Should you visit Bern or Dubrovnik?
Should I visit Bern or Dubrovnik? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Bern
The capital city of Switzerland, Bern, is a surprisingly small city with a population of only about 130,000. It's located on a peninsula that is created by the turns of the River Aare. The city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has a wonderfully preserved old town area. There are about four miles worth of quaint walkways that are lined with clock towers and fountains.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, the "Pearl of the Adriatic", is a beautiful walled city in southern Croatia that sits on the edge of the Adriatic Sea. It's a small city, with only about 40,000 residents, but it's become one of the most significant tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city was historically built on maritime trade, which is not surprising given its location near major Italian and Greek ports such as Venice, Bari, Corfu, and Trieste. It was a center of language and literature and was the home of many important poets, playwrights, painters, and scientists during the 15th and 16th centuries. Today its economy is dependent on tourism and it is one of the most popular destinations in the region. People visit the city for its impressive history, beautiful setting, great weather, and interesting architecture.
Which city is cheaper, Dubrovnik or Bern?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bern is $200, while the average daily cost in Dubrovnik is $87. 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 Bern and Dubrovnik in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $129. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Bern the cost is $258 on average.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $90 in Dubrovnik For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The price of a meal in Bern can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $48 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $19 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Dubrovnik food costs typically run travelers around $29 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Bern $48
Dubrovnik $29
Typical Food prices in Dubrovnik
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubrovnik:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)
$33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubrovnik
For Dubrovnik, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Unique Sunset and Dinner Cruise in the Magnificent Traditional Karaka boat:
$96
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Old Town Food Tour:
$130
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Flavours of Dubrovnik - Food Tour:
$131
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Croatian Traditional Cuisine: Peka Cooking Lesson:
$149
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Traditional Cooking Class in Dubrovnik Countryside:
$164
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Cooking Classes Traditional Meals of Konavle region:
$166
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Dubrovnik Food Tour with Friendly Local Guide:
$167
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E-Bike Tour + Farm To Table Cooking Class:
$184
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Dubrovnik Food Tour by Vidokrug:
$192
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Rural Side of Cooking Class in Local Household:
$281
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Croatian Cooking Class in a Local's Home in Rural Konavle:
$1,753
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Bern is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $27 per person, per day, on local transportation in Bern.
Dubrovnik'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 $11 per person, per day on transportation in Dubrovnik.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bern
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bern:
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Bern Belp Airport to Zurich City - One Way:
$661
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Bern Belp Airport to Basel City - One Way:
$586
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Private transfer from Bern City to Zurich Airport:
$416
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Private Transfer from Bern City Center to Zurich City Center:
$318
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Bern Belp Airport to Bern City - One Way:
$105
Typical Local Transportation prices in Dubrovnik
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubrovnik:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubrovnik
Also for Dubrovnik, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Ultra - Private Transfer from Dubrovnik Port to Cavtat:
$9.41
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Private Arrival Transfer: Dubrovnik Port to Dubrovnik, Orebic or Korcula Town Hotels:
$15
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Private Departure Transfer: Dubrovnik, Orebic or Korcula Town Hotels to Dubrovnik Port:
$15
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Shared Departure Transfer: Dubrovnik, Cavtat, Orebic and Korcula Town Hotels to Dubrovnik Airport:
$19
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Transfer Dubrovnik airport to Dubrovnik City:
$24
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Airport Private Transfer Dubrovnik:
$25
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Cruiser Taxi Private group Airport transfers in Dubrovnik:
$25
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Private Airport Transfer: from Dubrovnik to Dubrovnik Airport (DBV):
$26
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Private Airport Transfer: Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) to Dubrovnik:
$26
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Private transfer from city Dubrovnik to airport:
$27
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Dubrovnik Airport Transfers: Dubrovnik to Dubrovnik Airport DBV in Business Car:
$31
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Departure Private Transfers: Dubrovnik to Dubrovnik Airport DBV in Business Car:
$31
Is it cheaper to fly into Bern or Dubrovnik?
Prices for flights to both Dubrovnik and Bern 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
Entertainment and activities in Bern typically cost an average of $27 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Dubrovnik can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $18 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Bern
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bern are as follows:
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Adventure: Diamond Skull Virtual Reality:
$230
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Bern - Walking Tour with Licensed Guide:
$446
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Bern Capital City Private Tour:
$194
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Bern Capital City Small Group Tour:
$90
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Bern Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$45
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Bern Old Town- Private Tour:
$435
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Bern Private Walking Tour:
$366
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Bern Private Walking Tour with Professional Guide:
$497
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Best Introduction Tour of Bern with a Local:
$91
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GAILY TOUR in BERN - Gay & Lesbian Tour:
$187
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Glacier Express Panoramic Train Round Trip in one Day Private Tour from Bern:
$399
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Guided tour “Love stories of Bern”:
$496
Typical Entertainment prices in Dubrovnik
For Dubrovnik, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Boat to Lokrum Island (for 2)
$15
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Dubrovnik City Wall Tour (for 2)
$61
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Dubrovnik Cable Car (for 2)
$52
Tours and Activities in Dubrovnik
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubrovnik.
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Walls of Liberty: an audio tour of Dubrovnik's rich history along the city walls:
$5.99
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Gornji Ugao Tower Admission Ticket:
$7.66
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Skip the Line: Love Stories Museum Admission Ticket:
$8.71
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Insider’s Virtual Tour of Dubrovnik:
$8.71
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Small-Group Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik:
$12
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Dubrovnik 1-Hour Discovery Walking Tour:
$15
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Discovery Dubrovnik walking tour:
$15
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Dubrovnik Old Town Walking Tour:
$16
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Dubrovnik Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$16
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'Up with the Chickens' or "Sunset chasing" Old Town Tour:
$16
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Dubrovnik Walking Tour:
$17
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Dubrovnik By Night Walking Tour:
$17
Alcohol
The average person spends about $21 on alcoholic beverages in Bern per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Dubrovnik, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $13.
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubrovnik
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubrovnik:
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Sunset Sea Kayaking and Wine Tasting Tour Dubrovnik:
$44
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Wine tasting and visit to Ston- Group Tour:
$60
-
Peljesac Peninsula Wine Tour from Dubrovnik:
$61
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Day Tour of Korcula Island from Dubrovnik with Wine Tasting:
$63
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FAMOUS LEGENDS OF PELJESAC and KORCULA with WINE TASTING:
$65
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Island of Korcula with Wine Tasting Day Trip from Dubrovnik:
$69
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Korčula tour with wine tasting from Dubrovnik:
$69
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Wine tasting and visit to Ston:
$72
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Wine Tasting Pelješac and a visit to Ston:
$72
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Konavle Valley Wine Tour from Dubrovnik with Train Ride and Wine Tasting:
$75
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Smiley wine tasting on peninsula Peljesac:
$76
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Smiley Hercegovina wine tour:
$77
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bern and Dubrovnik, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Dubrovnik much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dubrovnik would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dubrovnik 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 Bern would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bern than you might in Dubrovnik.
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