Which place is cheaper, Marrakech or Mombasa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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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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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesMarrakech Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Marrakech $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Marrakech is $102. 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 $26Marrakech $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Marrakech $116
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 $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA): $58
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $58
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $58
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $43
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City Hotels to Mombasa Cruise Port: $58
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $22
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $43
- Private Departure Transfer in Mombasa: $80
- Private Arrival Transfer in Mombasa: $60
- Mombasa Kenya Minivan Airport Transfer: $100
- Mombasa Airport Transfers to Mtwapa: $130
- Mombasa Airport Transfers: $129
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marrakech
Also for Marrakech, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- transfer: $94
- airport transfers: $24
- VIP Transfer Luxury Mercedes limo from Marrakech Airport Hotels: $58
- VIP Moroccan Hammam & Relaxing Massage with Transfer - Marrakech: $116
- Transfert de Marrakech vers Aeroport Mohamed 5 Casablanca: $130
- Transfers from or to Marrakech Airport and Marrakech: $9.47
- Transfers between Menara Airport and Marrakesh: $8.29
- Transfers Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira to Marrakech: $72
- Transfer from Marrakech to Imlil: Airport Transfer to Imlil - Taxi to Imlil: $71
- Transfer from Marrakech to Casablanca airport: $30
- Transfer from Marrakech to Casa-Airport or Casa-Airport to Marrakech: $164
- Transfer from Marrakech city or Marrakech airport to Casablanca city: $176
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 $41Marrakech $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Special African Dinner: $46
- Mombasa Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Swahili Street Food Tour: $55
- Swahili Cooking Class Experience with a Local Chef: $65
- Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $137
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$0.33
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Breakfast$1.31
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Dates$0.65
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Olives$0.98
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Sandwich$1.41
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Souvenir Spices$6.75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Marrrakech desert tour dinner show & camel ride with sunset: $6.00
- Morocco's Top Cooking Classes For Authentic berber Cuisine in the Atlas Mountain: $13
- Desert Agafay Marrakech Sunset Camel Ride, Dinner Sw Hotel Pickup: $14
- Agafay desert quad &camel ride with dinner show: $14
- Agafay Sunset Camel Ride & Dinner Under the Stars from Marrakech: $14
- Agafay Desert Sunset Camel Ride with Dinner Show: $15
- Cooking Class in the hearth of the Atlas Mountain from Marrakech With locals: $15
- Agafay Desert Quad & Camel Rides with Dinner Show: $17
- Agafay Golden Hour Escape – Camel Ride & Dinner from Marrakech: $18
- Magical Dinner in Agafay Desert with a Sunset Camel Ride: $18
- Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride, and Dinner Show: $18
- Agafay Sahara Sunset and Camel Ride with Dinner Show: $18
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Marrakech $11
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day Group tour to Tsavo East National Park with Buffet Lunch: $160
- 1 Day Wasini Dolphin Tour From Diani Beach: $110
- 4 Hours Guided Mombasa City Tour: $45
- Day Tour To Shimba Hill Reserve From Mombasa: $270
- Day tour to Shimba hills National Reserve from Mombasa/Diani: $336
- Diani: Full-day Guided Mombasa City Tour from Diani: $110
- Elky Shimba Hills and Sheldrick Waterfall Day Tour: $180
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $40
- Fort Jesus and Mombasa Old Town City Tour: $80
- Full Day Group Joining Tour In Mombasa From Kilindin Harbour Port: $144
- Full Day Group Joining Tour of Mombasa: $107
- Full Day Mombasa Excursion Tour: $162
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$2.18
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Golf at Atlas Golf$62
Tours and Activities in Marrakech
For Marrakech, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Mogador Camel Expedition Ecotour | Private & Luxury: $195
- 1-day private tour from Marrakech to Kasbah Ait Benhaddou & Telouet: $142
- 1-night Atlas Mountain Experience from Marrakech with Hike and Camel Ride: $130
- 1000 & 1 Night at the Agafay Desert - White Camel Camp Experience: $275
- 2 Day Check-out Tour from Marrakech to Zagora: $80
- 2 Day Desert Tour From Marrakech To Zagora Marrakech Desert Tours: $150
- 2 Day Mt. Toubkal Trekking Tour from Marrakech: $224
- 2 Day Private Tour to Ouarzazate: $189
- 2 Day Zagora Adventure from Marrakech Quad Biking and Camel Ride: $282
- 2 Day Zagora Tour from Marrakech Including the Atlas Mountains, Camel Trek and Desert Camp: $272
- 2 Day in Atlas Mountains Tour from Marrakech: $150
- 2 Days / 1 Night Zagora Desert Tour , Group & private: $114
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.83Marrakech $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Marrakech
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marrakech:
- Marrakech Nightlife Adventure: The Ultimate Pub Crawl: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Marrakech, we can see that Marrakech is more expensive. And not only is Mombasa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mombasa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mombasa 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 Mombasa.
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.