A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar vs. Budapest for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar or Budapest?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar and Budapest can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar or Budapest?

Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar

Located in northeast Romania, Cluj-Napoca is the capital of the Transylvania region and one of the nation's most-visited cities. Many visitors come to experience the modern Transylvanian university culture, admire historic churches and other landmarks, see fortress ruins, and visit museums.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Romania, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Romania, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Budapest, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest.


Which place is cheaper, Budapest or Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar is $85, while the average daily cost in Budapest is $90. 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 Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar and Budapest in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar $50
    Budapest $49
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar $100
    Budapest $98
Compare Hotels in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar and Budapest

Looking for a hotel in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar or Budapest? 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.

Hotels in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar


Hotels in Budapest


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: Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar Hotel Prices and Budapest Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar $14
    Budapest $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar:

  • Private Transfer Cluj Napoca Airport: $28

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $6.93
  • Metro Pass
    $3.81

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: $1,196
  • Budapest - Bük Transfer: $154
  • Budapest - Debrecen Transfer: $170
  • Budapest - Hungary to Bucharest - Romania /Private Transfer: $1,304
  • Budapest - Pécs Transfer: $151
  • Budapest - Vienna Private Car Transfer: $236
  • Budapest - Vienna Transfer: $232
  • Budapest - Vienna Transfer with Bratislava stop: $260
  • Budapest Airport - Budapest City Transfer: $35
  • Budapest Airport BUD Arrival Private Transfer to Budapest City: $91
  • Budapest Airport Private Departure Transfer : City to Airport: $16
  • Budapest Airport Private Transfer - Minibus for 8 people: $62

Is it cheaper to fly into Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar or Budapest?

Prices for flights to both Budapest and Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar $25
    Budapest $23

Typical Food Prices in Budapest

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:


  • Lunch
    $3.38

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest

For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Downtown Budapest Cruise with Pizza and Beer: $35
  • Pizza & Beer Downtown Budapest Cruise: $35
  • Traveling Spoon Hungarian Goulash Private Online Cooking Class: $40
  • Vegan Hungarian Food Tour (full meals): $51
  • Medieval Dinner Show with Drinks: $53
  • Evening Cruise and Dinner with Champagne: $74
  • Danube Cruise with Hungarian Dinner and Live Music: $75
  • Dinner & Cruise on the Danube with Folklore Dance Show & Live Music: $76
  • Dinner Cruise with Operetta and Folk Show: $86
  • 3 course Dinner Cruise with Operetta and Folk Show: $87
  • 3 course Dinner Cruise with Piano Battle Show: $87
  • Lángos (Hungary’s nr1 streetfood) cooking class: $88

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar $8.00
    Budapest $22

Tours and Activities in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar

Here are a few actual costs in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • CLUJ ADVENTURE TOUR ! ZIP LINE and HIKE: $99
  • Cluj : Private Walking Tour with Guide ( Private Tour ): $33
  • Cluj walking city tour: $58
  • Cluj-Napoca Walking City Tour: $39
  • Cluj-Napoca: 2.5-Hour Guided Walking Tour: $26
  • Curly Tour - Day trip from Cluj :): $88
  • Local Tour of Cluj by Electric Bike: $50
  • Night Tour in Hoia Baciu Forest: $94
  • Private Climbing OR Hiking Experience in Cheile Turzii: $77
  • Private Full Day Green Tour: $121
  • Snowshoeing Fun Tour from Cluj Napoca: $99
  • Transylvania: Dracula's Castle and Birthplace Tour: $120

Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest

For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Entrance to the Baths for Two
    $6.80

Tours and Activities in Budapest

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.

  • Historic Budapest Tour: $1.80
  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.26
  • Free Tour Budapest Essential in Spanish: $3.30
  • Communist History Evening Walking Tour of Budapest: $3.31
  • Original Budapest Walking Tour: $3.31
  • Budapest Historical Sightseeing - Walking Tour: $3.31
  • Escape Game and Tour: $5.97
  • Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.97
  • Discovering Budapest's hot pools and heroes: a self-guided audio tour: $5.99
  • Historical Heroes & Hot Spa Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • TOP 10 Budapest- City Tour : $6.00
  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.46

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar $6.83
    Budapest $18

Sample the Local Flavors in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar:

  • Pub Crawl in Cluj: $23

Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest

Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • 5-Hour Pub Crawl through Ruin Bars: $22
  • Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
  • Bingo Bar Crawl: $25
  • Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $29
  • Detective Pub Crawl Game by App: $38
  • Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $40
  • Drunken History Bar Crawl Tour with Local Drinks: $42
  • Private Wine Tasting in Budapest: $50
  • Hungarian Wine Tasting (with Cheese and Charcuterie) in Budapest: $50
  • Pub Crawl Through The Ruin Bars in Budapest with T-shirt Included: $54
  • All You Can Drink Pub Crawl Through The Ruin Bars in Budapest: $60
  • Wine Tasting Walk in Jewish Quarter Bars: $60


When comparing the travel costs between Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar and Budapest, 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.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar Expensive? and Is Budapest Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar or Budapest?

Budapest has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar. When comparing the sizes of Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvar and Budapest, 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.