A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Arusha vs. Meknes for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Arusha or Meknes?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Arusha and Meknes 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: Arusha or Meknes?

Arusha

Arusha is a city in East Africa's Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru. It’s a gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, lying some 100 kilometers northeast. To the west lies Serengeti National Park, home to wildlife including lions, rhinoceros, giraffes and leopards. Annual migrations feature huge herds of wildebeests crossing its plains. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to the northern circuit of stellar national parks and the starting point of many a memorable safari. It’s also a large, sprawling city which offers a nice break from the rigors of life on the African road – it has excellent places to stay and eat and, for the most part, it’s lush and green and enjoys a temperate climate throughout the year. Arusha is a great destination, and you're sure to enjoy your time here, no matter what your interests are.

Meknes

So you love a bustling nightlife with fine restaurants and meaningful historical buildings, but you hate all the tourists. Well, it maybe time to visit Meknes, Morocco. Since most travelers head straight to Fez, that leaves Meknes relatively untouched and remains free of the usual hassles that plague other major destinations.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Tanzania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Tanzania, The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, and The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Meknes or Arusha?

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 Arusha is $195, while the average daily cost in Meknes is $56. 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 Arusha and Meknes in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Arusha $130
    Meknes $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Arusha $260
    Meknes $52
Compare Hotels in Arusha and Meknes

Looking for a hotel in Arusha or Meknes? 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 Arusha


Hotels in Meknes


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: Arusha Hotel Prices and Meknes Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Arusha $13
    Meknes $1.45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha

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

  • 4Days Mount Meru Climbing with free airport transfer: $1,480
  • Private Transfer from Arusha to Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO): $258
  • Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer | Pick Up & Drop up | With BURIGI CHATO SAFARIS LTD: $100
  • Airport Transfer from Arusha town: $90
  • Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer to Moshi: $65
  • Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha City Center Transfer: $60
  • Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha Private Transfer: $59
  • Airport transfer: $45
  • Tanzanite Museum and Shopping Tour with Transfer: $40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Meknes

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

  • Private Transfer from fez to Rabat or from Rabat to Fes: $126
  • One Way Transfer from Fes To Chefchaouen Via Volubilis: $114

Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Meknes?

Prices for flights to both Meknes and Arusha 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
    Arusha $42
    Meknes $25
Typical Food Prices in Arusha

For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • A Quick Lunch (for 2)
    $2.16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arusha

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

  • Cooking and Sewing & Jewelry Workshops in Arusha: $33
  • Traditional Tanzania Cooking Class &Local Market Tour: $39
  • Traditional Tanzania Cooking Class and Market Tour: $40
  • Guided walking city tour& traditional cooking lesson: $47
  • NGO Lifted Strong - Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class: $50
  • Local Tanzanian Cooking Class by Kingstone Asilia: $50
  • Local Tanzanian Food Cooking Class by Kingstone Asilia (Arusha): $55

Typical Food Prices in Meknes

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Meknes:


  • Popcorn
    $0.20
  • Spices
    $2.49

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Meknes

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

  • Fes Medina :Grocery shopping & cooking Class with Fatima: $96

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Arusha $45
    Meknes $3.54

Tours and Activities in Arusha

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

  • Marangu waterfall & Coffee making Cultural Tour | BURIGI CHATO SAFARIS CO LTD : $150
  • Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee making Cultural Tour | BURIGI CHATO SAFARIS LTD : $167
  • Materuni Waterfalls, Visiting Chagga Village, CoffeeTour Kikuletwa Hotsprings: $100
  • Materuni Waterfalls,Coffee and Chemka Hotspring Tour: $100
  • Private Tour to Marangu Waterfalls, Chagga Caves, Coffee tour & Hot Springs: $127
  • 1 Day Materuni Waterfalls Coffee Tour and Chemka Hot Spring: $128
  • 1 Day Private Lake Chala Full Day Tour: $270
  • 1 Day Tour Hot Spring (Majimoto): $80
  • 12 Days Best Of Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar Beach Tour: $8,745
  • 12 Days Tanzania Wildlife Photographic Safari Experience: $8,595
  • 1Day Safari Tour Tarangire National Park Join Group: $279
  • 2-Day Migration Safari with a Hot Air Balloon Adventure.: $2,397

Tours and Activities in Meknes

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Meknes.

  • Fes to Volubilis via Meknes and Moulay Idriss Day Tour: $40
  • From Fez: Volubilis, Moulay Idriss and Meknes Full Day Tour: $16
  • From Fez Guided Day Trip All Inclusive Tickets: $104
  • From Rabat: Volubilis and Meknes Full-day Tour: $260
  • Guided Tour with Entrance Fees: $33
  • Guided city Tour: $33

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Arusha $11
    Meknes $2.61

Typical Alcohol Prices in Meknes

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Meknes:


  • Bottle of Wine
    $4.57


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arusha and Meknes, we can see that Arusha is more expensive. And not only is Meknes much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Meknes would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Meknes 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 Arusha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arusha than you might in Meknes.

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


Which is Bigger, Arusha or Meknes?

Meknes has a larger population, and is about 60% larger than the population of Arusha. When comparing the sizes of Arusha and Meknes, 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.