Which place is cheaper, Budapest or Bad Gastein?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Bad Gastein or Budapest?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Bad Gastein and Budapest can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bad Gastein or Budapest?
Bad Gastein
Located in the High Tauern Mountains south of Salzburg, Bad Gastein is a spa and ski town known for hotels and villas built into steep and forested slopes. While the town is most visited in the winter for skiing purposes, it is also a home base for many hiking opportunities throughout the summer.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Austria, The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Budapest, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest.
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Bad Gastein Prices
Austria PricesBudapest Prices
Hungary Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBad Gastein €147Budapest €114
The average daily cost (per person) in Bad Gastein is €147, while the average daily cost in Budapest is €114. 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 Bad Gastein and Budapest in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBad Gastein €62Budapest €55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBad Gastein €124Budapest €110
Compare Hotels in Bad Gastein and Budapest
Looking for a hotel in Bad Gastein or Budapest? 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: Bad Gastein Hotel Prices and Budapest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bad Gastein €40Budapest €11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
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Short Taxi Ride€7.16
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Metro Pass€3.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer: Budapest Airport BUD to Budapest by Luxury Car: $122
- Budapest - Bratislava Transfer: $206
- Budapest - Debrecen Transfer: $234
- Budapest - Szeged Transfer: $176
- Budapest - Vienna Private Car Transfer: $273
- Budapest - Vienna Transfer: $280
- Budapest Airport Private Luxury Transfer by MB SClass/BMW7/AudiA8: $175
- Budapest Airport Private departure transfer: $28
- Budapest Airport Transfers, City Transfers and Disposal Services: $65
- Budapest City Departure Private Transfer to Budapest Airport BUD: $96
- Budapest Departure Private Transfers from Budapest City to Budapest Airport BUD: $81
- Budapest One Way Private Transfer to or from Airport: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Bad Gastein or Budapest?
Prices for flights to both Budapest and Bad Gastein 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 dayBad Gastein €60Budapest €41
Typical Food Prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
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Lunch€3.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner and Live Hungarian Music: $1.51
- Pizza Tasting Experience at Deci Pub: $20
- Hungarian Folk Dance & Concert with Dinner Option: $22
- Folklore Revue Show with Unlimited Dinner & Drinks: $33
- Catamaran Pizza Cruise: $41
- Sir Lancelot Medieval Dinner with Drink and Show: $50
- Traditional Hungarian Dinner with Live Gypsy Music: $53
- Budapest Danube Cruise and Dinner Options, Live Music and Dance: $57
- Tipsy Food Tour - Wines, Small Group & Local Guide: $65
- Food Tour Market to Tavern: 14+ Tasters & Wines: $65
- Guided Food Tour with Wine, Beer, and Shots: $69
- Budapest Small Group Local Flavors Food Tour: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bad Gastein €21Budapest €22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Entrance to the Baths for Two€7.02
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
- The Original Budapest Highlights Walking Tour: $1.76
- Walking Tour to the Shoes Memorial and Parliament: $3.49
- German-language tour - the best of Budapest: $3.49
- Self-Guided Tour In Budapest With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.51
- Essential walking tour of Budapest: $3.51
- Budapest Castle District Walking Tour: $3.51
- Past and Present of Budapest Jewish District Tour: $3.52
- Free Walking tour in the Buda Castle incl. Fisherman's Bastion: $3.52
- Mika Tivadar Secret Museum Entry Ticket: $4.36
- History, Hollywood & Music - Walking Tour: $5.82
- Budapest Castle: Secrets & Bastion Group Tour: $5.87
- Elizabeth Look Out Tower Tour Complete with Chairlift and Train: $5.87
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBad Gastein €7.86Budapest €19
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Guided Ruin Bar Pub Crawl VIP Entry & 6 Free Shots: $8.73
- Budapest Pub Crawl with Drinking Games and Free Shots: $9.39
- Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $12
- Pub Crawl & Ruin Bar Tour –6 Free Shots VIP Entry: $12
- Pub Crawl & Ruin Bars - Free Shots & VIP Entry: $12
- Guided Pub Tour to Ruin Bars with Games & 6 Shots: $16
- Unmissable Bar Crawls with Shots & VIP Club Entry: $21
- 'Hungarian Wine Tasting Experience' in Budapest by Bortársaság: $21
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $21
- Brewery Tour at "First Craft Beer" & Beer Tasting: $26
- Private, Personalized Pub Crawl, 3 drinks included: $29
- PRIVATE Budapest by Nights: GUIDED tour whit WINE tasting: $39
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bad Gastein and Budapest, we can see that Bad Gastein is more expensive. And not only is Budapest much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Budapest would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Budapest 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 Bad Gastein would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bad Gastein than you might in Budapest.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bad Gastein Expensive? and Is Budapest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bad Gastein or Budapest?
Budapest has a larger population, and is about 290 times larger than the population of Bad Gastein. When comparing the sizes of Bad Gastein and Budapest, 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.
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.