Should you visit Bern or Ljubljana?
Should I visit Bern or Ljubljana? 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.
Ljubljana
Most people don't travel to Ljubljana to see specific sights, as there aren't many famous attractions around town. Instead, this is a city that is about atmosphere. It's a city that you explore and immerse yourself in completely. You meet the people, you go to the clubs, you find the interesting restaurants. That is the best way to learn about Ljubljana.
Which city is cheaper, Ljubljana or Bern?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bern is $203, while the average daily cost in Ljubljana is $84. 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 Ljubljana in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $131. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Bern the cost is $262 on average.
The prices for places to stay in Ljubljana can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $53, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $106.
Food
The price of a meal in Bern can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $49 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $20 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
The price of a meal in Ljubljana can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $16 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $6.40 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Bern $49
Ljubljana $16
Typical Food prices in Ljubljana
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ljubljana:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ljubljana
For Ljubljana, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Lunch or Dinner trip to a typical Slovenian restaurant:
$40
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Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour Ljubljana Tale of the River:
$53
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Dinner in the Dark:
$75
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Food Tour Ljubljana:
$81
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Ljubljana 4-Hour Food Tour:
$86
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Flavour of Slovenia: Very Small Group Food Tour in Ljubljana:
$86
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Cooking Class Ljubljana:
$111
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Slovenian Dinner Experience:
$131
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Food Tour - Honey, Cheese and Sausages Culinary Adventure from Ljubljana:
$132
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Ljubljana city tour and Traditional Slovenian Cooking class:
$222
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Velenje mine underground dinner experience - Private tour from Ljubljana:
$1,041
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.
To get around in Ljubljana, the average visitor spends $20 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ljubljana
Also for Ljubljana, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: from Ljubljana to Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport (LJU):
$23
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Private Transfer from Brnik Airport to Ljubljana Centre:
$25
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Ljubljana Airport authorized transfer. Price per car.:
$34
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Ljubljana Airport Arrival Private Car Transfer:
$39
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Airport Transfer:
$44
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Arrival Private Transfer Ljubljana LJU Airport to Ljubljana City by Business Car:
$47
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Private transfer Ljubljana Airport from & to Bled:
$54
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Private transfer from airport Ljubljana to Ljubljana:
$59
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Private Transfer from Ljubljana City to Ljubljana Airport (LJU):
$62
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Private transfer. Ljubljana Airport- Lake Bled. Price per car.:
$66
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Departure Private Transfer: Ljubljana City to Ljubljana Airport by Luxury Van:
$68
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Private transfer from Ljubljana city to Kranj:
$70
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.
In Ljubljana, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $14 per person, per day.
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 Ljubljana
For Ljubljana, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Ljubljana
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ljubljana.
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Ljubljana Self Guided Audio Tour:
$11
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Ljubljanica Sightseeing River Cruise:
$11
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Ljubljana Castle: Entrance Ticket:
$12
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Magical Ljubljana - live virtual guided tour:
$15
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Ljubljana Castle: Time Machine Guided Tour:
$19
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Discovery Walk in a green city adventure filled with history:
$20
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Best of Ljubljana, Classical walking tour of Capital city:
$22
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Experience Ljubljana Bike Tour:
$25
-
Axe Throwing Experience in Ljubljana:
$26
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Ljubljana City Walk and Boat Cruise along the Ljubljanica:
$27
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Night Tour To Ljubljana Castle With Electric Harley Scooter:
$29
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Ljubljana Castle Quick Tour With Electric Harley Scooter:
$29
Alcohol
The average person spends about $22 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 Ljubljana, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $11.
Typical Alcohol prices in Ljubljana
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ljubljana are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Ljubljana
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Ljubljana:
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Pub Crawl Ljubljana:
$20
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Wine Tasting, Slovenian Wine Story:
$49
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Wine tasting:
$56
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Ljubljana Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience:
$58
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Ljubljana Wine tour:
$81
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Vipava Valley wine tasting experience:
$98
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Wine Tour: Half-Day Tour:
$139
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Medieval Ptuj and Maribor Private Day Trip with Wine Tasting from Ljubljana or Bled:
$145
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Vipava valley wine tour TuamV:
$158
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Wine Tours in Slovenia:
$174
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Maribor Exclusive Wine Tour:
$175
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Wine Tour Slovenia:
$193
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bern and Ljubljana, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Ljubljana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ljubljana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ljubljana 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 Ljubljana.
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