Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Balaton Lake?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Balaton Lake or Krakow?
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 Balaton Lake and Krakow can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Balaton Lake or Krakow?
Balaton Lake
Balaton is a major freshwater lake in Hungary and the largest lake in Central Europe with a shoreline of 197 kilometers. The region around the lake is a popular holiday destination with a great number of resort towns and high-rise hotels to accommodate visitors seeking out lakeside activities, beaches, volcanic hills, and vineyards. Some of the towns are also very historic, offering examples from eighteenth-century art and architecture to castle ruins.
Krakow
Krakow is Poland's second largest city. It sits on both sides of the Wisla River at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. There are more than 1.4 million residents in the metropolitan area. Krakow is known as a historical and beautiful city that is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Tourism makes up a large part of the city's economy, but there is also a university and several local colleges which are major employers as well. Technology has grown in recent years and the city has some notable employees including Google, IBM and Motorola. Other important industries include steel, pharmaceuticals and tobacco.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Hungary, The Best Luxury Tours to Hungary, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBalaton Lake $86Krakow $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Balaton Lake is $86, while the average daily cost in Krakow is $64. 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 Balaton Lake and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBalaton Lake $48Krakow $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBalaton Lake $96Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Balaton Lake and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Balaton Lake or Krakow? 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: Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Balaton Lake $12Krakow $6.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Kraków: Kraków Airport to Central Bus Station Bus Transfer: $5.31
- From Auschwitz-Birkenau Roundtrip Bus Transfer: $6.19
- Balice Airport Luxury Vehicle Private Transfer: $9.91
- Private Transfer to or from Krakow Airport: $10
- Private Transfer to/from Krakow Airport (KRK): $11
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Transfer from Krakow: $12
- Krakow Airport Transfer Balice: $14
- Krakow Airport Private Transfers: $15
- Electric Car Transfer between Krakow and the Airport: $15
- Kraków: Airport Private Transfer by Luxury Car: $16
- Auschwitz - Birkenau Roundtrip Transfer with assistance: $17
- Kraków Airport Private Transfer - Kraków City Center: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Balaton Lake or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Balaton Lake 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 dayBalaton Lake $27Krakow $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Krakow
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Krakow.
- Walking Street Food Tour: $22
- From Polish Folk Show with All-You-Can-Eat Dinner: $32
- Polish Folk Show and Dinner From Krakow: $40
- Folk Show & 3-Course Dinner at Jama Michalika Café: $44
- Romantic Dinner with a Cruise on the Vistula River: $47
- Brewery Dinner -center of Krakow : $49
- Krakow : Folk Show Dinner Drinking and Fun ! Book Now!: $59
- Folk Show Dinner Drinking and Fun in Krakow: $63
- Cabaret Show with Optional Dinner: $69
- Half-Day Krakow Food Tour in Old Town and Kazimierz: $83
- 4-Hour Polish Food Tour: $88
- Polish Pierogi Cooking Class with Farmer's Market Shopping: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Balaton Lake $20Krakow $20
Tours and Activities in Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kraków in a nutshell - walking tour: $1.24
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Old Town Audio-Guided Walking Tour with Headset: $3.72
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.28
- Old Town Audioguided walking Tour: $4.46
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entry Tickets: $4.71
- From Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour: $4.95
- Wawel Hill Tour with Audio Guide: $5.57
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entrance Tickets: $5.62
- From Kraków: Wieliczka Salt Mine Trip & Guided Tour: $6.19
- Skip the Line Ticket for Kościuszko Mound in Krakow: $6.59
- Wawel Hill Audioguide Tour: $6.69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBalaton Lake $8.73Krakow $6.75
Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Krakow:
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Vodka$13
Sample the Local Flavors in Krakow
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Krakow:
- Pub Crawl with 1 Hour of Unlimited Alcoholic Drinks: $22
- Kazimierz Pub Crawl with 1-Hour of Unlimited Drinks: $22
- Pub Crawl - 1-hour Open Bar then Vip to 5 Clubs - Krakow: $24
- Halloween Pub Crawl - Krawl Through Krakow: $24
- Pub tour in Old Town with 1 hour open bar with a guide.: $25
- Kazimierz Pub Crawl + 1-hour Open Bar: $25
- Pub Crawl with Shots, Drinks & Skip-the-Line Entry: $25
- Pub Crawl of Kazimierz Jewish Quarter with a Local Guide : $25
- Three-Hour Pub Crawl: $39
- Wieliczka Vineyard: Wine tasting with local snacks: $44
- Hoppy tours - Krakow brewery tour : $56
- Krakow Wine Tasting Private Tour with Wine Expert: $176
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Balaton Lake and Krakow, we can see that Balaton Lake is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Krakow would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Krakow 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 Balaton Lake would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Balaton Lake than you might in Krakow.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Balaton Lake Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Balaton Lake or Krakow?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 360 times larger than the population of Balaton Lake. When comparing the sizes of Balaton Lake and Krakow, 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 Balaton Lake or Krakow?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Balaton Lake or Krakow in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Balaton Lake and Krakow.
Balaton Lake is a little warmer than Krakow in the summer. The daily temperature in Balaton Lake averages around 22°C (71°F) in July, and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. In Balaton Lake, it's very sunny this time of the year. Balaton Lake usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during summer. Balaton Lake gets 302 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Balaton Lake usually receives less rain than Krakow. Balaton Lake gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBalaton Lake 22°C (71°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Balaton Lake or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Balaton Lake as well as Krakow.
In the autumn, Balaton Lake is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Balaton Lake in October average around 13°C (56°F), and Krakow averages at about 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Balaton Lake often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Balaton Lake gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Balaton Lake usually gets less rain in October than Krakow. Balaton Lake gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBalaton Lake 13°C (56°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Balaton Lake or Krakow in the Winter?
Both Krakow and Balaton Lake are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Krakow. It's quite cold in Balaton Lake in the winter. In January, Balaton Lake is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Balaton Lake average around 0°C (32°F), and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
Balaton Lake usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during winter. Balaton Lake gets 72 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Balaton Lake usually receives more rain than Krakow. Balaton Lake gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBalaton Lake 0°C (32°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Balaton Lake or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Balaton Lake during the spring are popular places to visit.
Balaton Lake is a little warmer than Krakow in the spring. The daily temperature in Balaton Lake averages around 12°C (54°F) in April, and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
In the spring, Balaton Lake often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Balaton Lake gets 187 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
Balaton Lake usually gets more rain in April than Krakow. Balaton Lake gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBalaton Lake 12°C (54°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Balaton Lake
| Balaton Lake | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 0°C (32°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 3°C (37°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (45°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (54°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (68°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 22°C (71°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (71°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 13°C (56°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (44°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 2°C (36°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 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.