Which place is cheaper, Leiden or Akureyri?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Akureyri or Leiden?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Akureyri or Leiden, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Akureyri or Leiden?
Akureyri
Akureyri is the largest town in the northern region of Iceland, and is often considered the unofficial capital of the north. The town is a popular fishing port and is often used as a basecamp for visiting the more rural surrounding area. Akureyri is known for their great art scene, beautiful architecture, and stunning natural scenery.
Leiden
Leiden is a city in the province of South Holland. It is south of the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam, and has a population of about 190,000. It is known for its university, museums, markets, and of course, canals. Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands and is a sister school of Oxford, which is England's oldest university.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Iceland, The Best Northern Lights Tours in Iceland, The Best 10-Day Tours from Amsterdam, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Amsterdam.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAkureyri $138Leiden $143
The average daily cost (per person) in Akureyri is $138, while the average daily cost in Leiden is $143. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Akureyri and Leiden in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAkureyri $89Leiden $83
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAkureyri $178Leiden $166
Compare Hotels in Akureyri and Leiden
Looking for a hotel in Akureyri or Leiden? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Akureyri Hotel Prices and Leiden Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Akureyri $20Leiden $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Akureyri
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Akureyri:
- From Private Diamond Circle Nature Tour & Transfer: $1,336
- From Godafoss Waterfall Guided Trip with Transfers: $114
- Private Transfer to/from Akureyri Airport: $32
- Akureyri Airport (AEY): Transfer to/from Akureyri City: $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leiden
Also for Leiden, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zero Emission Tesla Taxi Transfer from Leiden Area to the Airport: $93
Is it cheaper to fly into Akureyri or Leiden?
Prices for flights to both Leiden and Akureyri 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
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Food Meals for one dayAkureyri $35Leiden $41
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Akureyri $16Leiden $18
Tours and Activities in Akureyri
Here are a few actual costs in Akureyri for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Akureyri Private Tour with Myvatn Nature Baths by Luxury VAN: $1,957
- 3-Hour Classic Whale Watching Tour: $89
- Goðafoss, Laufas & The Christmas House Tour: $122
- Hunt for the Northern Lights Photography Tour: $124
- Lake Mývatn and Godafoss Waterfall Landscapes Tour: $155
- Mývatn Nature Baths and Goðafoss Waterfall Tour: $210
- Northern Lights Photography Tour: $141
- Northern Lights Tour: $107
- Northern Lights Tour in North Iceland: $120
- Siglufjörður Four Tunnel Private Day Tour: $748
- Waterfall Godafoss Tour: $91
- Zipline Tour: $90
Tours and Activities in Leiden
For Leiden, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Highlights Walking Tour in Leiden with Audio and GPS Guide: $7.57
- Hortus Botanicus Entry Ticket: $9.62
- Guided City Canal Cruise: $13
- The Hidden Stories of Leiden - Self-guided audio tour: $14
- Self-Guided City Trail Kids Tour in Noordwijk (4-8 years): $21
- Windmill cruise through Warmond: $21
- 90 minutes Walking tour and Escape room in Leiden: $21
- Self-guided city trail - JOLA's Schnipseljagd Noordwijk Sea Tour: $26
- Discover Leiden with a self-guided Outside Escape city game tour!: $27
- Self-guided city trail - JOLA's Schnipseljagd Leiden Tour: $32
- Self-guided city trail - JOLA's Schnipseljagd Noordwijk Tour: $32
- Escape Tour - Self-Guided Citygame: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAkureyri $13Leiden $28
Sample the Local Flavors in Akureyri
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Akureyri:
- Local taste, handcraft & micro brewery tour: $143
Sample the Local Flavors in Leiden
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Leiden:
- Leiden Private Self-Guided Pub Crawl Pub Quiz: $21
- Leiden Private Self Guided Pub Crawl: $22
When comparing the travel costs between Akureyri and Leiden, we can see that Leiden 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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Akureyri Expensive? and Is Leiden Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Akureyri or Leiden?
Leiden has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Akureyri. When comparing the sizes of Akureyri and Leiden, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Akureyri or Leiden?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Akureyri or Leiden in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Akureyri as well as Leiden.
In July, Akureyri is generally cooler than Leiden. Daily temperatures in Akureyri average around 11°C (52°F), and Leiden fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Leiden. In the summer, Akureyri often gets less sunshine than Leiden. Akureyri gets 158 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leiden receives 204 hours of full sun.
Akureyri usually gets less rain in July than Leiden. Akureyri gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyAkureyri 11°C (52°F)Leiden 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Akureyri or Leiden in the Autumn?
Both Leiden and Akureyri are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.
The weather in Akureyri can be very cold. Akureyri is much colder than Leiden in the autumn. The daily temperature in Akureyri averages around 3°C (38°F) in October, and Leiden fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Akureyri usually receives less sunshine than Leiden during autumn. Akureyri gets 52 hours of sunny skies, while Leiden receives 99 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Akureyri usually receives less rain than Leiden. Akureyri gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberAkureyri 3°C (38°F)Leiden 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Akureyri or Leiden in the Winter?
Both Leiden and Akureyri during the winter are popular places to visit.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Leiden. It's quite cold in Akureyri in the winter. In the winter, Akureyri is much colder than Leiden. Typically, the winter temperatures in Akureyri in January average around -2°C (28°F), and Leiden averages at about 2°C (36°F).
In the winter, Akureyri often gets less sunshine than Leiden. Akureyri gets 7 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leiden receives 46 hours of full sun.
Akureyri usually gets less rain in January than Leiden. Akureyri gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryAkureyri -2°C (28°F)Leiden 2°C (36°F)
Should I visit Akureyri or Leiden in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Akureyri and Leiden.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Akureyri. In April, Akureyri is generally much colder than Leiden. Daily temperatures in Akureyri average around 2°C (36°F), and Leiden fluctuates around 8°C (46°F).
Akureyri usually receives less sunshine than Leiden during spring. Akureyri gets 130 hours of sunny skies, while Leiden receives 166 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Akureyri usually receives less rain than Leiden. Akureyri gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilAkureyri 2°C (36°F)Leiden 8°C (46°F)
Typical Weather for Leiden and Akureyri
| Akureyri | Leiden | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -2°C (28°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Feb | -1°C (30°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Mar | -1°C (31°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Apr | 2°C (36°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| May | 6°C (43°F) | 19 mm (0.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jun | 10°C (50°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jul | 11°C (52°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Aug | 11°C (51°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Sep | 7°C (44°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Oct | 3°C (38°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| Nov | -0°C (32°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Dec | -2°C (29°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.