A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Zagora vs. Santiago de Compostela for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Zagora or Santiago de Compostela?

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

Should I visit Zagora or Santiago de Compostela? 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 Santiago de Compostela?

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.

Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela is the capital city of northwest Spain's Galicia region. Its famous cathedral marks the culmination of the Way of Saint James pilgrimage route, and is the alleged burial site of the apostle himself. The pilgrimage route begins in the Pyrenees, 500 miles away, though travelers can decide to join the journey at certain points in between, depending on how far they want to walk and how much they want to see.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco, The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain.


Which place is cheaper, Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela is $97. 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 Santiago de Compostela in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zagora $36
    Santiago de Compostela $40
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zagora $72
    Santiago de Compostela $80
Compare Hotels in Zagora and Santiago de Compostela

Looking for a hotel in Zagora or Santiago de Compostela? 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 Santiago de Compostela


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 Santiago de Compostela Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zagora $1.42
    Santiago de Compostela $41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagora

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagora:

  • Airport Private Transfer: $35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago de Compostela

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago de Compostela:

  • Departure Private Transfer Santiago de Compostela to SCQ Airport by Business Car: $38
  • Airport Transfer Santiago de Compostela: $45
  • Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from the city centre to SCQ Airport: $51
  • Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from the city centre to SCQ Airport: $51
  • Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from SCQ Airport to City centre: $51
  • Airport transfer Santiago de Compostela: $71
  • Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer to SCQ Airport by Van: $91
  • Arrival Private Transfer Santiago de Compostela Airport to City Center by Minivan: $91

Is it cheaper to fly into Zagora or Santiago de Compostela?

Prices for flights to both Santiago de Compostela 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
    Santiago de Compostela $21

Typical Food Prices in Santiago de Compostela

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santiago de Compostela:


  • Raspberries
    $3.75
  • Ice Cream
    $2.14
  • Cookie
    $1.07
  • Kebab
    $7.77
  • Dinner & Tapas (for 2)
    $29
  • Tuna Empanada
    $3.75
  • Fruit Shake
    $3.75
  • Crepe
    $4.29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zagora $2.85
    Santiago de Compostela $41

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
  • Marrakech: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour Zagora & BenHaddou: $111
  • 2 days tour from Zagora to Erg Chegaga: $136
  • Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164
  • Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164
  • Private Day Camel Trekking Tour in Draa Valley from Zagora: $214
  • From 2-Day Desert Tour to Erg Chegaga: $288
  • 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 Agadir 4 Days 3 night Désert Tours to Marrakech: $1,326

Tours and Activities in Santiago de Compostela

Here are a few actual costs in Santiago de Compostela for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Old Town of Santiago de Compostela Walking Tour: $1.09
  • Secrets of A Self-Guided Tour: $9.99
  • Secrets of Private Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Old town walking tour with an Official Guide: $11
  • Guided Tour of the Old Town with an Official Guide: $11
  • Hostal de los Reyes Católicos Tour: $13
  • Land of Legends & Meigas Night Tour: $13
  • Night Tour Land of Legends and Meigas: $13
  • Queimada Experience Show and Tasting: $16
  • Museum Tour of Galician Culture: $16
  • Santiago: Cathedral & Museum Tour & Pórtico of Glory Option: $16
  • Santiago de Compostela Cathedral and Museum Guided Tour: $16

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zagora -
    Santiago de Compostela $24

Typical Alcohol Prices in Santiago de Compostela

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santiago de Compostela from other travelers:


  • 1 Pint Beer
    $2.14

Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago de Compostela

Also in Santiago de Compostela, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience: $31
  • Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience: $32
  • Albariño Wine Tasting with Winery Tour: $33
  • Premium Porto Santiago Compostela tour lunch & wine tasting: $214


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


Which is Bigger, Zagora or Santiago de Compostela?

Santiago de Compostela has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Zagora. When comparing the sizes of Zagora and Santiago de Compostela, 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.