Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Marseille?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Marseille or Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Marseille or Rio de Janeiro, 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.
Where Should I go: Marseille or Rio de Janeiro?
Marseille
Marseille is the second largest city in France and is the largest Mediterranean port in the region. For visitors, Marseille offers an authentic glimpse at France. It has many colorful markets, natural beauty such as the Calanques with its large, beautiful cliffs, and the old harbor area, which offers a glimpse at the areas working class history.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to France, The Best G Adventures Tours to France, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMarseille €148Rio de Janeiro €98
The average daily cost (per person) in Marseille is €148, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is €98. 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 Marseille and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMarseille €71Rio de Janeiro €62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMarseille €142Rio de Janeiro €124
Compare Hotels in Marseille and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Marseille or Rio de Janeiro? 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: Marseille Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Marseille €28Rio de Janeiro €7.43
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Marseille
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Marseille:
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Metro Pass€3.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marseille
Also for Marseille, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- “Airport-Marseille Center Transfers: Luxury and Comfort VTC.”: $88
- Airport Marseille Transfer to Marseille Old Port: $91
- Aix en Provence-Transfer from or to Marseille Airport: $103
- Arles-Transfer From or To Airport MARSEILLE: $219
- Arrival Private Transfer Marseille Airport MRS to Marseille city or Port by Van: $102
- Arrival Transfer: MRS Airport to Marseille in Business Car: $109
- Arrival Transfer: MRS Airport to Marseille in Luxury Van: $114
- Cannes Private Transfer to Marseille Airport: $646
- Departure Private Transfer Marseille city or Port to Marseile Airport MRS by Van: $101
- Departure Private Transfer from Marseille city to Marseille Cruise Port by Van: $101
- Departure Transfer: Marseille to MRS Airport in Business Car: $109
- Marseille Airport (MRS) Arrival Transfer (Airport to Marseille Hotel or Address): $216
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride€2.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Visit to Madureira Park in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $66
- Two Brothers Trail- one of the best views of Rio (transfer is included): $56
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Rio de Janeiro APT-HTL (SDU): $25
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Rio de Janeiro APT-HTL (GIG): $52
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer Rio de Janeiro HTL-APT (SDU): $25
- Transfers Rio (Copacabana / Buzios / Angra / Paraty and Arraial): $154
- Transfer to GIG or SDU International Airport in Rio de Janeiro: $39
- Transfer service from / to Rio - Barra da Tijuca Airports: $26
- Transfer service from / to International Airport (GIG) - Zona Sul: $21
- Transfer service from / to Buzios / Arraial do Cabo / Cabo Frio: $77
- Transfer in Rio: $35
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro City center - Airport (SDU): $19
Is it cheaper to fly into Marseille or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayMarseille €42Rio de Janeiro €19
Typical Food Prices in Marseille
For Marseille, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Orangina€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marseille
For Marseille, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Web-cooking workshop / French cuisine or French pastry: $35
- No Diet Club - Unique food tour in Marseille! (Cours Julien): $64
- Sunset Boat Cruise with Dinner and Drinks: $73
- Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $74
- Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner and Drinks: $86
- Bakeries, Chocolate & Patisseries Food Tour: $94
- Marseille Sunset Apéro Food tour: $97
- Evening Food Tour with Tastings: $102
- Sunset Sailing Dinner in the Frioul Archipelago: $102
- Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $102
- Marseille Miam Miam Food tour: $104
- Marseille Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $108
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn€0.55
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Corn on the Cob€0.73
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Hamburger€0.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $46
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $73
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $80
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Brazilian Meats and Snacks + South American Wines Guided Dinner: $89
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $106
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $113
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Marseille €38Rio de Janeiro €20
Tours and Activities in Marseille
For Marseille, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Marseille:Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $4.31
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.31
- Marseille Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $4.37
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Marseille Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Self-guided Like a Local Highlights Day Tour: $9.58
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt Game & Sightseeing: $9.94
- Panier District Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Humorous and Informative Tour of the Historic Center of La Ciotat: $11
- Mucem Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket: $12
