Should you visit Aswan or Marrakech?
Should I visit Aswan or Marrakech? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Aswan
Lounging along the Nile like Egyptian royalty is a fantasy for most world travelers. If you want to do it without the hustle and bustle of Cairo, there's always Aswan. This city in the south of Egypt is the smallest of the three major cities on the Nile. Located just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Aswan's 275,00 people include a large portion of Nubians – mostly resettled from their flooded homeland.
Marrakech
Marrakech is on of the most popular travel destinations in Morocco. It is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat and is located near the foothills of the Atlas Mountains only a few hours from the Sahara Desert. It's a beautiful city that is often referred to as the "Pink City" because of the pale pink color of many of the city's buildings. These striking colors make the city particularly beautiful during the evening hours when the low sun creates a very dramatic lighting.
Which city is cheaper, Marrakech or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $39, while the average daily cost in Marrakech is $61. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Aswan and Marrakech in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $16. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Aswan the cost is $32 on average.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $82 in Marrakech For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Aswan cost around $14 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $5.60.
In Marrakech travelers spend around $11 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Aswan $14
Marrakech $11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
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Nubian Dinner With Enchanted Events:
$35
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Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village:
$49
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Dinner on board a cruise on the Nile:
$59
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Private 3-Hour Nubian Party with Dinner and Pickup in Aswan:
$75
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Nubian Dinner with enchanted events:
$86
Typical Food prices in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Virtual Cooking Class with Moroccan Family:
$16
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Moroccan Cooking experience In Atlas Mountains Cook with a Berber family:
$29
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Cooking Class In Atlas Mountains From Marrakech Cook With A Berber Family:
$30
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Berber Life Cooking and Culture Experience:
$32
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Marrakech Food Tasting Experience Including Dinner:
$34
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Berber Life Cooking Class and Culture Experience:
$35
-
Moroccan Cooking Workshops:
$35
-
Cooking class with Berber family in Atlas Mountains Day trip from Marrakech:
$36
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From High Atlas Berber Cooking Class:
$36
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Cooking Class with A Berber Family From Marrakech:
$37
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Day Trip Atlas Morocco Berber Experience & Cooking Class From Marrakech:
$37
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Moroccan Cooking Class With Chef Najlae !:
$40
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $10 per day to get around in Aswan.
Marrakech's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $5.58 per person, per day on transportation in Marrakech.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
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transfer from aswan to luxor with visits:
$75
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transfer from aswan to luxor with visits:
$75
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Transfer from Aswan to hurghada:
$200
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Transfer from Aswan to Luxor:
$155
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Transfer from Aswan to Abu Simbel:
$269
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Transfer from Aswan airport to Aswan City:
$14
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Transfer To or From Aswan airport:
$13
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Private transfer from aswan Airport To Marsa alam:
$216
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Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport:
$40
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Private transfer from Aswan Airport to luxor Hotel:
$112
-
Private transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile cruise in Aswan:
$20
-
Private transfer from Aswan Airport to Aswan Hotels – Premium:
$52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech
Also for Marrakech, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfert Departure Marrakech airport from city center:
$6.64
-
private airport transfer from RAK to Marrakech city:
$7.30
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Transfer for min 2 pers: Airport pick-up or drop-off service:
$7.75
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Marrakech City Center Private Airport Transfer:
$8.00
-
One-Way Marrakech-Menara Private Airport Transfer:
$8.09
-
Shuttle Arrival Transfer from RAK Marrakech to Marrakech City:
$8.97
-
Private Transfer: Marrakech Airport to Marrakech Hotel:
$9.04
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Private Transfer: Marrakech Hotel to Marrakech Airport:
$9.04
-
Transfer From Marrakech Airport To Your Accommodation:
$9.29
-
Transfer Marrakech Airport:
$9.33
-
Private Airport Transfer: Menara Airport (RAK) to Marrakech:
$9.58
-
Private transfer Riads/Hotels to Marrakech Airport:
$9.95
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Marrakech?
Prices for flights to both Marrakech and Aswan 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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $15 per person, per day in Aswan. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Marrakech can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $6.20 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Typical Entertainment prices in Aswan
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:
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Temple Kom Ombo for Two
$3.82
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
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(2 nights / 3 days )Nile cruise from Luxor to aswan:
$200
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(2 nights / 3 days )Nile cruise from Luxor to aswan:
$180
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(7nights 8 days) ( nile cruise from Aswan to luxor –hurghada - Cairo):
$1,090
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04 Days - 03 Nights Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor:
$542
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04 Days - 03 Nights Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor:
$380
-
1 Day Tour to Abu Simbel from Aswan By Car:
$120
-
1 night/ 2 days Coptic archaeological tour from Aswan:
$375
-
13 Days,Luxury tour, Cairo, luxor,,Aswan,Sharm El Sheikh(Nile and Sea Escapade):
$1,450
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2 Nights tours: luxor, Aswan,air balloon&abu simbel by sleeping train from Cairo:
$690
-
2 nights Nile cruise includes tours from Aswan to luxor:
$230
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2 nights Nile cruise includes tours from Aswan to luxor:
$238
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2 nights nile cruise from aswan to luxor,hot deal:
$160
Typical Entertainment prices in Marrakech
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Marrakech's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Palace Tickets
$2.21
-
Golf at Atlas Golf
$62
Tours and Activities in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Skip the Line: Museum Mohammed VI for the Water Civilization Admission Ticket:
$4.98
-
Marrakech City Tour and Majorelle Garden by car - Half Day - shared (8 pers):
$12
-
Marrakech Hidden Sights And Souks - Half Day Tour:
$13
-
Anima Garden Skip-the-Line Admission Ticket:
$15
-
Marrakech Shopping Tour - Private Tours (Half day):
$15
-
Group shared day tour to Ourika valley & Atlas Mountains:
$15
-
Marrakech Delicious Food Tasting Experience:
$16
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Historical Guided Tour:
$18
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Private Half-Day Walking Tour:
$18
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Walking tour of the old city:
$19
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Full-Day Guided Tour to Ouzoud Waterfalls with Boat Ride:
$19
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Marrakech city tour With official Local Guide:
$19
Alcohol
The average person spends about $3.00 on alcoholic beverages in Aswan per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Marrakech spend on average $13 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Marrakech
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marrakech:
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Full-Day trip to Essaouira - Includes Food&Wine tasting:
$150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Marrakech, we can see that Marrakech is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Aswan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aswan 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 Marrakech would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Marrakech than you might in Aswan.
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