Which place is cheaper, Marseille or Abu Dhabi?
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 Abu Dhabi or Marseille?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Abu Dhabi and Marseille can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Abu Dhabi or Marseille?
Abu Dhabi
It doesn't get more "lifestyles of the rich and famous" than a vacation to Abu Dhabi. The federal capital and center of government for the United Arab Emirates is arguably the most modern city in the world.
Abu Dhabi has a population of 1.5 million and provides a home to several oil companies and embassies, but this place is definitely a playground for the world's fanciest tourists. This city has several large projects underway including Yas Island's Formula 1 track and Ferrari theme park.
Note: homosexuality is still outlawed in the UAE with harsh punishments including deportation, fines, jail time or even a death sentence.
Marseille
Marseille is the second largest city in France and is the largest Mediterranean port in the region. For visitors, Marseille offers an authentic glimpse at France. It has many colorful markets, natural beauty such as the Calanques with its large, beautiful cliffs, and the old harbor area, which offers a glimpse at the areas working class history.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to United Arab Emirates, The Best Tours for Seniors to United Arab Emirates, The Best Contiki Tours to France, and The Best G Adventures Tours to France.
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Abu Dhabi Prices
UAE PricesMarseille Prices
France Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAbu Dhabi $197Marseille $184
The average daily cost (per person) in Abu Dhabi is $197, while the average daily cost in Marseille is $184. 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 Abu Dhabi and Marseille in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAbu Dhabi $98Marseille $73
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAbu Dhabi $196Marseille $146
Compare Hotels in Abu Dhabi and Marseille
Looking for a hotel in Abu Dhabi or Marseille? 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: Abu Dhabi Hotel Prices and Marseille Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Abu Dhabi $20Marseille $29
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Abu Dhabi
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Abu Dhabi are as follows:
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Car Rental$31
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Taxi to Airport$14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Abu Dhabi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Abu Dhabi:
- Yas Water world Abu Dhabi With Optional Transfer: $105
- Warner Bros General Admission with Transfers: $141
- Warner Bro's with Private Transfers from Dubai: $279
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Abu Dhabi HTL-APT(AUH): $52
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Abu Dhabi APT-HTL(AUH): $56
- Transfer: Abu Dhabi Airport(AUH) to Abu Dhabi City Center: $28
- Transfer in private minivan from Abu Dhabi City - Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH): $58
- Transfer from Abu Dhabi to Dubai City: $150
- Transfer Abu Dhabi City Center to Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH): $28
- Tickets to Global Village with Private Transfer: $95
- Snow Abu Dhabi With Transfer Optional : $87
- Snow Abu Dhabi Tour with Optional Private Transfers: $110
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Marseille
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Marseille:
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Metro Pass$3.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marseille
Also for Marseille, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport Transfer in Marseille from Marseille Provence airport, Marignane: $62
- Taxi Marseille Airport-Transfer Marseille Airport: $68
- “Airport-Marseille Center Transfers: Luxury and Comfort VTC.”: $68
- private driver vtc marseille taxi transfer airport station port hotel: $70
- Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) Private Transfer to Marseille: $70
- Private Transfer from Marseille Airport to Aix-en-Provence: $71
- Private Transfer With an Electric Car in Marseille: $73
- Private Transfer to Gare St Charles: $74
- Marseille Marignane Airport: transfer Marseille center: $77
- Private Business Car Departure Transfer: Marseille city Marseille Cruise Port: $79
- Private Business Car Transfer: Marseille Airport to Marseille city or Port: $80
- TRANSFER MARSEILLE AIRPORT TO CRUISE PORT: $81
Is it cheaper to fly into Abu Dhabi or Marseille?
Prices for flights to both Marseille and Abu Dhabi 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 dayAbu Dhabi $78Marseille $76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Abu Dhabi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Abu Dhabi.
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari BBQ Dinner Live Shows Pick & Drop More: $25
- Dubai Marina Dinner Cruise with Live Entertainment: $41
- Dubai Marina luxury Dhow Cruise Dinner (catamaran): $49
- Abu Dhabi Evening Desert Safari Tour with Shows & Buffet Dinner: $60
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With Live Shows And BBQ Buffet Dinner: $60
- Evening Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with Hot BBQ Dinner : $65
- Grand Mosque, Sheikh Zayed Festival with Dinner: $65
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari (Dune Bashing, BBQ Dinner, Camel Ride & Sand Skii): $80
- Evening Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with BBQ Dinner & Shows: $81
- Abu Dhabi Desert safari with BBQ Dinner,Sandboarding & Camel ride: $90
- Desert Safari Adventure With Dinner In Dubai: $95
- Desert Safari with Sheikh Zayed Festival & Dinner: $95
Typical Food Prices in Marseille
For Marseille, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Orangina$2.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marseille
For Marseille, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Web-cooking workshop / French cuisine or French pastry: $33
- Marseille : Old Town Food Tour: $67
- Marseille Sunset Apéro Food tour: $74
- Marseille Miam Miam Food tour: $79
- Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner and Drinks: $82
- Sunset Boat Cruise with Dinner and Drinks: $82
- Bakeries and Pastries Food Tour: $82
- Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $97
- Evening Food Tour with Tastings: $97
- Frioul Islands Sunset Cruise with Cocktail Dinner: $97
- Marseille Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $103
- E-Bike and Food Tour: $113
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Abu Dhabi $39Marseille $39
Tours and Activities in Abu Dhabi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Abu Dhabi are as follows:
- Abu Dhabi Tour-Sheik Zayed Mosque, Emirates Palace With Louvre Musuem: $115
- Admission Ticket To Qasr Al Hosn Abu Dhabi: $20
- Ferrari World Entrance ticket : $95
