Which place is cheaper, Marrakech or Mombasa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mombasa or Marrakech?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Mombasa and Marrakech. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Mombasa or Marrakech?
Mombasa
Mombasa is a beautiful, large city on the eastern coast of Kenya, bordering the Indian Ocean. The city is famous for its stunning beaches, friendly locals, and diverse marine life. Mombasa experiences a tropical climate year round, meaning temperatures rarely drop below 70° Fahrenheit. The rainiest months of the year are April and May and the driest months are January and February. Temperatures tend to be more mild from May through October, usually in the 70's and 80's. Temperatures get much warmer from November through April, with daily averages reaching the high 90's.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, 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 dayMombasa $65Marrakech $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $65, 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 Mombasa and Marrakech in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $27Marrakech $46
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $54Marrakech $92
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Marrakech
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa 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: Mombasa Hotel Prices and Marrakech Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Marrakech $6.30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Mombasa SGR Train Station to Nyali/Bamburi: $37
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $33
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $33
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $73
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $20
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $73
- Private Transfer from Diani Beach Hotels to Moi Airport: $70
- Private One-Way Mombasa Airport Transfer: $50
- Private Luxury Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport: $33
- Private Departure Transfer in Mombasa: $80
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $22
- Mombasa Train Station Private Transfer to Kikambala/Vipingo: $59
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
- transfer from Marrakech to Fez Airport or city: $231
- Transfert privé vers ou depuis RAK aéroport: $13
- Transfert de l'aéroport de Marrakech à la ville: $22
- Transfert Privée Aéroport Marrakech vers Essaouira : $98
- Transfert Departure Marrakech City to Casablanca Airport: $265
- Transfert Aeroport Marrakech Votre Porte a marrakech: $13
- Transfer from Marrakech to Casablanca airport: $27
- 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
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Marrakech?
Prices for flights to both Marrakech and Mombasa 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 dayMombasa $24Marrakech $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Swahili Street Food Tour: $45
- Special African Dinner: $46
- Fort Jesus Mombasa Light and music Night Shows With Dinner.: $46
- Dhow Cruise Tour And Dinner Or Lunch Tours.: $51
- Experience Swahili Cuisine Cooking Class With a Local Host.: $80
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:
- Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride and Dinner from Marrakech: $15
- Online Moroccan Cooking Class: $17
- Cooking Lesson at the Ouirgane Ecolodge with Lunch: $19
- Restaurant Dinner Experience with Hotel Pickup: $21
- Sunset in Agafay: Dinner, Camel, Quad-Book Adventure with Viator: $22
- Typical Moroccan Dinner at the inhabitant in Marrakech: $22
- Marrakesh: Agafay Desert Sunset Dinner with a Show and Transfers : $22
- Dinner Show in Agafay Desert with Quad Bike & Camels: $22
- Dinner Show Under stars in Agafay Desert with Sunset Camel Ride: $22
- Dinner in Desert Marrakech and Camel ride at Sunset: $23
- Magical Dinner & Agafay Desert ,Under The Stars: $24
- Moroccan Cooking Class with a Local Chef: $24
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Marrakech $7.01
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day Private Mombasa Tour: $170
- Mombasa Getaway with Haller Park Tours: $130
- Private Tour of Tsavo East National Park from Mombasa: $270
- The Best Of Mombasa Walking Tour: $208
- 1 Day Malindi day Tour (minimum 2 Pax): $194
- Aquatic experiences at the coastal of Mombasa-Nyali.: $90
- Day Tour To Mombasa: $145
- Day Tour to Tsavo East National Park from Mombasa: $268
- Day tour to Tsavo east national park from Mombasa: $279
- Dolphin tour and snorkeling in kisite marine park / wasini island: $70
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $30
- Full Day Mombasa Excursion Tour : $133
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 Sahara Desert Tour From Marrakech ending in Fez city: $251
- 3 Days Tour - Marrakech To Fez via Sahara Desert Erg chebbi: $207
- Agafay Desert: Three Valley Guided Tour From Marrakech : $21
- Atlas Mountains Horseback Ride Day Tour From Marrakech : $50
- Atlas Mountains, Berber Villages & Waterfall Tour: $25
- City Tour Marrakech with guide 1/2 day: $21
- Desert Agafay & Berber Villages Day Tour From Marrakech including Camel Ride: $49
- Desert tour small group with luxury tent: $98
- Food Tasting Tour in Marrakech medina : $70
- Full Day Desert Agafay & Atlas Mountains Tour With Camel Ride : $48
- Full Day Guided Tour in Ouzoud Waterfalls : $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.99Marrakech $15
When comparing the travel costs between Mombasa and Marrakech, we can see that Marrakech is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Marrakech Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Marrakech?
Marrakech has a larger population, and is about 5% larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa 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.