Should you visit Mykonos or Marbella?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Mykonos and Marbella. 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. So, let's dig into it.
Mykonos
Mykonos, a Greek Island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, is part of the Cyclades group. Mykonos is one of the most touristy islands in the Aegean Sea and is famous for its whitewashed buildings that climb up the hill along with historic windmills, stunning hillside views, and fantastic seafood restaurants. Because of its popularity, Mykonos comes with a hefty tourist markup. Many passengers arrive here as part of a cruise, so during the day its small streets can become crowded with tourists and its harbor fills with large ships. August and July are the most popular times to visit, so if you're hoping to avoid to crowds it's best to come a few months earlier.
Marbella
Marbella is a city in southern Spain in the province of Malaga. It is part of the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) and is located on the Mediterranean Sea between Malaga and the Strait of Gibraltar. It is one of the most important tourist cities in the area and receives many national and international tourists year round due to its climate and tourism structures. Marbella is a bit of a glamorous city due to its beauty and resort-type environment. The old town with its narrow cobbled streets and flower-filled plazas is packed with shops and art galleries selling boutique clothes and accessories, and handmade wares. The city has significant archaeological and historical heritage and many events and performances throughout the year.
Which city is cheaper, Marbella or Mykonos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Mykonos is €119, while the average daily cost in Marbella is €93. 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 Mykonos and Marbella in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €118 for a double occupancy room in Mykonos.
The prices for places to stay in Marbella can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €49, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €98.
Food
In Mykonos travelers spend around €38 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.
While meal prices in Marbella can vary, the average travelers spends about €31 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Marbella should cost around €12 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Marbella is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Mykonos €38
Marbella €31
Typical Food prices in Mykonos
Some typical examples of dining costs in Mykonos are as follows:
-
Two Ice cream Cones
€4.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mykonos
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Mykonos.
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Traditional Lunch or Dinner at the Mykonian Spiti:
$73
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Cooking Class in Mykonos, Greece:
$145
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marbella
For Marbella, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Cooking courses at home & online:
$75
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Tapas & Paella Cooking Course:
$80
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Mykonos is €19 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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Marbella than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €19 on transportation in Marbella on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Mykonos
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Mykonos:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mykonos
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Mykonos:
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Vryssi area up to 6 customers:
$98
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Tourlos area up to 6 customers:
$98
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Tagoo area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Super Paradise area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Platis Yalos area up to 6 customers:
$98
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Paraga area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Paradise area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Kalo Livadi area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Kalafatis area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Glastros area up to 6 customers:
$98
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Ftelia area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Elia area up to 6 customers:
$121
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marbella
Also for Marbella, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Marbella to Malaga Airport (AGP) - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$45
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Marbella to Malaga Airport (AGP) - Departure Private Car Transfer:
$61
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Departure Private Transfer Business Car Marbella to Malaga airport AGP:
$62
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Departure Private Transfer Luxury Van Marbella to Malaga airport AGP:
$92
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TRANSFER MALAGA AIRPORT from/to PUERTO BANUS-PRICE ALL INCUSIVE:
$106
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TRANSFER MALAGA AIRPORT from/to MARBELLA-PRICE ALL INCLUSIVE:
$106
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Private Transfer from Las Chapas to Malaga (AGP) Airport:
$111
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Private Transfer from Elviria to Malaga (AGP) Airport:
$111
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Private Transfer from Hotel Marbella Beach Resort to Malaga (AGP) Airport:
$111
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Private Transfer from Marbesa to Malaga (AGP) Airport:
$111
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Private Transfer from Lomas De Cabopino to Malaga (AGP) Airport:
$111
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Private Transfer from Los Monteros to Malaga (AGP) Airport:
$122
Is it cheaper to fly into Mykonos or Marbella?
Prices for flights to both Marbella and Mykonos 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.
Entertainment
Mykonos'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.
Sightseeing expenses in Marbella, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €15 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Mykonos
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Mykonos are as follows:
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3-Hour Sunset Cruise to Delos Island from Mykonos:
$81
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Ancient Delos & Mykonos South Beaches Cruise:
$92
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Best of Mykonos island, 4 hours private tour:
$281
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Delos Tour 3 to 5 customers:
$505
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Delos Tour 6 to 10 customers:
$329
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Delos and Rhenia Island Cruise from Mykonos:
$103
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Delos and Rhenia Islands Boat Tour from Mykonos:
$115
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From 7-Day Sailing Adventure to Santorini:
$1,312
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From Ancient Delos Tour:
$44
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From Full-Day Ancient Delos & Rhenia Island Cruise:
$97
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Highlights of Mykonos Half-Day Tour:
$83
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Mykonos Beach Hopping Tour:
$79
Tours and Activities in Marbella
For Marbella, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Secrets of Marbella walking tour (Group):
$19
-
Marbella small group walking Tour:
$24
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Marbella group walking tour:
$32
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Bike City Tour Marbella:
$32
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Marbella Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$41
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Paddle Boarding Tour on the beautiful Marbella Coast:
$49
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Sunset SUP Tour in Marbella:
$61
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Can-am Route Experience:
$77
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Original Marbella Tapas Adventure:
$86
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Marbella Gourmet Tapas Tour - Do Eat Better Experience:
$88
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Stand-up Paddle Sunset Tour in Marbella:
$91
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E-Mountain Bike Explorer Tour departing from Marbella:
$93
Alcohol
The average person spends about €16 on alcoholic beverages in Mykonos per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Marbella spend on average €4.57 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Marbella
Also in Marbella, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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E-Mountain Bike & Wine Tour from Marbella to Sierra Blanca:
$123
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Manilva & Gaucin Wine Tour from the Costa del Sol:
$160
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Ronda Full Day Wine Tour from Marbella:
$210
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VIP Wine Tour through the Guadalhorce Valley & Wolf Sanctuary Visit:
$360
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Ronda Private Wine Tour and Tapas from Marbella:
$406
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VIP Ronda Wine Tour and Tasting and Gourmet Lunch Experience with Winemaker:
$778
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mykonos and Marbella, we can see that Mykonos is more expensive. And not only is Marbella much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Marbella would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Marbella 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 Mykonos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mykonos than you might in Marbella.
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