Should you visit Budapest or Dubrovnik?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Budapest and Dubrovnik can help you decide which place is right for you.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, the "Pearl of the Adriatic", is a beautiful walled city in southern Croatia that sits on the edge of the Adriatic Sea. It's a small city, with only about 40,000 residents, but it's become one of the most significant tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city was historically built on maritime trade, which is not surprising given its location near major Italian and Greek ports such as Venice, Bari, Corfu, and Trieste. It was a center of language and literature and was the home of many important poets, playwrights, painters, and scientists during the 15th and 16th centuries. Today its economy is dependent on tourism and it is one of the most popular destinations in the region. People visit the city for its impressive history, beautiful setting, great weather, and interesting architecture.
Which city is cheaper, Dubrovnik or Budapest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Budapest is $84, while the average daily cost in Dubrovnik is $87. 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 Budapest and Dubrovnik in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $92 in Budapest For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $90 in Dubrovnik For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Budapest costs travelers about $21 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
Dubrovnik food costs typically run travelers around $29 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
Budapest $21
Dubrovnik $29
Typical Food prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Lángos (hungarian streetfood) cooking class:
$19
-
Dinner & Cruise on the Danube in Budapest:
$23
-
Traveling Spoon Hungarian Goulash Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Vegan Food Tour / Local delights:
$36
-
Private Budapest Food Tour with a Local Foodie:
$37
-
Live from Hungarian Online Cooking class:
$39
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour Night & The City Budapest:
$47
-
Food Tour in Budapest:
$50
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour of Trendy Budapest:
$51
-
BBQ dinner and a Quiz Night - welcome shots (hungaricums) and 88 craft beers:
$52
-
2-Hours Strudel Cooking Class and Wine Tasting in Central Budapest:
$53
-
Dinner Cruise with Live Music:
$54
Typical Food prices in Dubrovnik
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubrovnik:
-
Seafood Dinner (for 2)
$33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubrovnik
For Dubrovnik, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Unique Sunset and Dinner Cruise in the Magnificent Traditional Karaka boat:
$96
-
Old Town Food Tour:
$130
-
Flavours of Dubrovnik - Food Tour:
$131
-
Croatian Traditional Cuisine: Peka Cooking Lesson:
$149
-
Traditional Cooking Class in Dubrovnik Countryside:
$164
-
Cooking Classes Traditional Meals of Konavle region:
$166
-
Dubrovnik Food Tour with Friendly Local Guide:
$167
-
E-Bike Tour + Farm To Table Cooking Class:
$184
-
Dubrovnik Food Tour by Vidokrug:
$192
-
Rural Side of Cooking Class in Local Household:
$281
-
Croatian Cooking Class in a Local's Home in Rural Konavle:
$1,753
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Budapest than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $9.99 on transportation in Budapest on average per day.
Dubrovnik'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 $11 per person, per day on transportation in Dubrovnik.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
-
Short Taxi Ride
$8.16
-
Metro Pass
$4.48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Luxury transfer from Budapest to Zagreb with 5+ stops along the way:
$1,081
-
Private transfer from Budapest to Prague:
$987
-
Private Budapest-Ljubljana(Ljubljana- Budapest)Transfer with a comfortable car:
$871
-
Private Transfer to Bucharest from Budapest (Hungary):
$809
-
Budapest -Belgrade(Belgrade-Budapest)private transfer with a comfortable car/van:
$809
-
Budapest-Prague (Prague-Budapest) private transfer with a comfortable car / van:
$759
-
From Budapest to Frankfurt Airport Private Transfer - punctual & friendly Driver:
$705
-
One-way Transfer from Budapest Airport to Prague City Centre:
$695
-
Private transfer from Budapest to Vienna:
$683
-
Budapest - Kraków(Kraków -Budapest) private transfer with a comfortable car /van:
$666
-
Private Transfer from Budapest to Prague:
$664
-
Private transfer from airport Budapest (BUD) to Ljubljana:
$664
Typical Local Transportation prices in Dubrovnik
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubrovnik:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubrovnik
Also for Dubrovnik, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private transfer Dubrovnik Hvar with boat:
$2,256
-
Private transfer Dubrovnik - Zagreb and explore sights along the way:
$1,680
-
Transfer from Dubrovnik to Plitvice Lakes:
$1,173
-
Luxury Private Transfer from Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik airport to Sarajevo:
$1,020
-
Private Transfer from Dubrovnik to Tuzla Airport (TZL):
$885
-
Luxury Private Transfer from Sarajevo to Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik airport:
$846
-
Private transfer Dubrovnik - Zadar and explore sights along the way:
$834
-
Luxury Private Transfer from Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik airport to Hvar:
$765
-
Split Private Transfer From Dubrovnik:
$690
-
Dubrovnik - Hvar : Private One-Way Transfer with Mercedes Vehicles:
$639
-
Transfer from Dubrovnik airport to Kolašin (Montenegro) ski resorts:
$597
-
Private Transfer from Dubrovnik to Plitvice Lakes:
$585
Is it cheaper to fly into Budapest or Dubrovnik?
