Should you visit Merzouga or Florence?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merzouga or Florence, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Merzouga or Florence?
Merzouga
Let's say you want to truly get away. I don't mean putting your ear buds in on some beach with a stronger on the next chair over. I mean really get away, and find yourself deserted. Merzouga, Morocco lets you do just that. This land of sand dune after sand dune is ideal for anyone yearning to ride a camel to the ends of civilization. And you'll find plenty of options to get here with a tour, or even on your own.
Florence
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and one of the most well known cities in Italy for its art and cultural scenes. The city is rooted in history and you can see this in the architecture, statues, gardens, and art that are everywhere around town. This city truly is a living museum. You should allow yourself at least a couple of days to explore Florence and if you can afford more, it is well worth the time. In particular, if art history is your passion then you will need a week or more to satisfy your interest as the museums and architecturally impressive buildings throughout the city are endless.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco, The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.
Which place is cheaper, Florence or Merzouga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
The average daily cost (per person) in Merzouga is $24, while the average daily cost in Florence is $211. 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 Merzouga and Florence in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Merzouga or Florence? 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:
Merzouga Hotel Prices and
Florence Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Florence
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Florence:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florence
Also for Florence, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Florence Train Station:
$38
-
Private Transfer from SMN Train Station to Florence:
$56
-
From La Spezia: Round-trip Transfer to Florence & Accademia:
$57
-
Luxury Private Transfer from Florence Airport and Vice Versa:
$68
-
Transfer from Florence City Center to Peretola Airport (FLR):
$69
-
Florence Airport (FLR) to Florence hotels - Arrival Private Transfer:
$75
-
Transfer: Peretola Airport (FLR) to Florence City Center:
$87
-
Private Transfer from Scandicci to Firenze (FLR) Airport:
$104
-
Private Transfer from Firenze (FLR) Airport to Scandicci:
$104
-
Florence Private Transfer from or to Florence Airport, Train Station and Hotel:
$110
-
Arrival Transfer Florence Station SMN to Florence by Sedan or Van:
$111
-
Private arrival OR departure transfer in Florence (hotel OR airport pick-up):
$117
Is it cheaper to fly into Merzouga or Florence?
Prices for flights to both Florence and Merzouga 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
Merzouga $11
Florence $73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.
-
Exclusive Merzouga Desert Safari: Camel Ride, Sandsurf & Dinner:
$47
-
From 1 Night in the luxury camp. Camel ride and dinner:
$60
-
Cooking class in Merzouga Make Berber Madfouna in Sand:
$60
-
Merzouga Luxury AC Camp: Camel Ride, Dinner & breakfast:
$66
-
Sunset With Dinner And Berber Music in Merzouga Desert With 4WD :
$66
-
Private Trip By Jeep In Merzouga Desert, Lunch with Berber Pizza:
$90
-
Magical Dinner and Camel Trek with 1 Night In Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp:
$105
-
2 Nights Private Camp in Merzouga with Dinner and Camel Ride:
$200
Typical Food Prices in Florence
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Florence:
-
Panini Sandwich
$7.63
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)
$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Florence
For Florence, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Florence Old City Street Food Tour and Guided Sightseeing:
$35
-
Hard Rock Cafe Florence with Set Lunch or Dinner:
$35
-
Food Tour of Traditional Eateries and Wine Pairings:
$36
-
Pasta Making Class with Dinner and Wine in Florence:
$47
-
Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence:
$48
-
Florence's Food Tour with Authentic Local Tastigs and Sightseeing:
$50
-
Florence Street Food Tour and sightseeing with Central Market:
$50
-
Florence Street Food Tour with Walking Sightseeing and Local Guide:
$50
-
Pasta and Gelato Cooking Class in the heart of Florence:
$51
-
Pasta Cooking Class with Unlimited Wine:
$53
-
Florence Food Tour: Home-Made Pasta, Truffle, Cantucci, Olive Oil, Gelato:
$54
-
Cooking Class in Florence Pasta & Tiramisu Making Unlimited Wine:
$54
Entertainment
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
-
3 hour Jeep Tour in Merzouga Desert :
$119
-
Overnight Sahara Tours luxury camp :
$72
-
Private Desert Tour and Visit to Nomadic Families:
$108
-
1 Hour Merzouga Buggy Desert Tour:
$143
-
1 Hour Merzouga Desert Buggy Experience:
$153
-
1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp :
$66
-
1 hour Quad in the Sahara: Merzouga Off Roading Experience: Nature & Wildlife:
$82
-
2 days tour in Merzouga Erg Chabbi with 4WD Jeep and Camel Treck :
$179
-
2 hours Merzouga Dunes ATV Rental - Desert Quad Biking Tour:
$116
-
2-Days Merzouga tour from Errachidia:
$200
-
2-Night Desert Camp Experience with Jeep Tour in Merzouga:
$140
-
3 Days Tour From Marrakech To Sahara Desert Of Merzouga:
$118
Typical Entertainment Prices in Florence
For Florence, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Admission to Uffizi
$13
-
Phone Booking Fee for Uffizi
$4.69
-
Firenze Card (for Two)
$117
-
Audioguides at Uffizi (for Two)
$23
-
Giotto's Tower Entrance Fee
$7.04
-
Boboli Gardens Entrance Fee
$8.21
Tours and Activities in Florence
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Florence.
-
The Best tour in Renaissance & Medici Tales - guided by a STORYTELLER:
$3.57
-
Private Tour to the Laboratory of Artistic Ceramics in Tuscany:
$3.58
-
Sunset Walking Tour:
$3.58
-
Florence Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour:
$4.17
-
Florence at Your Feet : A Tour of Its Historic Jewels:
$4.77
-
Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Florence:
$5.96
-
AudioZoom into A Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$5.99
-
Firenze Walking Tour with Audio and Written Guide:
$6.57
-
Florence Medici Quest: Self-Guided Conspiracy Adventure:
$7.16
-
Florence Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone:
$8.35
-
Florence Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$9.00
-
Florence, City centre, Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour:
$10
Alcohol
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florence
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florence from other travelers:
-
Glass of Chianti
$4.93
-
Bottle of Wine
$8.80
Sample the Local Flavors in Florence
Also in Florence, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Florence Wine Tasting at Ponte Vecchio with Sommelier:
$4.78
-
Wine Tasting by CarusVini in San Casciano in val di Pesa:
$18
-
Winery tour and wine tasting of organic Chianti wines and extra virgin oil:
$24
-
Wine Tasting Activity at Chianti Rufina:
$25
-
Great wine tasting at Tenuta Moriano:
$27
-
Wine Tasting Experience near Florence:
$30
-
Classic Wine Tasting in Montalcino:
$36
-
Wine Tasting in an Authentic Tuscan Cellar in Radda in Chianti:
$38
-
Chianti Half Day Wine Tour from Florence:
$42
-
Montefioralle Winery - Tour and Wine Tasting in Chianti:
$42
-
Wine Tasting of Brunello with Tuscan Cold Cuts and Cheese:
$47
-
Winery tour & wine tasting in Montalcino:
$48
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merzouga and Florence, we can see that Florence is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Merzouga is in Africa and Florence 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 Merzouga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Merzouga 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 Florence would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Florence than you might in Merzouga.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Merzouga Expensive? and Is Florence Expensive?.
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