Should you visit Monaco or Arles?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Monaco and Arles can help you decide which place is right for you.
Monaco
Monaco is a small city-state that is completely surrounded by France. The Italian Riviera is only a few kilometers to the east and the country enjoys a wonderful, Mediterranean climate. Monaco is also the second smallest independent state in the world, with the Vatican being the smallest. It is six times as large of the Vatican and also the world's most densely populated independent country. It is entirely urban and a fun place to spend a few days.
Arles
Arles is a city (and commune) in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhone department. A large part of the Camargue is located on the territory of the commune, making it the largest commune in Metropolitan France in terms of territory. The city has a long history, and was considerably important in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. The Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981. The Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles from 1888 to 1889 and produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his time there. The Arles area is full of culture and rich in history. It has many treasures, points of interest, and colorful sunbaked houses and is a great introduction into the Camarguais culture.
Which city is cheaper, Arles or Monaco?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Monaco is €148, while the average daily cost in Arles is €113. 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. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Monaco and Arles in more detail.
Accommodation
Monaco's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is €188. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is €94.
Arles's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is €114. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is €57.
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Monaco is €14 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around €18 per day to get around in Arles.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Monaco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Monaco:
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Between Monaco and Nice: Single Helicopter Transfer:
$199
-
Departure Private Transfers from Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE:
$98
-
Departure Private Transfers from Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Van:
$118
-
Monaco Private Transfer from Monaco-Ville to Nice Airport:
$174
-
Monaco Transfer: Monaco Cruise Port to Nice Airport:
$80
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Business Car:
$108
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Car:
$157
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Van:
$124
-
Private Departure Transfer from Monaco Hotels to Nice Airport:
$65
-
Private transfer: Monaco Airport (MCM) to Monaco:
$622
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arles
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arles:
-
Airport transfer from Arles to Marseille Airport:
$415
-
Transfer les baux de Provence to Marseille Airport:
$332
Is it cheaper to fly into Monaco or Arles?
Prices for flights to both Arles and Monaco 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
On average, meal and food prices in Monaco cost around €43 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €17.
In Arles travelers spend around €41 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Monaco €43
Arles €41
Typical Food prices in Arles
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arles:
-
Cooked Clams
€4.50
-
Ice Cream
€1.00
Entertainment
Monaco's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €18 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around €24 per person, per day in Arles. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Typical Entertainment prices in Monaco
Here are a few typical costs in Monaco for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Monaco
Here are a few actual costs in Monaco for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Oceanographic Museum of Monaco Ticket:
$20
-
Monaco Hop on Hop Off Sightseeing Bus Tour:
$29
-
Nice: Guided Monte-Carlo Tour:
$45
-
From Nice: Eze, Monaco & Monte Carlo Half-Day Tour:
$51
-
Monte-Carlo and Monaco sightseeing walking tour with an expert guide:
$56
-
Full-Day Small Group Tour to Monaco and Eze:
$90
-
From Cannes: Monaco Small Group Night Tour:
$96
-
From Nice: Full-Day Monaco, Monte-Carlo & Eze Tour:
$104
-
Group tour of French Riviera from the port of Monaco/Monte-Carlo:
$112
-
Helicopter Sightseeing Flight:
$164
-
Monaco 30/60-Minute Ferrari Driving Experience:
$172
-
Lamborghini Sports Car Experience from Monaco:
$211
Typical Entertainment prices in Arles
Here are a few typical costs in Arles for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Castle Entrance Fee
€5.50
Tours and Activities in Arles
Here are a few actual costs in Arles for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Family Tour in the Footsteps of Van Gogh (Self-drive, plan 1 full day):
$35
-
Arles 2-Hour Private Walking Tour:
$136
-
Classic old town Arles from Romans to Vincent Van Gogh - half day private tour:
$168
-
Arles private walking tour: Van Gogh and Roman routes:
$249
-
2-Hour Private Walking Tour:
$285
-
Marseille Shore Excursion: Private Arles and Les Baux de Provence Tour:
$454
-
Private Tour of Avignon, Orange and Chateauneuf du Pape from Arles:
$460
-
Private Tour of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille from Arles:
$469
-
Half day Private Tour of Nimes:
$498
-
Marseille Half day City tour:
$670
-
Arles Shore Excursion: Full Day Private Tour of Aix en Provence, Cap Canaille and Cassis:
$750
-
Follow the Steps of Van Gogh: Full Day Tour from Marseille:
$794
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Monaco may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €21 per day on alcoholic beverages.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Arles may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €19 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Monaco
Also in Monaco, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Authentic Wine Tasting Experience:
$48
-
Monaco Shore Excursion: Private Tour of Nice and Eze with Wine Tasting:
$657
-
Private St-Jeannet, St-Paul-de-Vence, and Wine Tour from Monaco:
$843
Sample the Local Flavors in Arles
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Arles:
-
Full private day Avignon Chateuneuf du pape wine tasting:
$829
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Monaco and Arles, we can see that Monaco is more expensive. And not only is Arles much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Arles would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arles 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 Monaco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Monaco than you might in Arles.
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