Should you visit Toulouse or Marseille?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Toulouse and Marseille can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Toulouse
Toulouse is the capital city of the southwest French Department of Haute-Garonne, as well as the Occitanie region. It rests on the banks of the River Garonne. Toulouse is the fourth largest city and metropolitan area in France with nearly 500,000 inhabitants. Toulouse is the headquarters of the European aerospace industry, with the headquarters of Airbus, the Galileo positioning system, the SPOT satellite system, the Aerospace Group, ATR, and the Aerospace Valley. Toulouse is a city with unique architecture made of pink terracotta bricks, which earned it the nickname la Ville Rose ("the Pink City"). Its enchanting Vieux Quartier (Old Quarter) is a dreamy jumble of coral-colored shop fronts and churches. Toulouse knows how to have a good time, whether in food markets or the thick of its smoldering jazz, techno and rock scenes. From the tips of dusky pink spires to its loudest bars, time spent in Toulouse truly has a rose colored glow.
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 Toulouse?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Toulouse is €100, 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 Toulouse and Marseille in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around €108 for a double occupancy room in Toulouse If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end 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
Toulouse food costs typically run travelers around €27 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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
Toulouse €27
Marseille €34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Toulouse
For Toulouse, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Marché Victor Hugo Small Group Food Tour:
$98
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
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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
Toulouse'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 €33 per person, per day on transportation in Toulouse.
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 Toulouse
Also for Toulouse, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Toulouse Private Transfer from Toulouse city centre to Toulouse Airport:
$75
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Toulouse Airport private transfer to Toulouse City center:
$44
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Private transfer from or to Toulouse airport or city center, to or from Lourdes:
$535
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Private transfer from or to Toulouse airport or city center, from or to Trèbes.:
$379
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Private Transfer: Toulouse to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) to Toulouse:
$622
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Private Transfer-from/to Toulouse airport or city center, to/from Carcassonne:
$337
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Private Airport Transfer: from Toulouse to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS):
$41
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 Toulouse or Marseille?
Prices for flights to both Marseille and Toulouse 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
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Toulouse can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €12 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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 Toulouse
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Toulouse.
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Albi and Cordes sur Ciel Private Day Tour from Toulouse:
$444
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Albi, Cordes and Gaillac Day Tour from Toulouse:
$746
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Carcassonne Half DayTour from Toulouse:
$454
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Carcassonne Half-Day Private Tour from Toulouse:
$94
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Carcassonne and Albi Private Sightseeing Tour from Toulouse:
$1,131
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Cité de Carcassonne and Canal du Midi Private Half Day Tour from Toulouse:
$323
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Day tour to Foix, Montségur and Mirepoix. Private tour from Toulouse.:
$525
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Free tour de Diana - Toulose:
$3.72
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Full week inclusive tour of Cathar Country in the French Languedoc:
$4,106
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Gaillac Wine Half Day Tour from Toulouse:
$454
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Harry's Basilica and Riverbank Private Walking Tour:
$16
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Harry's Cathedral & OldTown Tour:
$16
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
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Aix en Provence Half–Day Town and Winery Tour from Marseille:
$521
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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 Toulouse, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €6.00.
Typically, people visiting Marseille spend on average €22 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Toulouse
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Toulouse:
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Cité de Carcassonne and Wine Tasting Private Day Tour from Toulouse:
$388
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Day Tour to Albi and wine tasting in the Gaillac area.Private tour from Toulouse:
$416
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 Toulouse and Marseille, we can see that Marseille is more expensive. And not only is Toulouse much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Toulouse would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Toulouse 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 Marseille would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Marseille than you might in Toulouse.
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