Which place is cheaper, Varenna or Cappadocia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cappadocia or Varenna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cappadocia or Varenna? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cappadocia or Varenna?
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is in Central Anatolia, between the mountains Erciyes, Melendiz and Hasan. It is famous for its underground cities, fairy chimneys, and caves. The landscape of the area is some of the most unique you'll ever see. The fairy chimneys are bizarrely shaped rock outcroppings that have evolved from the unique geography in the area. There are hiking trails through the series of valleys that make up the area. It's a great place to explore for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
Varenna
A golden light cascades from the heavens, bathing the misty blue mountains in a honey haze. The shivering waters of Lake Como blend the gentle blues and yellows of the sky to a tea rose pink that sits under white sailboats. A quaint village hustled around lush gardens, Varenna, Italy is an attractive fishing village that dates back to the eleventh century. Founded in 769 AD by fisherman, the town was originally destroyed in 1126 AD by the rival town Como, only to be restored refugees from the Isola Comacina whose town was also destroyed. Located on the eastern shore of the lake in the province of Lecco, Varenna is filled with a romantic air from its old Italian fisherman houses to the picturesque lanes. Unlike the towns of Bellagio or Milan, Varenna holds a particular authenticity to Italian culture without the burdens of tourist-ridden streets and hotel-packed areas. As Lake Como works as the main attraction of Varenna, the village provides its visitors with a wide array of entertainment on its pebbly beaches. Besides this, Varenna is also known for its exquisite gardens of two villas, Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi. Besides this, Varenna also has museums just waiting to be explored. Take a tranquil retreat to Varenna!
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Istanbul, The Best 2-Week Tours from Istanbul, The Best Budget Tours to Italy, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCappadocia $151Varenna $176
The average daily cost (per person) in Cappadocia is $151, while the average daily cost in Varenna is $176. 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 Cappadocia and Varenna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCappadocia $53Varenna $92
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCappadocia $106Varenna $184
Compare Hotels in Cappadocia and Varenna
Looking for a hotel in Cappadocia or Varenna? 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: Cappadocia Hotel Prices and Varenna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cappadocia $51Varenna $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cappadocia
Also for Cappadocia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Whirling Dervishes Show in Cappadocia w/ Free Hotel Transfer: $20
- VIPPrivate Airport Transfer From or To Kayseri & Nevsehir Airport: $49
- Transfer from Kayseri and Nevsehir Airport Cappadocia mercedes for 16 people: $163
- Transfer from Kayseri Airport to Cappadocia Hotels (Small Group): $16
- Shuttle Transfer from Cappadocia Hotels to "Kayseri Erkilet Airport": $22
- Shared Shuttle Airport or Hotel Transfer in Cappadocia: $16
- Shared Airport Transfer to Nevsehir Airport From Cappadocia: $22
- Shared Airport Transfer from Nevsehir Airport to Cappadocia: $22
- Shared Airport Transfer From Nevsehir/Kayseri Airports to Hotels: $15
- Private transfer from Nevşehir airport (NAV) to any hotel in Cappadocia: $104
- Private Transfers Nevşehir Apt to/from Kaymaklı or Özkonak Underground Cities: $131
- Private Transfers Kayseri Erkılet Airport to/from Cappadocia Region: $131
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Varenna
Also for Varenna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Varenna : Private transfer to/from Malpensa Airport: $358
Is it cheaper to fly into Cappadocia or Varenna?
Prices for flights to both Varenna and Cappadocia 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 dayCappadocia $50Varenna $57
Typical Food Prices in Cappadocia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cappadocia:
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Cookies$0.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Turkish Night Show in Cave Restaurant with Dinner and Transfer: $44
- Cappadocia Turkish Night in Avanos Dinner Included: $48
- Cappadocia Traditional Turkish Night with Dinner (in Authentic Cave Restaurant): $53
- Cappadocia Night: Turkish Dance & Dinner : $60
- Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner and Entertainments: $62
- Cappadocian cooking - hands-on class with pickup: $64
- Romantic Cappadocia Sunset Dinner and Wine : $65
- Turkish Night Show With Dinner in a Cave Restaurant: $65
- Turkish night show with dinner and unlimited free alcohol: $69
- Cappadocia Cave Restaurant for Dinner and Turkish Entertainments: $71
- Half-Day Private Food Tour in Kayseri: $75
- Romantic Cappadocia Private Sunset Dinner With Wild Food : $78
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Varenna
For Varenna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Class at a Local's Home: $155
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cappadocia $95Varenna $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Underground City Entrance for Two$0.93
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Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two$18
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Horseback Riding for Two$3.55
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Cappadocia Driving Tour$3.78
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Goreme Museum Entrance Fee$0.46
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Whirling Dervishes Show$3.09
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Turkish Bath$2.16
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Hot air ballooning$13
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Goreme open air museum$0.62
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Bellydancing Show$4.02
Tours and Activities in Cappadocia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cappadocia.
- 2 Days Cappadocia Red & Erciyes Ski Tour: $220
- 2 days Cappadocia Full Turkish night Show, Atv & Red Tour: $175
- ATV (Quad) Tour in Cappadocia-2 Hours: $49
- Cappadocia Red Tour Small Group: $98
- Cappadocia relax tour car and driver: $131
- Private Day Tour Natural Beauties of Cappadocia and Underground Caves: $283
- 1 Hour ATV Tour: $27
- 1-Hour Hot Air Balloon Tour in Cappadocia Goreme Valley: $250
- 2 Days Private Guided Cappadocia Tour with Pick Up: $225
- 2 Days Red and Green tour: $163
- 2 Hour Cappadocia Atv Experience : $40
- 2 Hour Cappadocia Jeep Safari Tour: $101
Tours and Activities in Varenna
For Varenna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Bellagio: Private Tour on Vintage Wooden Boat: $664
- Lake Como: Grand Private Tour 5 hours Invictus boat: $1,551
- Private Luxury Boat Tour of Lake Como with Stops & Drinks: $491
- Sunset shared boat tour with aperitif from Varenna: $118
- Dining Experience at a Local's Home: $112
- Lake Como Shared Boat Tour: $32
- Lake Como Sightseeing Cruise (90 minutes): $43
- Picnic Experience in the Italian Alps: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCappadocia $18Varenna $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Cappadocia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cappadocia:
- Cappadocia Nightlife Experience: Bar and Pub Crawl Tour: $32
- Wine tasting in Cappadocia: $64
- Cappadocia Wine Cellar and Wine Yard with Wine Tasting: $79
- Full-day Cappadocia Tour with wine tasting and clay shaping : $90
- Wine Tasting and Sunset in Cappadocia: $196
Sample the Local Flavors in Varenna
Also in Varenna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine Tasting and Entry Ticket to Castello di Vezio: $112
- Wine Tasting and Entry Ticket to Villa Monastero: $134
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cappadocia and Varenna, we can see that Varenna is more expensive. And not only is Cappadocia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cappadocia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cappadocia 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 Varenna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Varenna than you might in Cappadocia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cappadocia Expensive? and Is Varenna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cappadocia or Varenna?
Cappadocia has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Varenna. When comparing the sizes of Cappadocia and Varenna, 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.
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.