Should you visit Chania or Ios?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Chania or Ios, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Chania
Chania is a city on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. Chania is Crete's most evocative city, with its pretty Venetian quarter, crisscrossed by narrow lanes, culminating at a magnificent harbor. At the harbor entrance is a 16th-century lighthouse with Venetian, Egyptian, and Ottoman influences. On the other side, the Nautical Museum has model ships, naval objects and photographs. The former monastery of St. Francis houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania. Remnants of Venetian and Turkish architecture abound, with old townhouses now transformed into atmospheric restaurants and boutique hotels. Although all this beauty means the old town is packed with tourists in summer, it's still a great place to unwind. The Venetian Harbor is super for a stroll and a coffee or cocktail. Plus it’s got a university and a modern area to the city, which means that it retains its charm in winter. Indie boutiques and an entire lane dedicated to leather products provide good shopping and, with a multitude of creative restaurants, you’ll likely have some of your best meals on Crete here.
Ios
Ios is an island in the south of Greece, located in the Cyclades group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a peaceful beach getaway by day, and a lively party scene by night. While its main town is the hub for nightlife, it is also a charming place during the day, typical of a traditional Greek village with shops and cafes against a backdrop of whitewashed buildings and turquoise waters.
Which city is cheaper, Ios or Chania?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Chania is €74, while the average daily cost in Ios is €73. 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 Chania and Ios in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Chania is about €72 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €31. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Ios the cost is €62 on average.
Food
The average traveler spends about €26 per day in Chania for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
While meal prices in Ios can vary, the average travelers spends about €26 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Ios should cost around €10 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Ios is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Chania €26
Ios €26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chania
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chania.
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Chania Food Tours:
$79
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Authentic Cooking Class in the White Mountains:
$95
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The Delicious Chania PRIVATE Food Tour:
$100
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The Real Cretan Cooking Experience:
$101
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Private Walking Food Tour in Chania:
$117
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Semi Private Wine Tasting & Dinner at Sunset:
$131
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Crete Bohemian Sunset Small Group Tour with Wine Tasting and Dinner:
$156
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Full Day Bygone Crete Cooking Class Adventure:
$185
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Full-day Sfakia Region Tour from Hiking, Cooking Class, Wine Tasting:
$209
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Sunset at Machairida beach , dinner , staying overnight on board ...:
$1,914
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around €12 per day to get around in Chania.
The average price of local transportation around Ios is €13 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chania
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chania:
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Private Airport Transfer: from Chania to Chania International Airport (CHQ):
$26
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From Rethymno: Chania Roundtrip Transfer with Free Time:
$32
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Private Transfer to/from Chania Airport (CHQ):
$66
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Guided Boat Tour to Balos & Gramvousa with Transfer & Lunch:
$77
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Aiport and Georgioupolis area Transfer Service:
$85
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Crete: Private Transfer from or to Ports & Airports:
$91
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Crete Private Transfer from Chania city to Heraklion (HER) Airport:
$291
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Private Transfer from Chania to Sitia (JSH) Airport:
$581
Is it cheaper to fly into Chania or Ios?
Prices for flights to both Ios and Chania 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
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around €17 per person, per day in Chania. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Ios's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €21 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.
Tours and Activities in Chania
Here are a few actual costs in Chania for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Chania's Turbulent History: Uncover the stories of its Old Town on an audio tour:
$5.00
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Georgioupolis: Bus Tour to Kissamos Port/Balos Cruise:
$17
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Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Walking Tour:
$31
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40-Minute Chania Sightseeing Tour by Trikke:
$35
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Imbros Gorge and Libyan Sea Day Tour:
$35
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From Rethymno & Elafonissi Island Day Tour by Bus:
$35
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Good Morning Chania Bike Tour:
$37
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Guided Bike Tour:
$44
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Splantzia & Kum Kapi Tour:
$49
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Small-Group Old City and Harbor Segway Tour in Chania:
$49
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Chania Exploration Bike Tour:
$49
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Chania Old Town Trikke Tour- A Journey through the Centuries:
$50
Tours and Activities in Ios
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ios are as follows:
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Ios Speed Boat Adventure:
$54
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From Ios to Sikinos Island & Winery Tour:
$96
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Half Day Sunset Sailboat tour (afternoon):
$210
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Chania may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €15 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about €26 on alcoholic beverages in Ios per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Chania
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Chania:
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Off-Road Tour at Sunset with Wine Tasting:
$89
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Private food tasting tour (with optional wine tasting) in Chania Crete:
$100
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Half-Day Small-Group Wine Tour in Chania:
$102
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Milia Mountain Safari with Wine Tasting and Lunch:
$142
When comparing the travel costs between Chania and Ios, we can see that Chania 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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