Which place is cheaper, Marrakech or Chennai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chennai or Marrakech?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Chennai or Marrakech? 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: Chennai or Marrakech?
Chennai
Formerly known as Madras from its colonial history, Chennai today is one of India's largest cities and capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the Bay of Bengal in southeastern India with an extensive stretch of sandy beaches, plenty of dining and shopping, a number of historic temples, monuments, and churches, plus amusement parks and more.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChennai $30Marrakech $68
The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $30, while the average daily cost in Marrakech is $68. 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 Chennai and Marrakech in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChennai $15Marrakech $46
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChennai $30Marrakech $92
Compare Hotels in Chennai and Marrakech
Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Marrakech? 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: Chennai Hotel Prices and Marrakech Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chennai $2.61Marrakech $6.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chennai
Also for Chennai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Chennai City to Chennai (MAA) Airport: $37
- Private Transfer from Chennai (MAA) Airport to Chennai City: $37
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai International Airport to Hotel: $40
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai Airport (MAA) to Pondicherry Hotels: $145
- Full Day Tour to Kanchipuram and UNESCO's Mahabalipuram with Private Transfer: $246
- Departure transfer: Chennai hotels to Chennai International Airport: $19
- Departure Transfer from Chennai Hotels to Chennai airport: $20
- Chennai International Airport to Hotel-Private Arrival transfer: $25
- Chennai Airport to Hotel Transfer: $13
- Chennai Airport Transfers : Budget Sedan and SUV Cabs: $15
- Chennai - Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Airport : $19
- Chennai - Private Arrival Transfer - From Airport to Hotel: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech
Also for Marrakech, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer From Marrakech To Fez: $446
- One way transfer from Fes to Marrakech: $362
- Private Transfer between Marrakech and Casablanca: $311
- City to City Transfer - Marrakesh > Merzouga: $300
- Agadir private transfer from Ouirgane to Agadir airport (AGA): $290
- Transfer Marrakech to Tangier: $286
- Private Premium Transfert From / To Marrakech To / From Tangier: $284
- Private Transfer From Casablanca to Marrakesh: $279
- Transfert Departure Marrakech City to Casablanca Airport: $265
- Private Transfer from Marrakech Menara (RAK) Airport to Taroudant: $255
- Essaouira Day Trip From Marrakech With Private Transfers: $253
- Private Premium Transfert From / To Marrakech To / From Meknes: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Marrakech?
Prices for flights to both Marrakech and Chennai 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 dayChennai $6.42Marrakech $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chennai
For Chennai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 2 Hour Street Food Tour in Sowcarpet Chennai : $37
- Private In-Home Vegetarian Cooking Class and Meal in Chennai: $46
- Private Vegetarian South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai : $48
- South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Passionate Baker: $48
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class in Chennai with Menna: $54
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class Near the Chennai airport: $62
- Traditional Tamil Brahmin Vegetarian Cooking Lesson with a Local in Her Home: $74
- Private Authentic Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Local: $76
- Private 3-Hour Cooking Lesson and Meal in Chennai: $100
- Authentic South Indian Cooking Class and Vegetarian Meal with a Local in Chennai: $122
- Food Trail In Sowcarpet With Transport And Dinner - Chennai: $216
Typical Food Prices in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Orange Juice on the Square$0.30
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Breakfast$1.19
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Dates$0.60
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Olives$0.89
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Sandwich$1.29
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Souvenir Spices$6.16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride and Dinner from Marrakech: $15
- Cooking Lesson at the Ouirgane Ecolodge with Lunch: $19
- Dinner in Agafay desert from Marrakech & camel riding: $19
- Restaurant Dinner Experience with Hotel Pickup: $21
- Dinner and show in Desert Agafay with Quad bike & Camel ride: $22
- Sunset in Agafay: Dinner, Camel, Quad-Book Adventure with Viator: $22
- Agafay desert Sunset Camel ride with Dinner Show: $23
- Magical Dinner & Agafay Desert ,Under The Stars: $24
- Marrakech Amazing Dinner Show in Agafay Desert, Sunset Camel Ride: $24
- Dinner Experience in a Moroccan Restaurant with transfer: $24
- Moroccan Cooking Class with a Local Chef: $24
- From Agafay Desert Sunset Dinner with Live Show: $25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chennai $2.78Marrakech $6.99
Tours and Activities in Chennai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.
- St Thomas Mount Tour Chennai: $85
- Auroville and Pondicherry Tour from Chennai: $44
- Bazaar Walking tour in George Town: $35
- Best Of Chennai- Classic Tour on Royal Enfield Motorcycle: $160
- Bicycle tour in Mahabalipuram with transport from Chennai,lunch & guide: $99
- Chennai Cultural Walking Tour: $26
- Chennai Delights: Exploring the Best of the City Tour: $198
- Chennai Food Tasting Trails (2 Hour Guided Tour Experience): $26
- Chennai Full Day Guided Tour in a Private Car: $120
- Chennai Full Day Sightseeing in a Private Car: $70
- Chennai Half Day Guided Tour in a Private Car: $100
- Chennai Heritage Trails (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
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$1.99
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Golf at Atlas Golf$56
Tours and Activities in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 10 Hours tour from marrakech to ouarzazate: $44
- 3 Day Private Desert Tour From Marrakech To Merzouga Dunes With Camel Trek: $274
- 3 Days Tour - Marrakech To Fez via Sahara Desert Erg chebbi: $207
- Agafay Desert: Three Valley Guided Tour From Marrakech : $21
- Atlas Mountains &Berber family & berber village experience : $90
- Atlas Mountains Horseback Ride Day Tour From Marrakech : $50
- Atlas Mountains, Berber Villages & Waterfall Tour: $25
- Best Marrakech Private walking tour: $44
- Desert Agafay & Berber Villages Day Tour From Marrakech including Camel Ride: $49
- Desert Thrills: Quad Biking Adventures in Palmeraie Marrakech: $44
- Desert tour small group with luxury tent: $98
- Experience Moroccan Hammam and Massage: $71
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChennai $3.08Marrakech $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Marrakech, we can see that Marrakech is more expensive. And not only is Chennai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Chennai is in Asia and Marrakech 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 Chennai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chennai 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 Chennai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chennai Expensive? and Is Marrakech Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chennai or Marrakech?
Chennai has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Marrakech. When comparing the sizes of Chennai and Marrakech, 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.
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.