- Full Day Abu Dhabi City & Louvre Museum Tour: $90
- Private Full-Day Tour in Abu Dhabi: $279
- Ticket to Louvre Museum, Abu Dhabi: $19
- Yas island abu dhabi 1/2/3 park admission tickets : $95
- 1 Day 2 Yas Island Park Tickets Combo: $130
- 45 minutes Yas Experience: $42
- 8 Hour Ticket/Pass For Yas Water World In Dubai.: $103
- 8 hours Private Tour: Ferrari World and Louvre Museum with Pickup: $270
- 20 Minutes Rolls Royce Jet Car Tour: $204
Tours and Activities in Marseille
For Marseille, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Marseille Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $4.17
- Marseille Exploration Private Game and City Tour on your Phone: $8.34
- Self-guided Like a Local Highlights Day Tour: $9.13
- Panier District Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- OM Stadium Tour at the Orange Velodrome: $18
- Musée de l'Illusion Entry Ticket: $19
- Guided walking tour through Marseille Old Town: $21
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $23
- Ecopark Adventures Treetop Adventure: $25
- Cosquer Cave Entry Ticket with City Audio Tour: $25
- Fort Saint-Jean Entry Ticket: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAbu Dhabi $13Marseille $28
Sample the Local Flavors in Marseille
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marseille:
- Quick Guided Wine Tasting in the heart of Marseille: $27
- PROVENÇAL WINE TOUR: $72
- Short Day Tour around Aix en Provence and Wine Tasting : $114
- From Marseille Cruise Port : Avignon & Wine Tasting: $154
- Small Group Marseille Shore Excursion : Avignon & Chateauneuf du Pape Wine Tour: $157
- Luberon: Full-Day Wine Tour from Marseille: $164
- Bandol and Cassis: Full Day Wine Tour from Marseille: $169
- From Provence in a day & Wine Tasting: $169
- From Bandol & Cassis Full-day Wine tour: $169
- Wine Tour Bandol & Cassis from Marseille: $172
- Marseille Shore Excursion - Full Day Wine Tour in Provence: $172
- Avignon and Côtes du Rhône Wine Tasting Tour: $185
When comparing the travel costs between Abu Dhabi and Marseille, we can see that Abu Dhabi 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. Even though Abu Dhabi is in Middle East and Marseille is in Europe, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Abu Dhabi Expensive? and Is Marseille Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Abu Dhabi or Marseille?
Marseille has a larger population, and is about 32% larger than the population of Abu Dhabi. When comparing the sizes of Abu Dhabi and Marseille, 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.
When is the best time to visit Abu Dhabi or Marseille?
Marseille has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Abu Dhabi experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Abu Dhabi or Marseille in the Summer?
Both Marseille and Abu Dhabi during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Abu Dhabi because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Marseille for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.
Abu Dhabi can become quite hot in the summer. In July, Abu Dhabi is generally a little warmer than Marseille. Daily temperatures in Abu Dhabi average around 35°C (95°F), and Marseille fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
In Marseille, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Abu Dhabi. In the summer, Abu Dhabi often gets less sunshine than Marseille. Abu Dhabi gets 331 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Marseille receives 366 hours of full sun.
Abu Dhabi usually gets less rain in July than Marseille. Abu Dhabi gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyAbu Dhabi 35°C (95°F)Marseille 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Abu Dhabi or Marseille in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Abu Dhabi and Marseille. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Abu Dhabi year-round. Furthermore, many visitors come to Marseille in the autumn for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.
Abu Dhabi is much warmer than Marseille in the autumn. The daily temperature in Abu Dhabi averages around 29°C (84°F) in October, and Marseille fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Marseille this time of the year. In Abu Dhabi, it's very sunny this time of the year. Abu Dhabi usually receives more sunshine than Marseille during autumn. Abu Dhabi gets 314 hours of sunny skies, while Marseille receives 205 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Abu Dhabi usually receives less rain than Marseille. Abu Dhabi gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberAbu Dhabi 29°C (84°F)Marseille 16°C (61°F)
Should I visit Abu Dhabi or Marseille in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Abu Dhabi as well as Marseille. Abu Dhabi attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, most visitors come to Marseille for the shopping scene and the cuisine during these months.
In the winter, Abu Dhabi is much warmer than Marseille. Typically, the winter temperatures in Abu Dhabi in January average around 18°C (64°F), and Marseille averages at about 7°C (44°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Abu Dhabi this time of the year. In the winter, Abu Dhabi often gets more sunshine than Marseille. Abu Dhabi gets 269 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Marseille receives 150 hours of full sun.
Abu Dhabi usually gets less rain in January than Marseille. Abu Dhabi gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryAbu Dhabi 18°C (64°F)Marseille 7°C (44°F)
Should I visit Abu Dhabi or Marseille in the Spring?
Both Marseille and Abu Dhabi are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Abu Dhabi throughout the year. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Marseille because of the beaches and the natural beauty.
In April, Abu Dhabi is generally much warmer than Marseille. Daily temperatures in Abu Dhabi average around 27°C (81°F), and Marseille fluctuates around 13°C (56°F).
It's quite sunny in Marseille. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi usually receives more sunshine than Marseille during spring. Abu Dhabi gets 297 hours of sunny skies, while Marseille receives 245 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Abu Dhabi usually receives less rain than Marseille. Abu Dhabi gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilAbu Dhabi 27°C (81°F)Marseille 13°C (56°F)
Typical Weather for Marseille and Abu Dhabi
| Abu Dhabi | Marseille | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Mar | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 31°C (88°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| Jun | 33°C (91°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| Jul | 35°C (95°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Aug | 36°C (97°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Sep | 33°C (91°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Oct | 29°C (84°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
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.