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ilha Grande Tour Full day - Rio de Janeiro by Rio Eco Trip: $105
- 10-hour Private Tour Rio In One Day: Christ, Sugarloaf, Selarón, Downtown: $260
- 14 - Guided Tour to Quadra Do Salgueiro with Samba Show: $75
- 15 - Guided Tour to Santa Marta Favela: $150
- 16 - Guided Tour to Favela da Rocinha: $75
- 19 - Guided Tour to the Museum of Tomorrow and Olympic Boulevard: $90
- 2 Days in Rio: Tijuca Forest & Two Brothers Hiking Tours: $276
- 2 hours Hang Gliding Paragliding Full Package experience in Rio : $177
- 21 - Guided Tour to the Imperial City of Petrópolis with Lunch: $80
- 25 - Full Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande: $80
- 27 -Guided Tour to Christ the Redeemer and City in Rio de Janeiro: $75
- 3 Hour Boat Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $68
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMarseille €27Rio de Janeiro €11
Sample the Local Flavors in Marseille
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marseille:
- Marseille Bar Crawl Party with Free Shots and VIP Entry: $22
- Marseille Riviera Bar Crawl Party with Free Shots and VIP Entry: $27
- Marseille Pub Crawl : Meet, Drink & Party: $43
- New Year's Eve Bar Crawl Marseille France: $65
- Short Day Tour around Aix en Provence and Wine Tasting : $119
- Bandol and Cassis: Full Day Wine Tour from Marseille: $144
- Luberon: Full-Day Wine Tour from Marseille: $144
- Full-day Wine Tour around Bandol & Cassis from Marseille: $146
- Full-Day Wine Tour around Luberon from Marseille: $146
- Marseille Shore Excursion - Full Day Wine Tour in Provence: $164
- Small Group Marseille Shore Excursion : Avignon & Chateauneuf du Pape Wine Tour: $164
- Côtes du Rhône Wine tour: Avignon, Palace of the Popes: $165
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $33
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $34
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
- Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery: $60
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $65
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $132
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Marseille and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Marseille is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Marseille is in Europe and Rio de Janeiro is in South 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 Rio de Janeiro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Marseille Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Marseille or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Marseille. When comparing the sizes of Marseille and Rio de Janeiro, 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.
When is the best time to visit Marseille or Rio de Janeiro?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Rio de Janeiro is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Marseille has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Marseille or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Marseille during the summer are popular places to visit. The beaches and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Marseille this time of year.
Marseille is around the same temperature as Rio de Janeiro in the summer. The daily temperature in Marseille averages around 24°C (75°F) in July, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.
Rio de Janeiro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Marseille usually gets less rain in July than Rio de Janeiroin January. Marseille gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryMarseille 24°C (75°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Marseille or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Marseille and Rio de Janeiro. Many travelers come to Marseille for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Marseille is much colder than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Marseille in October average around 16°C (61°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 25°C (77°F)in April.
Rio de Janeiro receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Marseille usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin April. Marseille gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilMarseille 16°C (61°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Marseille or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Marseille as well as Rio de Janeiro. Many visitors come to Marseille in the winter for the shopping scene and the cuisine.
In January, Marseille is generally much colder than Rio de Janeiroin July. Daily temperatures in Marseille average around 7°C (44°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
Marseille usually gets less rain in January than Rio de Janeiroin July. Marseille gets 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyMarseille 7°C (44°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Marseille or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Marseille are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Marseille for the beaches and the natural beauty during these months.
Marseille is much colder than Rio de Janeiro in the spring. The daily temperature in Marseille averages around 13°C (56°F) in April, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.
In April, Marseille usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin October. Marseille gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberMarseille 13°C (56°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Marseille
| Marseille | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 7°C (44°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 8°C (46°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 10°C (50°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (56°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (75°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 20°C (69°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 11°C (51°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 7°C (45°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
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.