A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ankara vs. Zagreb for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ankara or Zagreb?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Zagreb. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Ankara or Zagreb?

Ankara

Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.

Zagreb

Zagreb, in central Croatia, is the country's capital. It has a wonderful old town that has cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and a great atmosphere. Many people travel to Croatia specifically for its beaches and coastal towns, but if you overlook this lovely capital city, you'll miss a large part of the culture and personality that is Croatia.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Split.


Which place is cheaper, Zagreb or Ankara?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $116, while the average daily cost in Zagreb is $82. 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 Ankara and Zagreb in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ankara $57
    Zagreb $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ankara $114
    Zagreb $102
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Zagreb

Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Zagreb? 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.

Hotels in Ankara


Hotels in Zagreb


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: Ankara Hotel Prices and Zagreb Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ankara $37
    Zagreb $9.69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:


  • Metro Ride
    $0.04
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:

  • Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $76
  • Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $71
  • Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $64
  • Ankara Private Departure Transfer from City hotels to Airport: $60
  • Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $109
  • Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $109
  • Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
  • Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
  • Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
  • Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
  • Private transfer: Ankara Airport (ESB) to Ankara: $39
  • Private transfer: Ankara to Ankara Airport (ESB): $39

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagreb

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagreb:

  • Airport Zagreb Transfer and Shuttle : $98
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Zagreb Airport ZAG to Zagreb City by Business Car: $47
  • Departure Private Transfer from Zagreb City to Zagreb Airport ZAG by Minivan: $66
  • Franjo Tudman Airport (ZAG) to Zagreb-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
  • From Sarajevo: One-Way Transfer to Zagreb & Plitvice Lakes: $428
  • From Split: Transfer to Zagreb with Stop at Plitvice Lakes: $149
  • From Plitvice Lakes Round-Trip Comfort Bus Transfer: $16
  • From Transfer to Split & Plitvice Lakes Guided Tour: $159
  • Guided transfer from Zagreb to Split with Plitvice Lakes stop: $152
  • Luxury Private Transfer Zagreb - Zagreb Airport: $40
  • Luxury Private Transfer Zagreb Airport to Hotels and Vice Versa: $87
  • One-Way Private Transfer to/from Zagreb Airport: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Zagreb?

Prices for flights to both Zagreb and Ankara 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Ankara $32
    Zagreb $18
Typical Food Prices in Ankara

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:


  • A Quick Lunch
    $0.36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zagreb

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zagreb.

  • Taste Zagreb Food Tour: $74
  • Taste Zagreb Food Tour: $75
  • Private Authentic Croatian Cooking Class in Central Zagreb: $114
  • Private Authentic Market Tour and Cooking Class in the Heart of Zagreb: $144
  • PRIVATE Half-Day Food Tour: The 10 Tastings of Zagreb With Locals: $196
  • Wine & Food tour of Plešivica near Zagreb: $952

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ankara $34
    Zagreb $13
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara

Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Underground City
    $0.25

Tours and Activities in Ankara

Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Family-Friendly Smartphone Walking Tour: $6.00
  • Quick Tour, Essentials of Ankara: $6.00
  • Inns and Baths City Sightseeing Mobile Audio Guide: $6.00
  • Private Walking tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $32
  • Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $33
  • Private Tour with a Local: $37
  • Ankara : Highlights Walking Tour: $48
  • Istanbul: Half-Day Tour with Topkapi Palace: $145
  • Istanbul: Golden Horn & Bosphorus Day Cruise: $165
  • İstanbul: Full-Day Tour with Grand Bazaar: $180
  • Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $215
  • Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $218

Tours and Activities in Zagreb

Here are a few actual costs in Zagreb for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
  • Nikola Tesla Technical Museum Ticket: $4.28
  • Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.35
  • City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
  • Skip-the-Ticket-Line Museum of Broken Relationships: $7.49
  • Zagreb Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Museum of Illusions Entrance Ticket: $9.62
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • Zagreb's Old Town: Walking In-App Audio Tour(ENG): $11
  • Small-Group Walking Highlights Tour: $16
  • City Walking Tour w/ Funicular Ride and WW2 Tunnels: $19
  • City Walking Tour with Funicular Ride & WW2 Tunnels: $19

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ankara $15
    Zagreb $9.49

Sample the Local Flavors in Zagreb

Also in Zagreb, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Zagreb Pub Crawl: $16
  • Zagreb:Private Bar Crawling and Alcohol Testing with a Guide: $32
  • Zagreb Wine Tasting & Jarun Lake Tour: $75
  • Plesivica countryside Wine Tasting: $199
  • Fairytale castle & delicious wine tasting and lunch: $202
  • Private Wine Tasting Tour from Zagreb: $208


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and Zagreb, we can see that Ankara is more expensive. And not only is Zagreb much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Zagreb would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zagreb 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 Ankara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ankara than you might in Zagreb.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is Zagreb Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ankara or Zagreb?

Ankara has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Zagreb. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Zagreb, 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.