A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pretoria vs. Ouarzazate for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pretoria or Ouarzazate?

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

Should I visit Pretoria or Ouarzazate? 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: Pretoria or Ouarzazate?

Pretoria

Located in Gauteng Province, Pretoria is the administrative capital city of South Africa, making it home to many government buildings and three universities. It is actually one of three capital cities, being home to the executive branch, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Within South Africa, Pretoria is also known as the "Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of jacaranda trees lining its streets, parks, and gardens.

Ouarzazate

Morocco can be quite an energetic country, but if you're looking for more of a quiet getaway, consider Ouarzazate. Small by Moroccan standards, this town is built up mostly around a main street – the Avenue Mohammad V. Ouarzazate. The name "Ouarzazate" comes from the Berber language meaning "without noise" or "without confusion." It was once a crossroad for a African traders traveling to northern cities in Morocco and Europe. Today, Ouarzazate is the largest town in the Moroccan Sahara, and its central location serves as a good home base touring the rest of Morocco.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Morocco, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Ouarzazate or Pretoria?

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 Pretoria is $64, while the average daily cost in Ouarzazate is $60. 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 Pretoria and Ouarzazate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pretoria $27
    Ouarzazate $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pretoria $54
    Ouarzazate $48
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Ouarzazate

Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Ouarzazate? 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 Pretoria


Hotels in Ouarzazate


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: Ouarzazate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pretoria $13
    Ouarzazate $3.76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria

Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport transfers, door to door .private transfers: $41
  • Airport transfers,door to door shuttle: $53
  • Pretoria to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) - Departure Private Transfer: $43
  • Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $65
  • Sun City & Pilanesberg Transfers: $250
  • Sun City Private Transfer: $246

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ouarzazate

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ouarzazate are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $2.21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ouarzazate

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ouarzazate:

  • Private Ouarzazate Airport Transfer: $30
  • Ouarzazate Airport Transfer: $30
  • "Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Your Comfortable Private Transfer": $115

Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Ouarzazate?

Prices for flights to both Ouarzazate and Pretoria 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
    Pretoria $27
    Ouarzazate $31

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pretoria

For Pretoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Lesedi Cultural Experience + Lunch or Dinner: $113

Typical Food Prices in Ouarzazate

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ouarzazate:


  • Dinner for Two
    $12

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ouarzazate

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ouarzazate.

  • Private Berber Cooking Class at Fint Oasis with Lunch: $48

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pretoria $15
    Ouarzazate $12

Tours and Activities in Pretoria

For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Harties Cableway Experience Ticket: $18
  • Soweto walking tour with a taxi ride: $31
  • Soweto Quad Bike and Tuk Tuk Tours : $45
  • Rietvlei Nature Reserve half-day tour from Pretoria, every TUESDAY: $51
  • Full Day Shopping Tour: Arts, Crafts, and African Garments: $55
  • Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience : $56
  • Half day Soweto Tour : $58
  • Apartheid Museum Guided Tour : $59
  • Johannesburg Walking Tours: $59
  • Soweto Walking Tour Mandela House And Street Food: $60
  • Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $64
  • Soweto Half Day Private Tour 4 hours R 1250,00: $64

Tours and Activities in Ouarzazate

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

  • 1 Hour Horse Riding Adventure in Ait Ben Haddou: $26
  • 3 Days Group Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga Desert: $119
  • Ait-Ben-Haddou - City Tour: $24
  • Guided tour of the Palmerie de Skoura by electric mountain bike : $54
  • Marrakech Half-Day Guided City Tour : $72
  • Marrakech Palm Grove 2-Hour Quad Biking Adventure.: $54
  • Ouarzazate ‘Hollywood of Morocco’ Private Full-Day Tour with Ait Ben Haddou: $227
  • Ouzoud Waterfall Day Tour from Marrakech: $32
  • Private Full-Day Tour of Ouarzazate and Oasis Fint: $173
  • Private One Day Tour AIT BENHADDOU and TELOUET via Ouarzazate: $119
  • Private Quad Experience in the Ouarzazate Desert: $54
  • Private half-day mountain bike tour discover Palmeraie Skoura: $33

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pretoria $33
    Ouarzazate -


When comparing the travel costs between Pretoria and Ouarzazate, we can see that Pretoria is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pretoria Expensive? and Is Ouarzazate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Ouarzazate?

Pretoria has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Ouarzazate. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Ouarzazate, 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.