Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Messina?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Messina or Merzouga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Messina and Merzouga 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: Messina or Merzouga?
Messina
Messina is a city in the northwest area of Sicily. There are only five kilometers across the Straits of Messina to the Calabria region of mainland Italy. You can reach Messina by boats which travel every hour from the town of Villa San Giovanni in mainland Italy. There are also a couple of hydrofoils that make the trip every day from Reggio di Calabria. During the summer season don't be surprised to see cruise ships arriving with crowds of tourists. They are usually docked right downtown and are therefore hard to miss. Messina is also connected to mainland Italy by train, which are transported across the Straits of Messina by ferry.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Italy, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Messina Prices
Italy PricesMerzouga Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMessina €145Merzouga €20
The average daily cost (per person) in Messina is €145, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is €20. 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 Messina and Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMessina €65Merzouga €9.66
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMessina €130Merzouga €19
Compare Hotels in Messina and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Messina or Merzouga? 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: Messina Hotel Prices and Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Messina €22Merzouga -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Messina
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Messina:
- From Private Air-Conditioned Transfer to Taormina: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Messina or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga and Messina 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
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Food Meals for one dayMessina €64Merzouga €9.68
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Messina
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Messina.
- Cooking Demo & Meal at a Local's Home: $116
- Messina Walking Tour & Traditional Cooking Class with Wine: $116
- Pasta & Tiramisu Cooking Class at a Local's Home: $159
- Home Cooking Class & Meal with a Local in Messina: $174
- Taormina: Private/Guided Godfather with Authentic Pizza Tasting : $263
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Messina €21Merzouga -
Tours and Activities in Messina
Here are a few actual costs in Messina for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Alfotour tour 3 hour grotte di bagnara: $41
- 2,5-Hour Messina Walking Tour: $50
- Guided City Highlights Walking Tour: $59
- Best Sicily Taormina and Castelmola Tour from Messina Port: $75
- Best of Sicily Taormina & Savoca Tour from Messina Cruise Port: $75
- Sicily Gems - Taormina Savoca Tour from Messina Port: $78
- Cruise-Friendly Taormina and Castelmola Tour from Messina Port: $83
- Deluxe SicilyTaormina and Savoca Tour from Messina Cruise Port: $83
- Majestic Sicily - Taormina and Castelmola Tour from Messina Port: $90
- Private Tour to Taormina, Savoca and Messina starting from Messina: $106
- Taormina, Isola Bella beach and Messina tour. Departure from Messina: $106
- Godfather Private Tour of Savoca and Forza D'Agrò from Messina: $106
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- Merzouga Quad and Buggy Desert Tour: $40
- ATV Quad bikes experience & sandboarding : $41
- Merzouga Jeep Tour with or without local lunch: $42
- Merzouga 4x4 Desert Excursion - Sahara 4WD Adventure: $45
- 4WD Desert tour Adventure Experience: $45
- Merzouga 4x4 Tour Excursion Around Erg Chebbi Dunes: $47
- Ultimate Desert Adventure – Quads, Buggies, Motorcycles & Camels!: $47
- Merzouga Explorer Tour: Desert Life, Nomads and Gnawa Music: $48
- Merzouga Desert Excursion - Sahara 4x4 Adventure: $48
- Merzouga Desert Quad bike Adventure with Sand boarding: $48
- Sahara Desert Quad & Buggy Adventure in Merzouga: $48
- Sanding Ball in Experience the sand dunes on a zorbing activity: $54
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMessina €18Merzouga -
Sample the Local Flavors in Messina
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Messina:
- Wine Tasting and Tour of Taormina and Messina starting from Messina: $129
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Messina and Merzouga, we can see that Messina is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Messina is in Europe and Merzouga 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 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 Messina would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Messina 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 Messina Expensive? and Is Merzouga Expensive?.
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.