Should you visit Bucharest or Balaton Lake?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Bucharest and Balaton Lake. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital and largest city in the country of Romania. With about 2 million residents living in the city and about 2.4 million in the surrounding urban area, it is also one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe. As such, it is the economic, industrial and commercial center for the country. As a visitor, you will likely enter Romania by arriving in Bucharest. The city continues to grow and change, and there are ongoing infrastructure projects that continue to modernize the city. It is not uncommon to find historic churches on the same block as modern office buildings and Communist style apartment buildings. There are also many sights around town and the city continues to grow as a trendy and fascinating city.
Balaton Lake
Balaton is a major freshwater lake in Hungary and the largest lake in Central Europe with a shoreline of 197 kilometers. The region around the lake is a popular holiday destination with a great number of resort towns and high-rise hotels to accommodate visitors seeking out lakeside activities, beaches, volcanic hills, and vineyards. Some of the towns are also very historic, offering examples from eighteenth-century art and architecture to castle ruins.
Which city is cheaper, Balaton Lake or Bucharest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bucharest is $127, while the average daily cost in Balaton Lake is $89. 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 Bucharest and Balaton Lake in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $116 for a double occupancy room in Bucharest.
Balaton Lake's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $98. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $49.
Food
The price of a meal in Bucharest can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $54 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $22 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 Balaton Lake can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $28 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $11 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
Bucharest $54
Balaton Lake $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bucharest
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bucharest.
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Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner - 3 hours:
$80
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Cooking Class in Transylvania - Day Tour from Bucharest:
$199
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Walking Food Tour in the Old Town of Bucharest:
$199
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Bucharest City Tour & Traditional Home-made Cooking Experience:
$223
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Private Dracula Castle Tour by night and Romanian traditional dinner:
$331
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Bucharest is $24 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.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $12 per day to get around in Balaton Lake.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bucharest
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bucharest:
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Best transfer from Bucharest Airport to City Center:
$3.72
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Bucharest airport transfer:
$12
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Private transfer from Bucharest Otopeni Airport to Bucharest:
$12
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Private Arrival Transfer from Bucharest Airport to Bucharest City:
$14
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Private Departure Transfer from Bucharest City to Bucharest Airport:
$14
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Bucharest - Private Airport Transfer:
$15
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Bucharest Airport Transfer:
$16
-
Otopeni Airport Transfer to Bucharest:
$16
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Private One-Way BUCHAREST-OTP Airport Transfer:
$16
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Bucharest Airport Transfer by Minivan:
$17
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Private Bucharest Airport Transfer:
$17
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Bucharest Giurgiu Port Shared Transfer:
$17
Entertainment
Bucharest's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $13 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.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $21 per person, per day in Balaton Lake. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Bucharest
Here are a few actual costs in Bucharest for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Museum of Senses Bucharest Entrance Ticket:
$11
-
One Hour Epic Escape Room Adventure Mystery in Bucharest:
$14
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Half-day tour to the Mogoșoaia Palace by train from Bucharest:
$20
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3-Hour Guided Tour of Communist Bucharest:
$20
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Skip the line: Bucharest Parliament Palace Ticket:
$23
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Self-Guided Ruse from Bucharest Tour:
$24
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Skip the Line: Palace of the Parliament - Bucharest:
$25
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Dracula's Transylvania Virtual Private 2-Hour Live Guided Tour:
$31
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Bucharest panoramic tour (by car) and city center walking tour, Private tour:
$37
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Bucharest Panoramic Tour by Night - 3 hours:
$37
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Ticket to Ferestroika Museum of Family Life during Communism:
$39
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Wooden Church from Maramures Tour:
$40
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Bucharest may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $8.50 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about $9.03 on alcoholic beverages in Balaton Lake per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Bucharest
Also in Bucharest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Private Wine Tasting at Bucharest's First Wine Bar:
$65
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Bucharest City Tour and Wine Tasting – 2.5 hours:
$88
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Bike & Wine tour in Dealu Mare wineland:
$96
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Wine tasting at the mansion, Dracula's grave from Snagov & Mogosoaia Palace:
$100
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Traditions in Village Museum and Wine Tasting Tour:
$100
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Romanian Wine Tasting:
$106
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Planetarium in salt mine, Wine tasting and Dracula's grave, Private Tour:
$124
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Wine tasting in lord mansions, nearby Bucharesti, the Romans wine road:
$124
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Wine tasting - 1 Day Tour:
$129
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Private Full Day Tour to The Peles Castle & Wine Tasting - 9 Hours:
$134
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Salt Mine, Mud Volcanoes, and Wine Tasting Private Day Tour from Bucharest:
$139
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Constanta and Wine Tasting - Private Day Tour from Bucharest:
$143
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bucharest and Balaton Lake, we can see that Bucharest is more expensive. And not only is Balaton Lake much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Balaton Lake would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Balaton Lake 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 Bucharest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bucharest than you might in Balaton Lake.
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