Which city is cheaper, Lyon or Marseille?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Marseille or Lyon, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Marseille is a energetic and vibrant city. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. This is an attractive and quaint destination worth visiting as well. And you can't forget about the nightlife, food, and beaches.
Lyon is a authentic, historic, and beautiful city. As it's a big city, visitors will find plenty to do, too. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. As it offers a special and quaint atmosphere, visitors come from all over to experience this destination. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Lyon and Marseille. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Foodies will find both Marseille and Lyon both to be unique destinations.
Known for it's food and restaurant scene, Marseille is always at the top of any foodie's travel list. It's famous for its bouillabaisse, which is a hearty seafood soup that was once affordable but is now quite pricey.
Many restaurants in Lyon have been singled out for their culinary prowess. Known as "the Gastronomic Capital of the World" this city stands above the rest when it comes to Michelin star restaurants (there are 17!), fresh ingredients, and unique local flavors. Favorite local dishes include pâté en croûte, rosette de Lyon, and saucisson brioché.
Both Marseille and Lyon have similar vibes after the sun sets.
People head to Marseille just to party. Much of the city's nightlife is centered around being outdoors. Whether you're on the beach or hanging out at a rooftop bar, Marseille is a magical place.
The people in Lyon know how to have a good time. The city has enough diverse neighborhoods that you'll find a scene that is great for everyone. There are dance clubs, cocktail bars, and wine bars that meet every personality and style.
Marseille and Lyon both have historical old towns that attract visitors.
The historic old town of Marseille is revered around the world. The Old Port is filled with shops and boutiques, and is the most scenic part of the city. It dates back to the Middle Ages and is filled with history and character.
With a famous historical old-town, Lyon offers plenty to see. This impressive old town climbs from the river into Fourvière Hill. It's a Renaissance era district with beautiful buildings and plenty of character. You can spend days wandering the quaint streets and popping in the world class restaurants.
Shoppers can find a variety of stores in both Marseille and Lyon.
Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Marseille. The city has boutiques, farmers markets, and flea markets to explore, as well as any luxury brand you may want.
Lyon is an extremely popular place for shoppers. The city has many trendy markets, pedestrian shopping areas, and character-filled boutiques. From the charming shops in old town to the chic shopping streets, there are plenty of places to splurge around town.
Families will find a wider variety of activities in Lyon than Marseille.
You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Lyon. The city has many kid-friendly museums including Musée des Confluences and the Cinema and Miniature Museum. There are also playgrounds, patisseries, and river cruises that you can enjoy as a family. Puppet shows are also fun, but do note that they're usually in French. While the restaurants are amazing for adults, it can be tricky to find a kid-friendly option with early opening hours that are convenient for little ones.
Marseille doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. Nearby beaches and an outdoor climbing area make it a diverse city to visit with kids.
Marseille and Lyon are both fun to visit as a couple.
Marseille makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Strolling the boulevards and exploring the history and culture of this city make it a top couples' destination.
Couples visit Lyon frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Couples can enjoy wandering the beautiful Old Town, taking a river cruise, and dining on some of the best food in France.
Marseille and Lyon are both good destinations for backpackers.
Plenty of backpackers visit Marseille. It has a decent number of hostels for a city of its size.
Backpackers come from all over to visit Lyon. The city has several hostels and a number of activities that are fun for budget travelers and backpackers.
Both Marseille and Lyon are popular destinations for students.
Marseille is a great city to visit as a student. It attracts international students because of its rich culture, unique atmosphere, and lively bar scene.
Lyon is a very popular city for students. It is a very livable city with many fun cultural activities for students. There are many different entertainment options during the day, and during the evening there are plenty of places to hang out.
Lyon generally offers a better public transit system than Marseille.
With a huge network, the transit system in Lyon can get you around easily. The city has a metro, trams, and buses, that make it easy to get around.
You'll find some public transit in Marseille, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. The city has trams, a metro, and buses that you can use to explore.
Marseille and Lyon are similar when it comes to walkability.
