Which place is cheaper, Marrakech or Luxor?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Luxor or Marrakech?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Luxor 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: Luxor or Marrakech?
Luxor
Egypt is surely on the top of every history lover's bucket list. Nowhere is the history more engrossing than in Luxor. From amazing monuments dating back to ancient Thebes to rows of temples up the Nile, this remarkable city is full the stories of past greatness.
The East Bank – or the central part of Luxor Township – is the hotbed for tourism. This is where most of the hotels and resorts are, while the West Bank is home to the ancient ruins and archaeological wonders you'll want to explore.
Before traveling to Egypt, be sure to check on the current affairs and political climate. It could have a major effect on the amount of tourists visiting, and, if conditions are too dangerous, you may want to reschedule. Also note, ladies, to avoid any issues, dress modestly. This is a very conservative region of the world. The less skin showing, the better.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Egypt, The Best Luxury Tours to Egypt, 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 dayLuxor $17Marrakech $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Luxor is $17, while the average daily cost in Marrakech is $69. 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 Luxor and Marrakech in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLuxor $7.62Marrakech $46
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLuxor $15Marrakech $92
Compare Hotels in Luxor and Marrakech
Looking for a hotel in Luxor 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: Luxor Hotel Prices and Marrakech Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Luxor $3.91Marrakech $6.30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Luxor
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Luxor:
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Taxi Ride$0.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luxor
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Luxor:
- private Transfer from Luxor to Marsa alam by a modern car: $70
- private Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada: $110
- VIP Luxor to Hurghada Transfer Luxury and Style: $125
- VIP Luxor Airport Transfer: $15
- VIP Luxor Airport Private Transfer: $25
- Transfers from Luxor Airport to Hotels or to Nile Cruise: $7.00
- Transfer from luxor to marsa alam : $150
- Transfer from Luxor to Marsa alam: $99
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada or vice versa ( optional Denderh): $50
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada / Hurghada Luxor in AC vehicle. : $120
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada: $64
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada: $91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech
Also for Marrakech, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Marrakech Transfer one way: $22
- Hammam and Massage Experience with Transfers: $67
- Marrakech Airport Private Transfer: $13
- Private Transfer Agadir airport - Marrakech: $163
- Private Transfer From Marrakech To Fez: $206
- private transfer to or from Marrakech and Taroudant one trip: $98
- transfer from Marrakech city to Agadir city (AGA) one-way: $81
- "Marrakech to Chefchaouen: Your Exclusive Private Transfer": $250
- 2h Buggy Adventure in the Marrakech Desert with Transfer and Tea Break: $49
- Agadir private transfer from Imouzzer Ida Ou Tanane to Agadir airport (AGA): $104
- Airport Transfer Ride : $20
- Airport Transfert: $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Luxor or Marrakech?
Prices for flights to both Marrakech and Luxor 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 dayLuxor $5.83Marrakech $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luxor
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Luxor.
- Dinner on the River Nile with Belly Dancing: $35
- Eat Like a Local:Traditional Egyptian Food / Dinner at Local Family Home - Luxor: $36
- Luxor Sunset Felucca Ride and Banana Island with Lunch or Dinner: $38
- Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $43
- Luxor Sunset Felucca Ride and Banana Island with Lunch or Dinner : $50
- Private Half Day Felucca Ride and Banana Island with Lunch or Dinner From Luxor: $52
- Luxor Nile Cruise Dinner: $60
- Karnak Sound And Light Show With Dinner, Felucca : $64
- Luxor & Mummification Museums & City Tour by H. Carriage & Dinner: $70
- private day in west bank & dendera with dinner on boat: $86
- Enjoy Half Day Sunset Felucca Ride and Banana Island with Lunch or Dinner: $90
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$1.20
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Dates$0.60
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Olives$0.90
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Sandwich$1.29
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Souvenir Spices$6.18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Online Moroccan Cooking Class: $17
- Cooking Lesson at the Ouirgane Ecolodge with Lunch: $18
- Magical dinner in agafay desert with camel ride: $19
- Marrakech desert: Agafay Desert Sunset Dinner Show: $20
- Restaurant Dinner Experience with Hotel Pickup: $21
- Sunset in Agafay: Dinner, Camel, Quad-Book Adventure with Viator: $22
- Desert Dinner, Camel Ride, Sunset & Show: $23
- Dinner in Desert Marrakech and Camel ride at Sunset: $23
- Moroccan Cooking Class with a Local Chef: $24
- From Agafay Desert Sunset Dinner with Live Show: $25
- Dinner Magic in Agafay desert with transport from Marrakech: $26
- Desert Agafay Dinner at Nomad Camp and Camel Ride: $26
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Luxor $6.74Marrakech $7.01
Typical Entertainment Prices in Luxor
Here are a few typical costs in Luxor for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Boat Ride (for 2)$0.57
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Temple Karnak for Two$2.74
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Camel Ride for Two$1.26
Tours and Activities in Luxor
Here are a few actual costs in Luxor for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Daily Tour at The East & West Bank of the Nile: $108
- Day Tour to East and West Banks From Luxor: $24
- Day Tour to Karnak temple and luxor temple from luxor: $77
- Day Tour to Madinet Habu Temple & the Workers Tombs: $53
- Day tour to Aswan from Luxo visit Edfu,Kom Ombo,Phila Temples & Aswan dam.: $276
- Dendera Temple Half Day Tour from Luxor: $29
- Dendera and Abydos Temples Day Tour from Luxor with Lunch: $75
- Dendera and Abydos Temples Tour from Luxor: $123
- East and West Banks of Full Day Tour from Hurghada: $205
- From Hurghada: Privete Day Tour to Luxor and Valley of the Kings: $148
- Full Day Private Tour of Luxor East and West Banks: $22
- Full Day Tour to Best Monuments of Luxor from Luxor: $130
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:
- 3-Hour Colorful Souks Tour: $5.00
- 3-Hour Colorful Souks Tour experience: $5.00
- 3-Hour Colorful Souks Tour with Tour guide: $5.00
- Marrakesh: Cactus Thiemann Entry Ticket: $8.20
- Ourika Valley, Atlas Mountain and Waterfalls Tour from Marrakech: $10
- Camel ride experience at the palm grove of Marrakech: $12
- 1/2 day Guided Medina Walking Tour & Souks : $13
- Marrakech:Quad Tour in Palmeraie: $14
- Historical Marrakech Walking Tour: $15
- Full Day Hiking Tour to Atlas Mountains from Marrakech: $15
- Marrakech activities: Camel ride tour Marrakech: $15
- Marrakech Sightseeing Tour: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLuxor $2.26Marrakech $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Marrakech
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marrakech:
- Bar Crawl with Local Guide: $28
- Moroccan wine tasting workshop in Marrakech: $70
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Luxor and Marrakech, we can see that Marrakech is more expensive. And not only is Luxor much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Luxor would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Luxor 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 Luxor.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Luxor Expensive? and Is Marrakech Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Luxor or Marrakech?
Marrakech has a larger population, and is about 99% larger than the population of Luxor. When comparing the sizes of Luxor 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.