Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Bratislava?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bratislava or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Bratislava or Krakow? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Bratislava or Krakow?
Bratislava
The capital and largest city of Slovakia, Bratislava is set on the shores of the Danube River near the borders of Austria and Hungary. While the city is skirted by mountains and vineyards, its 18th century old town center is crossed with cobbled walkways and surrounded by historic landmarks and architecture. One such monument is the Bratislava Castle, set atop a hill overlooking it all-the old town, the river, and the bustle of people in the charming city below.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Slovakia, The Best River Cruises in Slovakia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBratislava €122Krakow €60
The average daily cost (per person) in Bratislava is €122, while the average daily cost in Krakow is €60. 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 Bratislava and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBratislava €49Krakow €39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBratislava €98Krakow €78
Compare Hotels in Bratislava and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Bratislava 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: Bratislava Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bratislava €26Krakow €6.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bratislava
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bratislava:
- Bratislava - Budapest Transfer: $199
- Bratislava Airport BTS to Piestany Round Trip Private Transfer: $94
- Bratislava Airport to Bojnice Resorts - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- Bratislava Airport to Turčianske Teplice Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- Bratislava-Budapest One-Way Sightseeing Transfer: $295
- Airport to Hotel Private Transfer Service: $24
- Private Direct Transfer From Bratislava to Vienna City Center: $87
- Private Transfer from Bratislava City to Vienna City: $98
- Private Transfer from Bratislava to Budapest with 2h of Sightseeing: $202
- Private transfer from Bratislava to Vienna: $263
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 Bratislava or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Bratislava 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 dayBratislava €45Krakow €12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bratislava
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bratislava.
- Local Beer & Food Tour: $142
- Bratislava Traditional Food Tour: $169
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.Bratislava €30Krakow €19
Tours and Activities in Bratislava
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bratislava are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Top experience walking tour with bonus and castle: $4.36
- Bratislava Old Town In App Audio Tour (ENG): $5.43
- City & Castle Tour - Introduction to Bratislava: $5.45
- Historic City Centre Self-guided Tour: $6.31
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.41
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
- Bratislava Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self Guided Tour: $6.56
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $6.95
- Gallery Multium Entrance Ticket: $6.95
- Gallery Multium Entrance Ticket: $7.10
- The jewels of Bratislava a Self-Guided Audio Tour in English: $7.87
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 dayBratislava €19Krakow €6.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Bratislava
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bratislava:
- Quick Wine Tasting in Michalská: $11
- Quick Wine Tasting in Michalská: $11
- Wine Tasting with Sommelier in Bratislava: $14
- Wine Tasting with Sommelier: $15
- Wine Tasting IN THE DARK!: $16
- Wine Tasting IN THE DARK!: $21
- Bratislava 3-Hour Wine Tasting: $104
- Devin Castle Tour with Currant Wine Tasting: $144
- Devin Castle Tour with Wine Tasting: $158
- Bratislava Food and Wine Tour: $180
- Little Carpathian Wine Tour: $201
- 6-Hour Carpathian Wine Tour and Tasting: $209
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 Bratislava and Krakow, we can see that Bratislava 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 Bratislava would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bratislava 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 Bratislava Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bratislava or Krakow?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 78% larger than the population of Bratislava. When comparing the sizes of Bratislava 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 Bratislava 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 Bratislava or Krakow in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Bratislava and Krakow. The summer months attract visitors to Bratislava because of the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Bratislava is generally a little warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Bratislava average around 23°C (73°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. In Bratislava, it's very sunny this time of the year. Bratislava usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during summer. Bratislava gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Bratislava usually receives less rain than Krakow. Bratislava gets 63 mm (2.5 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 JulyBratislava 23°C (73°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Bratislava or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Bratislava as well as Krakow. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Bratislava this time of year.
Bratislava is a little warmer than Krakow in the autumn. The daily temperature in Bratislava averages around 12°C (54°F) in October, and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Bratislava often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Bratislava gets 140 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Bratislava usually gets less rain in October than Krakow. Bratislava gets 41 mm (1.6 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 OctoberBratislava 12°C (54°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Bratislava or Krakow in the Winter?
Both Krakow and Bratislava are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Bratislava for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Bratislava. In the winter, Bratislava is much warmer than Krakow. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bratislava in January average around 2°C (36°F), and Krakow averages at about -2°C (29°F).
Bratislava usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during winter. Bratislava gets 65 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Bratislava usually receives more rain than Krakow. Bratislava gets 38 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 JanuaryBratislava 2°C (36°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Bratislava or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Bratislava during the spring are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Bratislava in the spring for the natural beauty.
In April, Bratislava is generally a little warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Bratislava average around 13°C (55°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
It's quite sunny in Bratislava. In the spring, Bratislava often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Bratislava gets 202 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
Bratislava usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Krakow. Bratislava gets 51 mm (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 AprilBratislava 13°C (55°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Bratislava
| Bratislava | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 2°C (36°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (38°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (46°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (69°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 3°C (37°F) | 43 mm (1.7 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.