Should you visit Bonn or Baden-Baden?
Should I visit Bonn or Baden-Baden? 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.
Bonn
Bonn was the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany (previously, West Germany) and it has a population of about 315,000 people. It sits on the Rhine River just twenty kilometers away from Cologne. Many people travel to Bonn for conferences and business, but Bonn also has a lot of cultural and historical sights to offer visitors. The city is also famous as the birth place of Ludwig van Beethoven. There's a strong student culture in the city as well, and it actually shares many characteristics with Italian cities because of its many cafes and restaurants which line the streets. Outdoor beer gardens are popular and Bonn is a particular good summer destination when the weather is pleasant and you can enjoy the outdoor setting. The city's location also makes it a great base for day trips to Cologne, Dusseldorf, and the Rhine and Eifel regions.
Baden-Baden
Baden Baden is the perfect spa town in Germany that lets you dip your toes in the culture, relax, and mingle with the locals all while soaking your weary travel bones in the nourishing mineral waters or sweating out the toxins from one too many German beers.
For a detailed guide on Baden Baden, including the bathhouses and spa etiquette, what else to do in and near Baden Baden and more, you can check out my complete guide to Baden Baden for the perfect spa weekend getaway.
Where is Baden Baden?
Baden Baden is located about 2 hours directly South of Frankfurt, making it the perfect day trip. Alternately, Baden Baden is still an easy day trip from Bavaria or other nearby regions of Germany or you can even create a whole weekend in the Black Forest, complete with Cuckoo Clock shopping and more. It's also not far from Stuttgart.
Which city is cheaper, Baden-Baden or Bonn?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bonn is €123, while the average daily cost in Baden-Baden is €123. 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 Bonn and Baden-Baden in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €136 in Bonn For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
A hotel room in Baden-Baden is about €140 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
While meal prices in Bonn can vary, the average travelers spends about €39 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Bonn should cost around €16 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Bonn is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
The average traveler spends about €33 per day in Baden-Baden 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
Bonn €39
Baden-Baden €33
Local Transportation
To get around in Bonn, the average visitor spends €18 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.
The average price of local transportation around Baden-Baden is €27 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonn
Also for Bonn, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: from Bonn to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN):
$42
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Düsseldorf International Airport to Bonn City - One Way:
$254
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baden-Baden
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baden-Baden:
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Private transfer from Baden-Baden to Füssen or the opposite way:
$933
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Private transfert to Baden-Baden from Zurich or the opposite way:
$560
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Private transfert to Baden-Baden from Basel - Mulhouse or the opposite way:
$386
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Private transfert from Baden-Baden airport to Colmar or the opposite way:
$336
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Baden-Baden to Karlsruhe Airport (FKB) - Departure Private Car Transfer:
$60
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Baden-Baden to Karlsruhe Airport (FKB) - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$34
Entertainment
In Bonn, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €27 per person, per day.
Baden-Baden's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €27 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Bonn
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Bonn.
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Discover Beethoven's birthplace: Bonn Private Walking Tour:
$193
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Bonn Walking Tour (In the footsteps of Ludwig Van Beethoven):
$240
Tours and Activities in Baden-Baden
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Baden-Baden are as follows:
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Baden - Baden Walking Tour:
$439
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Baden-Baden Private Walking Tour:
$199
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Private Black Forest Tour: Baden-Baden to Freiburg:
$248
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Romantic tour in Baden-Baden:
$496
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The best of Baden-Baden walking tour:
$496
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The best of Passau walking tour:
$496
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Bonn, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €18.
The average person spends about €9.60 on alcoholic beverages in Baden-Baden per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When comparing the travel costs between Bonn and Baden-Baden, we can see that Bonn 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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