Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Budapest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Budapest or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Krakow can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Budapest or Krakow?
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.
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 10-Day Tours from Budapest, The Best 2-Week Tours from Budapest, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBudapest $89Krakow $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Budapest is $89, while the average daily cost in Krakow is $64. 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 Budapest and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBudapest $49Krakow $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBudapest $98Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Budapest and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Budapest 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: Budapest Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Budapest $10Krakow $6.40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
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Short Taxi Ride$6.91
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Metro Pass$3.79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bucharest - Romania to Budapest - Hungary /Private Transfer: $1,181
- Budapest - Bük Transfer: $153
- Budapest - Bratislava Transfer: $199
- Budapest - Debrecen Transfer: $168
- Budapest - Hungary to Bucharest - Romania /Private Transfer: $1,289
- Budapest - Pécs Transfer: $149
- Budapest - Szeged Transfer: $134
- Budapest Airport BUD Arrival Private Transfer to Budapest City: $89
- Budapest Airport Private Departure Transfer : City to Airport: $16
- Budapest Airport Private Luxury Transfer by a Mercedes Benz S Class: $120
- Budapest Airport Transfer: $55
- Budapest Airport Transfer - Round trip to and from Liszt Ferenc Airport: $78
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Private Transfer to or from Berlin: $929
- Private Transfer to or from Budapest: $867
- Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $747
- From Gdansk or One-Way Private Transfer: $669
- Private Transfer to or from Bratislava: $619
- Private transfer! Warsaw Chopin Airport - Krakow City Center: $470
- Private transfer from Krakow to Budapest or from Budapest to Krakow: $299
- Private door-to-door transfer from Krakow to Budapest: $291
- Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
- Transfer from Krakow (Balice airport) to Krynica Zdroj : $283
- Private Transfer Airport to Warszawa Okęcie: $278
- Private transfer from Katowice AirPort to Krakow City: $272
Is it cheaper to fly into Budapest or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBudapest $23Krakow $13
Typical Food Prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
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Lunch$3.37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traveling Spoon Hungarian Goulash Private Online Cooking Class: $40
- Downtown Budapest Cruise with Pizza and Beer: $45
- Pizza & Beer Downtown Budapest Cruise: $46
- Vegan Hungarian Food Tour (full meals): $51
- Medieval Dinner Show with Drinks: $52
- Private Street Food Tour: $59
- Danube Cruise with Hungarian Dinner and Live Music: $74
- Budapest Danube Cruise with Buffet Dinner, Performances and Music: $75
- Evening Cruise and Dinner with Champagne: $86
- Lángos (Hungary’s nr1 streetfood) cooking class: $87
- Candlelit Dinner River Cruise with Live Music: $91
- Budapest Danube River Candlelit Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $93
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.Budapest $22Krakow $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Entrance to the Baths for Two$6.77
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Free Tour Budapest Essential in Spanish: $3.26
- Budapest Historical Sightseeing - Walking Tour: $3.27
- Free walking tour in the Buda Castle incl. Fisherman's Bastion: $3.27
- Free Walking Tour Budapest incl. the Shoes on the Danube Bank: $3.27
- Communist History Evening Walking Tour of Budapest: $3.27
- Past and Present of Budapest Jewish District Tour: $3.27
- Self Guided City Audio Tour in Buda Castle: $5.45
- Escape Game and Tour: $5.88
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.88
- Historical Heroes & Hot Spa Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- TOP 10 Budapest- City Tour : $6.00
Tours and Activities in Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $64
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Wieliczka Salt Mine 1-Day Tour: $141
- Rynek Underground Museum Guided Tour: $25
- Rynek Underground Museum, Old Town and St. Mary's Basilica Tour: $50
- 1 Day Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Guided Tour Hotel Pick up: $44
- 1 Day Trip Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $34
- 1-Hour Tour to Krakow's Old Town by Electric Golf Cart: $21
- 120 min Old Town Segway Tour in Krakow: $49
- 2 Days Tour in Wawel Hill, Jewish Quarter and Wieliczka with Guide and Lunch: $187
- 2 Hour Private Pinball and Arcade Museum Tour from Krakow: $273
- 2 Hours Old Town Guided Bike Tour in Krakow: $27
- 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour in The Old Town of Krakow: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBudapest $18Krakow $6.75
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- The Original Budapest Pub Crawl - One Hour Open Bar + Free Shots: $17
- 5-Hour Pub Crawl through Ruin Bars: $21
- Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
- Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $25
- Budapest Original Ruin Pub Crawl Including 5 Shots: $28
- Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $29
- Detective Pub Crawl Game by App: $38
- 8-Tier Hungarian Wine Tasting in a Cozy Downtown Wine Bar: $38
- Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $42
- Drunken History Bar Crawl Tour with Local Drinks: $42
- Hungarian Wine Tasting (with Cheese and Charcuterie) in Budapest: $50
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 Budapest and Krakow, we can see that Budapest 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 Budapest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Budapest 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 Budapest Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Budapest or Krakow?
Budapest has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Budapest 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 Budapest or Krakow?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Budapest or Krakow in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Budapest as well as Krakow. Most visitors come to Budapest for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Budapest is around the same temperature as Krakow. Typically, the summer temperatures in Budapest in July average around 21°C (70°F), and Krakow averages at about 19°C (67°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Krakow. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Budapest this time of the year. In the summer, Budapest often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Budapest gets 278 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun.
Budapest usually gets less rain in July than Krakow. Budapest gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBudapest 21°C (70°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Budapest or Krakow in the Autumn?
Both Krakow and Budapest are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Budapest because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Budapest is generally around the same temperature as Krakow. Daily temperatures in Budapest average around 12°C (53°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Budapest usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during autumn. Budapest gets 152 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Budapest usually receives less rain than Krakow. Budapest gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBudapest 12°C (53°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Budapest or Krakow in the Winter?
Both Krakow and Budapest during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Budapest this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Krakow. It's quite cold in Budapest in the winter. Budapest is much warmer than Krakow in the winter. The daily temperature in Budapest averages around -1°C (31°F) in January, and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
In the winter, Budapest often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Budapest gets 61 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun.
Budapest usually gets more rain in January than Krakow. Budapest gets 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBudapest -1°C (31°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Budapest or Krakow in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Budapest and Krakow. Many travelers come to Budapest for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Budapest is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the spring temperatures in Budapest in April average around 12°C (53°F), and Krakow averages at about 10°C (50°F).
Budapest usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during spring. Budapest gets 178 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Budapest usually receives less rain than Krakow. Budapest gets 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBudapest 12°C (53°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Budapest
| Budapest | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -1°C (31°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 2°C (35°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (44°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (53°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 16°C (62°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (67°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 21°C (69°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 17°C (63°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (53°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 6°C (42°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 1°C (34°F) | 48 mm (1.9 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.