Should you visit Budapest or Ljubljana?
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 Ljubljana 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.
Ljubljana
Most people don't travel to Ljubljana to see specific sights, as there aren't many famous attractions around town. Instead, this is a city that is about atmosphere. It's a city that you explore and immerse yourself in completely. You meet the people, you go to the clubs, you find the interesting restaurants. That is the best way to learn about Ljubljana.
Which city is cheaper, Ljubljana or Budapest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Budapest is $89, while the average daily cost in Ljubljana is $82. 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 Ljubljana in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $98 in Budapest For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The prices for places to stay in Ljubljana can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $51, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $102.
Food
Food in Budapest costs travelers about $22 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.
The price of a meal in Ljubljana can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $16 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $6.40 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Budapest $22
Ljubljana $16
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 Ljubljana
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ljubljana:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ljubljana
For Ljubljana, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Lunch or Dinner trip to a typical Slovenian restaurant:
$40
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour Ljubljana Tale of the River:
$53
-
Dinner in the Dark:
$75
-
Food Tour Ljubljana:
$81
-
Ljubljana 4-Hour Food Tour:
$86
-
Flavour of Slovenia: Very Small Group Food Tour in Ljubljana:
$86
-
Cooking Class Ljubljana:
$111
-
Slovenian Dinner Experience:
$131
-
Food Tour - Honey, Cheese and Sausages Culinary Adventure from Ljubljana:
$132
-
Ljubljana city tour and Traditional Slovenian Cooking class:
$222
-
Velenje mine underground dinner experience - Private tour from Ljubljana:
$1,041
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 $11 on transportation in Budapest on average per day.
To get around in Ljubljana, the average visitor spends $20 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
-
Short Taxi Ride
$8.61
-
Metro Pass
$4.73
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 airport Budapest (BUD) to Ljubljana:
$664
-
Private Transfer from Budapest to Prague:
$664
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ljubljana
Also for Ljubljana, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Transfer from Ljubljana to Sarajevo Airport (SJJ):
$1,349
-
Private transfer from Ljubljana to Milan:
$758
-
Private transfer from Ljubljana to Munich:
$736
-
Private transfer from Ljubljana to Split:
$699
-
Private transfer from Ljubljana to airport Budapest (BUD):
$673
-
Transfer from Ljubljana (airport) to Split:
$659
-
Private transfer: Ljubljana to Ljubljana Airport (LJU):
$622
-
Private transfer from Ljubljana to Vienna:
$579
-
Private transfer from Ljubljana to Zadar:
$517
-
Private transfer from Ljubljana to lake Balaton:
$497
-
Ljubljana - Vienna transfer:
$495
-
Private transfer from Ljubljana to Venice:
$414
Is it cheaper to fly into Budapest or Ljubljana?
Prices for flights to both Ljubljana 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 $23 per day, per person.
In Ljubljana, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $14 per person, per day.
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 Ljubljana
For Ljubljana, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Ljubljana
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ljubljana.
-
Alpine Lakes Tour:
$100
-
Axe Throwing Experience in Ljubljana:
$26
-
Beer tour of Slovenia - The Ultimate Beer Experience:
$2,320
-
Beery Slovenia Tour:
$182
-
Best of Ljubljana, Classical walking tour of Capital city:
$22
-
Best of Piran, Portoroz, Strunjan, Izola, Koper (PRIVATE V.I.P. TOUR):
$211
-
Bike Tour Ljubljana:
$62
-
Bled & Bohinj Experience Tour:
$144
-
Bled Lake Adventure Day Trip from Ljubljana:
$90
-
Bled Lake Day Tour From Ljubljana:
$90
-
Bled and Bohinj Lake Bike Tour from Ljubljana:
$214
-
Broken Bones Gin Experience:
$50
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 Ljubljana, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $10.
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
Typical Alcohol prices in Ljubljana
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ljubljana are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Ljubljana
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Ljubljana:
-
Pub Crawl Ljubljana:
$20
-
Wine Tasting, Slovenian Wine Story:
$49
-
Wine tasting:
$56
-
Ljubljana Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience:
$58
-
Ljubljana Wine tour:
$81
-
Vipava Valley wine tasting experience:
$98
-
Wine Tour: Half-Day Tour:
$139
-
Medieval Ptuj and Maribor Private Day Trip with Wine Tasting from Ljubljana or Bled:
$145
-
Vipava valley wine tour TuamV:
$158
-
Wine Tours in Slovenia:
$174
-
Maribor Exclusive Wine Tour:
$175
-
Wine Tour Slovenia:
$193
When comparing the travel costs between Budapest and Ljubljana, we can see that Budapest 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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