A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Marrakech vs. Ottawa for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Marrakech or Ottawa?

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

Should I visit Marrakech or Ottawa? 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: Marrakech or Ottawa?

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.

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, located on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. A city of many ethnic populations, Ottawa is uniquely bilingual with English as the first language of the population's majority and French as a close second.  It is best known as the nation's capital, which is centered on Parliament Hill, an architectural landmark as well as the seat of government.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada, and The Best Coach Bus Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Ottawa or Marrakech?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Marrakech is $68, while the average daily cost in Ottawa is $123. 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 Marrakech and Ottawa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Marrakech $46
    Ottawa $18
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Marrakech $92
    Ottawa $36
Compare Hotels in Marrakech and Ottawa

Looking for a hotel in Marrakech or Ottawa? 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 Marrakech


Hotels in Ottawa


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: Marrakech Hotel Prices and Ottawa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Marrakech $6.28
    Ottawa $7.27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech

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

  • transfers from Marrakech to Fez (Airport or city/Door to Door): $231
  • Transfert privé vers ou depuis RAK aéroport: $8.17
  • Transfert Departure Marrakech City to Casablanca Airport: $265
  • Transfers Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira to Marrakech: $66
  • Transfers Marrakech Airport : $126
  • Transfer from el Jadida to Marrakech riad or hotel or Airport : $186
  • Transfer from and to Marrakech Menara airoport: $20
  • Transfer from Marrakech to Imlil: Airport Transfer to Imlil - Taxi to Imlil: $66
  • Transfer from Marrakech to Casa-Airport or Casa-Airport to Marrakech: $152
  • Transfer from Marrakech to Agadir or from agadir to marrakech: $164
  • Transfer from Marrakech city or Marrakech Airport to Essaouira: $93
  • Transfer from Marrakech airport to the whole city: $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ottawa

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

  • Private Transfer from Ottawa Airport (YOW) to Ottawa City: $66
  • Private Arrival Transfer in Ottawa Airport : $52
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Airport YOW: $40
  • Ottawa to Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier Airport (YOW) - Departure Private Transfer: $66
  • Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Airport YOW Private Arrival/Departure Shuttle Transfer : $52

Is it cheaper to fly into Marrakech or Ottawa?

Prices for flights to both Ottawa and Marrakech 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
    Marrakech $13
    Ottawa $17
Typical Food Prices in Marrakech

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


  • Orange Juice on the Square
    $0.30
  • Breakfast
    $1.19
  • Dates
    $0.60
  • Olives
    $0.89
  • Sandwich
    $1.29
  • 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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ottawa

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

  • Oh Canada Eh!? Dinner Musical : $71
  • Taste of the ByWard Market Food Tour: $79
  • Evening Taste of the ByWard Market Food Tour: $82

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Marrakech $6.99
    Ottawa $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Marrakech

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Marrakech's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Palace Tickets
    $1.99
  • 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

Tours and Activities in Ottawa

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

  • 2-Hour Ottawa Express City Bike Tour: $59
  • A Self Guided Audio Tour of Ottawa's Hidden History: $6.99
  • Best of Ottawa Neighbourhoods & Nature Bike Tour: $82
  • Best of Ottawa Small Group Tour with River Cruise: $133
  • Best of Ottawa Small Group Walking Tour with Boat Cruise: $85
  • City Beers: Bus Tour of Ottawa Breweries: $75
  • Explore Canada Through Ottawa's Eyes with Walking Tours Through The City: $6.69
  • Full Day Montreal and Cruise Tour from Ottawa: $115
  • Gems and Surprises – Ottawa Walking Tour: $186
  • Helicopter Private Tour Over Ottawa 70KM in 20 min : $151
  • Hidden Ottawa Secrets Walking Tour: $25
  • Ottawa Boat Cruise - Paul's Boat Line: $36

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Marrakech $15
    Ottawa $18

Sample the Local Flavors in Ottawa

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Ottawa:

  • Epic Ottawa Bar Crawl: By Let’s Roam: $12


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

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


Which is Bigger, Marrakech or Ottawa?

Marrakech has a larger population, and is about 3% larger than the population of Ottawa. When comparing the sizes of Marrakech and Ottawa, 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.