Marseille is a very walkable destination. The Old Port (Vieux Port) is particularly walkable and is one of the best areas to explore on foot.
Lyon is very walkable. The old town is particularly walkable, but the hills can make things a bit challenging. There are also a number of pedestrian streets around town.
In either Marseille or Lyon, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Lyon than Marseille because of the overall number of sights and activities.
The ideal length of time for a trip to Marseille is 2-3 days, and the ideal length of time for a trip to Lyon is 2-5 days.
Visitors enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the destination of Marseille. Visiting the old town is also a must. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.
People visit Lyon because there is so much to do. Visiting the old town is also a must. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
Marseille is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.
People visit Lyon because there is so much to do. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.
You'll find food and shopping around the vibrant destination of Marseille. This city offers something for everyone. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.
People visit Lyon because there is so much to do. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. If you have five days, this city makes for a great vacation. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer.
The vibrant city of Marseille offers shopping and nightlife. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.
Lyon is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Marseille is €117, while the average daily cost in Lyon is €100. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Marseille and Lyon in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Marseille or Lyon? 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.
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Marseille:
Also for Marseille, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lyon:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lyon:
Prices for flights to both Lyon and Marseille 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.
For Marseille, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Marseille, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lyon are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lyon.
For Marseille, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lyon are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lyon are as follows:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marseille:
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Lyon from other travelers:
Also in Lyon, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Marseille and Lyon, we can see that Marseille is more expensive. And not only is Lyon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lyon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lyon 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 Marseille would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Marseille than you might in Lyon.
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
The summer brings many poeple to Marseille as well as Lyon. The summer months attract visitors to Marseille because of the beaches and the family-friendly experiences. Also, the city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Lyon this time of year.
In July, Marseille is generally around the same temperature as Lyon. Temperatures in Marseille average around 24°C (75°F), and Lyon stays around 22°C (71°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Lyon. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Marseille this time of the year. In the summer, Marseille often gets more sunshine than Lyon. Marseille gets 366 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lyon receives 285 hours of full sun.
Marseille usually gets less rain in July than Lyon. Marseille gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Lyon receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both Lyon and Marseille are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Marseille this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Lyon for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Marseille is a little warmer than Lyon in the autumn. The temperature in Marseille is usually 16°C (61°F) in October, and Lyon stays around 14°C (56°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Marseille. Marseille usually receives more sunshine than Lyon during autumn. Marseille gets 205 hours of sunny skies, while Lyon receives 127 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Marseille usually receives around the same amount of rain as Lyon. Marseille gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Lyon receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
Both Lyon and Marseille during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Marseille for the shopping scene and the cuisine. Furthermore, many visitors come to Lyon in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Lyon can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Marseille is much warmer than Lyon. Typically, the winter temperatures in Marseille in January are around 7°C (44°F), and Lyon is about 4°C (39°F).
In the winter, Marseille often gets more sunshine than Lyon. Marseille gets 150 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lyon receives 62 hours of full sun.
Marseille usually gets less rain in January than Lyon. Marseille gets 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Lyon receives 55 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Marseille and Lyon. Many visitors come to Marseille in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty. Furthermore, most visitors come to Lyon for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months.
In April, Marseille is generally a little warmer than Lyon. Temperatures in Marseille average around 13°C (56°F), and Lyon stays around 11°C (53°F).
In Marseille, it's very sunny this time of the year. Marseille usually receives more sunshine than Lyon during spring. Marseille gets 245 hours of sunny skies, while Lyon receives 174 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Marseille usually receives less rain than Lyon. Marseille gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Lyon receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Marseille | Lyon | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 7°C (44°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 55 mm (2.1 in) |
Feb | 8°C (46°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
Mar | 10°C (50°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
Apr | 13°C (56°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 11°C (53°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
May | 17°C (63°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 85 mm (3.4 in) |
Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
Jul | 24°C (75°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
Sep | 20°C (69°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 14°C (56°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
Nov | 11°C (51°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
Dec | 7°C (45°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 57 mm (2.3 in) |
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