Should you visit Nice or Marseille?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Nice and Marseille can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Nice
Nice, in the French Riviera, is one of the most popular destinations in France. It's located on the southeast coast along the Mediterranean Sea and is the second largest French city on the Mediterranean. It is an energetic city that attracts all types of vacationers from every age group and demographic. It's the 5th largest city in the country and is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes departement. The metropolitan area has a population of about 1 million.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Marseille or Nice?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Nice is €105, while the average daily cost in Marseille is €117. 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 Nice and Marseille in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Nice is €94. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
The prices for places to stay in Marseille can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €56, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €112.
Food
The price of a meal in Nice can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €39 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €16 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
The average traveler spends about €34 per day in Marseille for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Nice €39
Marseille €34
Typical Food prices in Nice
Some typical examples of dining costs in Nice are as follows:
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Slushee
€2.50
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Strawberries
€4.00
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Loaf of Bread
€3.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nice
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nice.
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Mamaz Social Food Lamb Dinner:
$38
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French dinner with a Mediterranean touch in the heart of Nice:
$44
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Mediterranean Cooking Class & Dinner with View of Nice:
$49
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Nice Food Tour:
$50
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Garden-Fresh Dinner with a View of Nice:
$54
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Provencal cuisine cooking class and meal in Nice:
$77
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Mediterranean fish dinner in Nice:
$79
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Nice Small-Group Walking Food Tour with Local Specialties & Wine Tasting:
$87
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Food Tour Specialities Half-day from Nice Small-Group:
$95
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Nice Small Group Half-Day Walking Food Tour with Lunch:
$100
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Small-group French Cooking Experience in Saint-Jeannet:
$114
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Nice Afternoon Walking Food Tour with Dinner:
$118
Typical Food prices in Marseille
For Marseille, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Marseille
For Marseille, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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3-Hour Shore Excursion Walking Food Tour:
$85
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Cool Food Tour and Street art Marseille:
$106
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Great Marseille Food Tour Experience:
$107
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Walking Food Tour with Tastings:
$108
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Food Tour Excursion in Provence !:
$771
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Nice is €20 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.
Marseille's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend €23 per person, per day on transportation in Marseille.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nice
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nice:
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Your VIP transfer from Chambery Airport to Avoriaz (Mercedes V-class):
$746
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Ultra - Private Airport Transfer from Nice Airport NCE to Cannes City Centre:
$9.46
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Ultra - Nice Private Airport Transfer from Nice Cruise Port to Nice Airport NCE:
$9.46
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Ultra - Nice Private Airport Transfer from Nice Airport NCE to Cruise Port:
$9.46
-
Ultra - Nice Private Airport Transfer from Nice Airport NCE to City Centre:
$9.46
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Ultra - Nice Private Airport Transfer from City Centre to Nice Airport NCE:
$9.46
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Transfer: Nice Airport to Monaco:
$168
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Transfer from the airport to Nice city center or from Nice to the airport:
$50
-
Transfer from Nice Airport to Villefranche Port:
$50
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Transfer from Nice Airport to Nice:
$61
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Transfer from Les Baux de Provence to Nice Airport:
$889
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Transfer Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport to Monaco:
$160
Typical Local Transportation prices in Marseille
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Marseille:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Marseille
Also for Marseille, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Ultra - Marseille Private Transfer from City Centre to Marseille Cruise Port:
$9.41
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Ultra - Marseille Private Transfer from Marseille Cruise Port to City Centre:
$9.41
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Ultra - Marseille Private Airport Transfer from Cruise Port to Marseille Airport:
$9.41
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Ultra - Marseille Private Airport Transfer from City Centre to Marseille Airport:
$9.41
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Private Arrival Transfer from Marseille Cruise Port to Marseille City Center:
$29
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Private Departure Transfer from Marseille City Center to Marseille Cruise Port:
$29
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Private Business Car Arrival Transfer: Marseille Cruise Port to Marseille city:
$41
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Private Business Car Departure Transfer: Marseille city Marseille Cruise Port:
$41
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Private Airport Transfer: from Marseille to Marseille Airport (MRS):
$50
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Private Transfer from Marseille Cruise Port Terminal to Marseille Airport (MRS):
$51
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Private Business Van Departure Transfer: Marseille city to Marseille Cruise Port:
$55
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Private Business Car Transfer: Marseille city or Port to Marseille Airport MRS:
$60
Is it cheaper to fly into Nice or Marseille?
