Should you visit Paris or Marseille?
Should I visit Paris or Marseille? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Paris
Paris is a dream destination for many people. It's location on the river Seine contributes to its stunning beauty and you can spend many days wandering through its wonderfully diverse neighborhoods. It's known as a city of culture, fashion, food and fun. There is never a shortage of entertainment and activities around town and a highlight of many people's trips to Paris is to explore the city at night, when it truly comes to life. It is not hard to see why this city has received the nickname as the "City of Lights."
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 Paris?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Paris is €184, 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 Paris and Marseille in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €242 in Paris For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
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
Food in Paris costs travelers about €31 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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
Paris €31
Marseille €34
Typical Food prices in Paris
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Paris:
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Ice Cream
€8.00
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Breakfast
€7.00
-
Breakfast for 2
€30
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Dinner on River Cruise
€86
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Dinner
€57
-
Cheese
€13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paris
For Paris, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Authentic Dinner at Parisian's Home:
$41
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Paris en Scene Boat 3-Course Dinner Cruise:
$49
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3-course Dinner Cruise with Panorama on Seine River:
$49
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Italian Dinner Cruise on the River Seine:
$57
-
Paris River Seine Lunch or Dinner Cruise:
$60
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Special Dinner in French Cuisine near Notre Dame:
$61
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Italian dinner on the river Seine:
$61
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Seine River Cruise with French Dinner on Champs-Elysees Avenue:
$61
-
Paris Food Tour: Bustronome Gourmet Tour of Paris:
$61
-
Choux cooking class for kids in Paris:
$62
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Romantic Cruise with 3-course Dinner on Seine River:
$63
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Capitaine Fracasse Boat 3-Course Dinner Cruise:
$67
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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2.5-Hour Food Tour:
$61
-
From Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$61
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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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Food Tour Excursion in Provence !:
$771
Local Transportation
To get around in Paris, the average visitor spends €17 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Paris
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Paris are as follows:
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Metro
€6.40
-
Train from Airport
€9.00
-
Metro tickets
€6.80
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Train
€20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paris
Also for Paris, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Your private transfer from Disneyland to Paris:
$53
-
Versailles Round-Trip Transfers: Multiple Departures:
$42
-
Versailles Guided Tour Including Priority Access & Hotel Transfer from Paris:
$159
-
VIP Airport Transfer between Orly Airport & Paris Hotel:
$94
-
Ultra - Private Transfer from Paris to Giverny to visit Claude Monet's Garden:
$9.57
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Ultra - Paris Airport Transfer from City Centre to Charles de Gaulle Airport CDG:
$94
-
Transfert from Paris To Airport Roissy Charles De Gaulle:
$120
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Paris City to Paris Orly Airport:
$44
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Paris City to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport:
$46
-
Transfer from Paris to Geneva or from Geneva to Paris:
$1,431
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Transfer from Paris to Beauvais Airport:
$112
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Transfer from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris - ROUND TRIP:
$189
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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Airport transfer Marseille Airport to Barcelone:
$1,991
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Transfer from Marseille Cruise Terminal to Avignon:
$730
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Transfer from the Port of Marseille to Cassis:
$730
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Marseille Airport transfer to Nice:
$730
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Transfer from marseille Cruise Terminal to Aix en Provence:
$650
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Transfer from marseille Cruise Terminal to Arles:
$650
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Marseille Airport Transfer to Nimes:
$498
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transfer Marseille Airport to Nimes:
$479
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Marseille Airport Transfer to Orange:
$379
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Transfer Marseille Center to Avignon Center:
$333
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Marseille Airport Transfer to les baux de Provence:
$332
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Transfer from Les Baux de Provence or St Remy de Provence to Airport of Marseille:
$311
Is it cheaper to fly into Paris or Marseille?
Prices for flights to both Marseille and Paris 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
In Paris, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €62 per person, per day.
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.
Typical Entertainment prices in Paris
For Paris, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Louvre Entry for Two
€18
-
Admission to Pantheon
€5.00
-
Catacombs (2)
€23
Tours and Activities in Paris
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Paris.
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1 Day Private Walking Tour Of Montmartre, Latin Quarter, Champs Élysées:
$180
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1 Day in Eiffel Tower, Cruise, City Tour, and Louvre:
$139
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1 Hour Real time Virtual Tour in Paris:
$150
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1 hour Sainte Chapelle- skip the line access - English or Español:
$51
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1.5-Hour Paris Segway Night Tour:
$105
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14-day Taste of Europe Tour: France, Italy, Monaco,Switzerland,Germany and more.:
$1,565
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15+ Top Sights Paris Tour with Fun Guide:
$52
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180° Paris by Night Tour: Exclusively for You & Your Group:
$54
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1:30 hours tour of Louvre museum:
$261
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1st Day in Paris Discovery Private Tour: 'How-to' Orientation & Sightseeing Fun!:
$63
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2 Hours Paris city center walking tour:
$16
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2 Hours Photoshoot tours at the Eiffel tower, Trocadero, Champs de Mars and more:
$423
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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4 Hour Tour Aix-en-Provence Highlights:
$584
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5-Hour Private Sightseeing Tour of the Provence from Marseille in Luxury Car:
$724
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Aix en Provence & Cassis Private Day Tour Marseille Shore excursion:
$771
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Aix en Provence & Cassis Tour:
$1,039
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Aix en Provence & Marseille Tour:
$1,039
-
Aix en Provence Half–Day Town and Winery Tour from Marseille:
$521
-
Aix en Provence Tour from Marseille:
$81
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Aix en Provence and Cassis Small Group Tour from Marseille:
$107
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Aix en Provence and Cassis full day private tour:
$1,867
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Aix en Provence, Marseille and Cassis Tour:
$1,014
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Aix–en–Provence: Full–Day Winery Tour from Marseille:
$134
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Aix-en-Provence 4-Hour Sightseeing Tour from Marseille:
$87
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Paris, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €19.
Typically, people visiting Marseille spend on average €22 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Paris
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Paris are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Paris
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Paris:
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Paris Pub Crawl with Free Club Entry and Free Shots:
$18
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New Pub Crawl:
$19
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Wine Tasting with Professional Sommelier:
$29
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Introductory French Cheese and Wine Tasting:
$29
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Wine Tasting at the Cellars of Bercy Village:
$36
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Pub Crawl in Latin Quarter:
$37
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French Wine Experience with Wine Tasting:
$37
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Guided Visit and Wine Tasting in a Royal Wine Cellar in Paris:
$40
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Guided tour and wine tasting in a historic cellar in the center of Paris:
$41
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Cheese and Wine Tasting in the Latin Quarter with Chef Alex:
$47
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Organic wine tasting in Paris:
$56
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Wine Shopping & Wine Tasting Class in the 5th:
$61
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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From Bandol and Cassis Wine Tasting Tour:
$161
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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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Bandol Wine Tour - 4 hour Private tour:
$650
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Coteaux D'Aix : Half Day Wine Tour:
$650
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paris and Marseille, we can see that Paris is more expensive. And not only is Marseille much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Marseille would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Marseille 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 Paris would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Paris than you might in Marseille.
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