Prices for flights to both Dubrovnik and Budapest 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
Sightseeing expenses in Budapest, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $21 per day, per person.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Dubrovnik can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $18 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Typical Entertainment prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
-
"This is the Way!" - Budapest Photo Tour by Birta Photo:
$124
-
'Best of Pest' 3.5 Hour Private Photography Tour:
$112
-
1 Hour 30 Minutes Downtown Budapest Guided Segway Tour:
$93
-
1. Downtown Pest Side Segway Tour Budapest:
$54
-
10 days private sightseeing tour from Budapest to Prague:
$3,109
-
101 things you have to see in Budapest - Full Day Private Tour:
$203
-
2 Hour Budapest Market and Tasting Tour:
$54
-
2 Hours Cultural and Food Experiences in Budapest:
$60
-
2 Hours Walking Tour in Budapest:
$11
-
2 days Vienna - Bratislava PRIVATE guided tour package from Budapest with lunch:
$1,070
-
2 days Vienna - Wachau Valley PRIVATE guided tour package from Budapest:
$1,070
-
2 hours long private orientation tour in Budapest:
$101
Typical Entertainment prices in Dubrovnik
For Dubrovnik, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Boat to Lokrum Island (for 2)
$15
-
Dubrovnik City Wall Tour (for 2)
$61
-
Dubrovnik Cable Car (for 2)
$52
Tours and Activities in Dubrovnik
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubrovnik.
-
'Up with the Chickens' or "Sunset chasing" Old Town Tour:
$16
-
2 hours Elafiti Islands Private Tour by Barracuda 545:
$284
-
4 Days Montenegro-Albania-Kosovo Tour from Dubrovnik or Kotor:
$918
-
4 days hiking tour Valbona Valley National Park from Dubrovnik:
$762
-
4 hours Private Speedboat Tour to Elaphite Islands by RANIERI SUN CRUISER 23:
$477
-
4-Hours Dubrovnik Elaphiti Islands & Blue Cave Snorkeling Tour:
$75
-
4-Night Three Countries Tour from Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina:
$954
-
5 Days Deluxe Cruise from Dubrovnik to Split All Inclusive:
$1,534
-
6-Night Independent Tour of Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast: Dubrovnik, Hvar, Korcula and Split:
$952
-
7 Days Small-Group Tour from Dubrovnik to Athens via Albania:
$1,757
-
8 h Private Speedboat Tour to Elaphite Islands by QUICKSILVER activ 675 open:
$584
-
8 hours Dubrovnik Blue Cave Private Tour with boat:
$498
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 Budapest, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $16.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Dubrovnik, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $13.
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Bingo Bar Crawl:
$15
-
Bingo Bar Crawl:
$15
-
Ultimate Ruin Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Generation Pub Crawl Budapest:
$19
-
Ruin Pub Crawl - Your Keys to the Nightlife of Budapest:
$21
-
Budapest Pub Crawl:
$24
-
Pest side Pub Crawl - Unlimited drinks for an hour, discover hidden ruin pubs:
$25
-
Re-opening Pub Crawls 2020 Summer-Autumn:
$25
-
Budapest Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access:
$26
-
Epic Local Insider Pub Crawl in Budapest - Every weekend:
$30
-
Party Cruise with Pub Crawl option:
$37
-
Hungarian Wine Tasting (with Cheese and Charcuterie) in Budapest:
$40
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubrovnik
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubrovnik:
-
Sunset Sea Kayaking and Wine Tasting Tour Dubrovnik:
$44
-
Wine tasting and visit to Ston- Group Tour:
$60
-
Peljesac Peninsula Wine Tour from Dubrovnik:
$61
-
Day Tour of Korcula Island from Dubrovnik with Wine Tasting:
$63
-
FAMOUS LEGENDS OF PELJESAC and KORCULA with WINE TASTING:
$65
-
Island of Korcula with Wine Tasting Day Trip from Dubrovnik:
$69
-
Korčula tour with wine tasting from Dubrovnik:
$69
-
Wine tasting and visit to Ston:
$72
-
Wine Tasting Pelješac and a visit to Ston:
$72
-
Konavle Valley Wine Tour from Dubrovnik with Train Ride and Wine Tasting:
$75
-
Smiley wine tasting on peninsula Peljesac:
$76
-
Smiley Hercegovina wine tour:
$77
When comparing the travel costs between Budapest and Dubrovnik, we can see that Dubrovnik 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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