Should you visit Bratislava or Zagreb?
Should I visit Bratislava or Zagreb? 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.
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.
Zagreb
Zagreb, in central Croatia, is the country's capital. It has a wonderful old town that has cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and a great atmosphere. Many people travel to Croatia specifically for its beaches and coastal towns, but if you overlook this lovely capital city, you'll miss a large part of the culture and personality that is Croatia.
Which city is cheaper, Zagreb or Bratislava?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bratislava is €97, while the average daily cost in Zagreb is €62. 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 Bratislava and Zagreb in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €39. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Bratislava the cost is €78 on average.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €78 for a double occupancy room in Zagreb.
Food
The price of a meal in Bratislava can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €36 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €14 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Zagreb food costs typically run travelers around €13 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
Bratislava €36
Zagreb €13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bratislava
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bratislava.
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Bratislava Traditional Food Tour:
$102
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Traditional Food Tour:
$118
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Vegan Bratislava Food Tour:
$118
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Local Beer & Food Tour:
$128
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zagreb
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zagreb.
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Zagreb Culture & Food Tour:
$52
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Taste Zagreb Food Tour:
$61
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Strukli cooking class with Dolac Market Tour:
$68
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Zagreb Food Tour - Yummy in Your Tummy (Small Group):
$87
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Private Authentic Croatian Cooking Class in Central Zagreb:
$108
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Croatian cuisine cooking class with Dolac market tour:
$123
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Zagreb Walking Food Tour - Sightseeing - Dolac market visit:
$123
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Private Authentic Market Tour and Cooking Class in the Heart of Zagreb:
$135
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The Dionysus Tour Lunch or dinner and Wine Tasting at Plesivica:
$147
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Be Local for a day Market visit Cooking lesson Wine tasting:
$264
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Bratislava is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €21 per person, per day, on local transportation in Bratislava.
The average price of local transportation around Zagreb is €7.30 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 Bratislava
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bratislava:
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Arrival Private Transfer Bratislava Airport to Bratislava City by Business Car:
$19
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Arrival Private Transfer Bratislava Airport to Bratislava City by Luxury Car:
$37
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Arrival Private Transfer Bratislava Airport to Bratislava City by Luxury Van:
$25
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Bratislava - Budapest transfer:
$180
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Bratislava-Budapest One-Way Sightseeing Transfer:
$105
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Deluxe Private Transfer from Bratislava City to Vienna City:
$50
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Departure Private Transfer Bratislava City to Bratislava Airport by Business Car:
$19
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Departure Private Transfer Bratislava City to Bratislava Airport by Luxury Car:
$37
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Departure Private Transfer Bratislava City to Vienna Airport VIE by Luxury Van:
$67
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Direct one way transfer from Bratislava to Český Krumlov:
$510
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Private Airport Transfer: Bratislava Airport (BTS) to Bratislava:
$18
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Private Airport Transfer: from Bratislava to Bratislava Airport (BTS):
$18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagreb
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagreb:
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Ultra - Zagreb Private Airport Transfer Zagreb Airport ZAG to City Centre:
$8.71
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Ultra - Zagreb Private Airport Transfer from City Centre to Zagreb Airport ZAG:
$8.71
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Private Transfer from Zagreb Train or Bus Station to Zagreb City by Sedan Car:
$11
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Private Transfer from Zagreb City to Zagreb Train or Bus Station by Sedan Car:
$11
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Private Transfer from Zagreb to Zagreb International Airport (ZAG):
$14
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Private Transfer from Zagreb Train or Bus Station to Zagreb City by Business Car:
$17
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Private Transfer from Zagreb City to Zagreb Train or Bus Station by Business Car:
$17
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Private Airport Transfer: from Zagreb to Zagreb Airport (ZAG):
$19
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Private Airport Transfer: Zagreb Airport (ZAG) to Zagreb:
$19
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Zagreb Airport and Hotel Transfers.:
$27
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Private transfer: Zagreb International Airport (ZAG) to Zagreb:
$30
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Private Transfer: Zagreb to Zagreb International Airport (ZAG):
$30
Is it cheaper to fly into Bratislava or Zagreb?
Prices for flights to both Zagreb 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.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Bratislava typically cost an average of €24 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Zagreb's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €9.48 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 Bratislava
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bratislava are as follows:
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Bratislava Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$11
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Bratislava Nightlife Ticket:
$14
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Old Town Tour in Bratislava by Prešporáčik Oldtimer:
$15
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Bratislava Classical Walking Tour:
$21
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Bratislava City Private Walking Tour:
$22
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Best customized walking tour with bonus:
$25
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2 Hour Sightseeing Tour of Bratislava:
$32
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Bratislava Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$41
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Taxi City Tour Bratislava:
$50
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Bratislava by Night Tour:
$50
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From Vienna: 6-Hour Bratislava Sightseeing Tour:
$57
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Private Bratislava Grand City Tour:
$75
Tours and Activities in Zagreb
Here are a few actual costs in Zagreb for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Zagreb 2 € Tour:
$3.72
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Skip the Line: Museum of Illusions Admission Ticket:
$8.40
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Skip the Line: Image of War - Photography Museum Ticket:
$8.71
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Zagreb Virtual Live Walking Tour:
$11
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Hop On Hop Off Panoramic bus - Zagreb City Tour:
$20
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Personalized Eclectic Small-Group Walking Tour:
$22
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Small-group Walking Tour of Zagreb with Funicular Experience:
$25
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Walking tour of Zagreb:
$25
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Early Morning Light Jogging Urban Tour of Zagreb:
$25
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Feel the Pulse of the City - Small Group Zagreb Walking Tour:
$25
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Zagreb Small-Group Sightseeing Walking Tour:
$26
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Zagreb Walking Tour:
$27
Alcohol
The average person spends about €15 on alcoholic beverages in Bratislava per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Zagreb may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €7.24 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Bratislava
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bratislava:
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Burlesque show:
$37
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3 Hours Bratislava Pub Crawl Walking Tour with Beers & Bites:
$55
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Bratislava Wine Tour:
$75
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Bratislava 3-Hour Wine Tasting:
$93
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Bratislava Food and Wine Tour:
$100
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Bratislava Half Day Hubert Sparkling Wine Tasting:
$115
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Private Wine Tour to Small Carpathians:
$156
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Devin Castle Tour With Currant Wine Tasting:
$163
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Private Small Carpathian Wine Tour:
$214
Sample the Local Flavors in Zagreb
Also in Zagreb, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Private Zagreb Walking Tour and Wine Tasting From Zagreb:
$103
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Nature park Lonjsko polje e-bike tour with wine tasting:
$144
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Plesivica Region Wine Tasting Half-day Private Tour:
$171
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Private Wine Tasting Tour from Zagreb:
$194
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Zagreb Region Wine Tour:
$200
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E-Bike Tour & Wine Tasting Private Day Trip from Zagreb:
$228
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Slavonija - Gastro & Wine Tour - private full day:
$230
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Private Samobor Full-Day Tour and Wine Tasting from Zagreb:
$456
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11-Day Croatian Gastronomy and Wine Tour from Zagreb with End in Dubrovnik:
$4,907
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bratislava and Zagreb, we can see that Bratislava is more expensive. And not only is Zagreb much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Zagreb would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zagreb 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 Zagreb.
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