Prices for flights to both Marseille and Nice 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
Nice's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €9.45 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, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Marseille can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €30 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Nice
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nice are as follows:
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1-Hour Nice City Private Tour by Vintage Car:
$248
-
100% Nice - Private Premium Tour:
$834
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2-Hour Private Walking Tour of Nice:
$210
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3-Hour Private Bike Tour of Nice:
$56
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4-Hour Cannes Private Tour by Classic Car from Nice:
$584
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4-Hour Nice City Tour:
$373
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4-Hour Nice City Tour:
$373
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4-Hour Nice City Tour:
$373
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5-Hour Evening Tour to Monaco & Monte-Carlo:
$467
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5-Hour Evening Tour to Monaco & Monte-Carlo:
$467
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5-Hrs Private Monte-Carlo Night Tour:
$467
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6-Hour Private French Riviera Tour for Families from Nice:
$647
Tours and Activities in Marseille
For Marseille, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Marseille Walking Tour - The Other Side:
$1.24
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Marseille Walking Tour - La Panier:
$1.24
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Mucem Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket:
$12
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Le Panier - Walking Tour of Marseille's Historic Neighborhood:
$15
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City Segway Tour - Explore the Panier neighborhood in an unexpected way:
$25
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Marseille Segway Tour - Explore the Panier neighborhood in an unexpected way:
$25
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Panier Neighborhood 1-Hour Segway Tour:
$34
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City Segway Tour - Discover the beauty of the Pharo Palace and its neighborhood:
$37
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Marseille Segway Tour - Discover the beauty of the Pharo Palace and its neighborhood:
$37
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Marseille Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$39
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Marseille Smalll Group Electric Bike Tour:
$41
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Calanques Picnic Cruise:
$44
Alcohol
The average person spends about €13 on alcoholic beverages in Nice per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Marseille spend on average €22 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Nice
Also in Nice, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Nice Bar Crawl and Clubbing:
$25
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Cheese and Wine Tasting in an awesome apartment in the heart of Nice:
$62
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Half-Day Saint Paul de Vence and Wine Tasting Tour from Nice:
$74
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Half-Day Wine Tasting and Saint Paul de Vence Tour from Nice:
$81
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Nice Local Vineyards Small Group Half Day E-Bike Tour with Wine Tasting:
$100
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Full Day Tour of French Riviera Perched Villages and Wine Tasting from St Jeannet:
$118
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Nice Evening Food & Wine Tasting Tour with a Local:
$124
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Grasse, Gourdon, Valbonne and Wine Tasting Full-day from Nice Small-Group Tour:
$136
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Côtes de Provence Wine Tour from Nice:
$141
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Wine tour of Provence vineyards in the hills of Nice:
$153
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Full-day Wine Tour in Bellet & Saint-Paul de Vence from Nice:
$156
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Calanques of Cassis, Aix-en-Provence & Wine tasting Shared Tour from Nice:
$180
Sample the Local Flavors in Marseille
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Marseille:
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Aix en Provence Full-Day Wine Tour from Marseille:
$137
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Full-Day Wine Tour around Luberon from Marseille:
$137
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Full-day Wine Tour around Bandol & Cassis from Marseille:
$137
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Marseille Shore Excursion - Full Day Wine Tour in Provence:
$137
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Marseille Shore Excursion - Private Full Day Wine Tour in Provence:
$348
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Provence wine tour of vineyards & the best foods & wine of Provence private tour:
$404
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Provence Private Wine Tasting Tour from Marseille:
$435
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Wine tour of Châteauneuf du Pape, gastronomy, wines & joie de vivre private tour:
$435
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Aix en Povence Private Half Day Tour including Wine Tasting from Marseille:
$523
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Coteaux d'Aix: Ste Victoire Wine Tour & Cezanne Mill Visit:
$567
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Bandol Wine Tour - 4 hour Private tour:
$650
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Coteaux D'Aix : Half Day Wine Tour:
$650
When comparing the travel costs between Nice and Marseille, we can see that Marseille 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 Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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