Should you visit Bern or Venice?
Should I visit Bern or Venice? 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.
Venice
The canals of Venice are one of the most popular and emulated destinations in the world. In it's hay day, Venice was at the center of politics, exploration, arts and architecture. Today that history is still very much alive and well. The city is unlike any other in the world. The best way to immerse yourself in Venice is to get yourself lost in the alleyways. It's actually quite easy to do and you'll find yourself stumbling into the most interesting places, hidden away from the crowds of Piazzo San Marco.
Which city is cheaper, Venice 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 Venice is $206. 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 Venice 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.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $212 in Venice For nicer amenities and a premiere location, 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.
The average traveler spends about $59 per day in Venice for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Bern $48
Venice $59
Typical Food prices in Venice
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Venice:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Venice
For Venice, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Online Tiramisu Cooking Class With Italian Chef At Home:
$37
-
1 Hour Online Live Carbonara Cooking Class With Italian Chef:
$37
-
2.5-Hour Street Food Tour with a Local Guide:
$44
-
3-Hour Cooking Class at your Airbnb:
$47
-
Venice Food Tour of Typical Bacaros:
$48
-
Authentic Chicchetti & Amusing Tales Food Tour:
$51
-
Wine and Food Tour Near Venice's Jewish Quarter:
$56
-
The Bacaro of Food Tour with Wine & Appetizers:
$57
-
Private Family Food Tour:
$58
-
Venetian Dinner:
$59
-
Private Food Tour with 10 Tastings:
$65
-
Original Venetian Bacaro Dinner:
$67
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.
Venice'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 $25 per person, per day on transportation in Venice.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bern
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bern:
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Bern Belp Airport to Zurich City - One Way:
$661
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Bern Belp Airport to Basel City - One Way:
$586
-
Private transfer from Bern City to Zurich Airport:
$416
-
Private Transfer from Bern City Center to Zurich City Center:
$318
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Bern Belp Airport to Bern City - One Way:
$105
Typical Local Transportation prices in Venice
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Venice:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Venice
Also for Venice, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Ultra - Venice Private Airport Transfer from Venice Airport VCE to City Hotels:
$10
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Ultra - Venice Private Airport Transfer from Venice Airport VCE to Cruise Port:
$10
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Ultra - Venice Private Airport Transfer from City Hotels to Venice Airport VCE:
$10
-
Marco Polo Airport Transfer to Venice City Center:
$17
-
Venice Water Taxi Transfers Piazzale Roma to Hotels:
$28
-
Private Airport Transfer: Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) to Venice:
$31
-
Harbor Shuttle Transfer:
$32
-
Shuttle Transfer From/to Venice City and Airport:
$32
-
Private Arrival Van Transfer: Venice Airport to Venice, piazzale Roma:
$34
-
Private Transfer to/from Airport and Venice city center:
$36
-
Water Taxi Transfer Lido Santa Maria Elisabetta:
$36
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Venice Transfer-Shared Water Taxi to Airport:
$36
Is it cheaper to fly into Bern or Venice?
Prices for flights to both Venice 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 Venice can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $92 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:
-
Adventure: Diamond Skull Virtual Reality:
$230
-
Bern - Walking Tour with Licensed Guide:
$446
-
Bern Capital City Private Tour:
$194
-
Bern Capital City Small Group Tour:
$90
-
Bern Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$45
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Bern Old Town- Private Tour:
$435
-
Bern Private Walking Tour:
$366
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Bern Private Walking Tour with Professional Guide:
$497
-
Best Introduction Tour of Bern with a Local:
$91
-
GAILY TOUR in BERN - Gay & Lesbian Tour:
$187
-
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 Venice
For Venice, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Venice Boat Ride
$17
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Bell tower of St. Mark Entrance Fee
$9.13
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Gondola Ride (for Group)
$91
-
Secret Itinerary Tour- Doge's Palace
$18
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The Jewish Museum Admission
$3.42
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The Glass Museum in Murano
$9.13
Tours and Activities in Venice
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Venice.
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Digital Smartphone Audioguide Tour:
$7.96
-
Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo Entrance Ticket:
$7.96
-
Leonardo Da Vinci Museum Skip-The-Line Ticket:
$9.10
-
Once-in-a-lifetime virtual tour in Venice alone RoamFromHome:
$9.95
-
Best Price: Book Doge's Palace skip the line ticket with audio-guide:
$9.95
-
The Ancient Art of Glass Blowing Group Tour:
$10
-
Venice Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide:
$11
-
Venice Highlights Virtual Tour with Expert Guide (Times in EST):
$11
-
Vatican and Sistine Chapel Virtual Guided Tour (Times in EST):
$11
-
Online Casanova Venice Great Escape Cinematic Experience:
$11
-
Saint Mark and Rialto Self-Guided Tour:
$11
-
Punta Sabbioni to Venice Round-Trip Boat Ticket:
$11
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 Venice, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $22.
Typical Alcohol prices in Venice
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Venice:
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1/2 Liter Wine
$5.94
-
Beer
$5.59
Sample the Local Flavors in Venice
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Venice:
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Venice Wine Tasting Tour:
$30
-
Wine Tasting in Venice:
$34
-
Online Live Wine Tasting from Venice:
$37
-
Wine Tasting Tour in a Local Enoteca:
$54
-
Wine Tasting and Cicchetti:
$57
-
Venetian Style Carnival Pub Crawl:
$57
-
Private Tour: Food and Wine Tour in Venice:
$65
-
Venetian Style Carnival Pub Crawl:
$67
-
Venice 2-Hour Wine Tasting Tour:
$70
-
A Relaxing Evening at The Hot Springs (with wine tastings):
$75
-
Natural wine tasting with a Bacaro owner in Venice:
$76
-
Art and Wine Tour:
$79
When comparing the travel costs between Bern and Venice, we can see that Venice is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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