del Carmen? 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: Zagora or Puerto del Carmen?

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.

Puerto del Carmen

Located on the south-eastern coast of the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Puerto del Carmen is a popular resort area best known for its high concentration of bars, pubs, restaurants, and clubs. By day, visitors frequent the beaches for swimming, sunbathing, windsurfing, and other watersports - and by night, they flock to enjoy the live music and drinks of the area's thriving nightlife.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto del Carmen or Zagora?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Zagora is $50, while the average daily cost in Puerto del Carmen is $185. 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 Zagora and Puerto del Carmen in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zagora $36
    Puerto del Carmen $105
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zagora $72
    Puerto del Carmen $210
Compare Hotels in Zagora and Puerto del Carmen

Looking for a hotel in Zagora or Puerto del Carmen? 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 Zagora


Hotels in Puerto del Carmen


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: Zagora Hotel Prices and Puerto del Carmen Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zagora $1.42
    Puerto del Carmen $41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagora

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagora:

  • Airport Private Transfer: $35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto del Carmen

Also for Puerto del Carmen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Lanzarote : Parasailing activity with hotel transfer: $102

Is it cheaper to fly into Zagora or Puerto del Carmen?

Prices for flights to both Puerto del Carmen and Zagora 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
    Zagora $13
    Puerto del Carmen $55

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zagora $2.85
    Puerto del Carmen $18

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 day
    Zagora -
    Puerto del Carmen $64


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


Which is Bigger, Zagora or Puerto del Carmen?

Zagora has a larger population, and is about 17% larger than the population of Puerto del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of Zagora and Puerto del Carmen, 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.