Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Cologne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cologne or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cologne or Krakow? 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: Cologne or Krakow?
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
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 Luxury Tours to Germany, The Best Budget Tours to Germany, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCologne €161Krakow €60
The average daily cost (per person) in Cologne is €161, while the average daily cost in Krakow is €60. 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 Cologne and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCologne €91Krakow €39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCologne €182Krakow €78
Compare Hotels in Cologne and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Cologne 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: Cologne Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cologne €19Krakow €6.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $109
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- 1945-1989 Communism Tour of Krakow Nowa Huta with Transfers: $160
- 1945-1989 Communism Tour of Krakow Nowa Huta with Transfers: $171
- Airport Transfer (Krakow - Katowice): $100
- Arrival Private Transfer from Krakow Airport KRK to Krakow City by Business Car: $39
- Arrival Private Transfer from Krakow Airport KRK to Krakow City by Luxury Van: $54
- Auschwitz - Birkenau Roundtrip Transfer with assistance: $17
- Auschwitz Birkenau Transfer Service- Private Driver from Krakow: $109
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Transfer from Krakow: $12
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum with Private Transfers from Krakow: $217
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum Guided Tour with Ticket and Transfer: $35
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour with Transfer, eBook and Optional Guide: $32
- Balice KRK airport OneWay PRIVATE TRANSFER to/from Krakow’s hotel: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Cologne or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Cologne 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 dayCologne €50Krakow €12
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner€14
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Donner Kebab€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $481
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.Cologne €20Krakow €19
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.20
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.21
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.28
- Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.88
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.36
- Cologne Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $6.95
- Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.48
- Cologne Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
Tours and Activities in Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kraków in a nutshell - walking tour: $1.24
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Old Town Audio-Guided Walking Tour with Headset: $3.72
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.28
- Old Town Audioguided walking Tour: $4.46
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entry Tickets: $4.71
- From Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour: $4.95
- Wawel Hill Tour with Audio Guide: $5.57
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entrance Tickets: $5.62
- From Kraków: Wieliczka Salt Mine Trip & Guided Tour: $6.19
- Skip the Line Ticket for Kościuszko Mound in Krakow: $6.59
- Wawel Hill Audioguide Tour: $6.69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCologne €23Krakow €6.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Public brewery tour in Cologne in English: $18
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $29
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
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 Cologne and Krakow, we can see that Cologne 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne 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 Cologne Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cologne or Krakow?
Cologne has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Cologne 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 Cologne or Krakow?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Cologne or Krakow in the Summer?
Both Krakow and Cologne are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Cologne because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
Cologne is around the same temperature as Krakow in the summer. The daily temperature in Cologne averages around 19°C (66°F) in July, and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
It's quite sunny in Krakow. Cologne usually receives less sunshine than Krakow during summer. Cologne gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Cologne usually receives less rain than Krakow. Cologne gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCologne 19°C (66°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Krakow in the Autumn?
Both Krakow and Cologne during the autumn are popular places to visit. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Cologne this time of year.
In the autumn, Cologne is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Cologne in October average around 12°C (54°F), and Krakow averages at about 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Cologne often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Krakow. Cologne gets 104 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Cologne usually gets more rain in October than Krakow. Cologne gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCologne 12°C (54°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Krakow in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Cologne and Krakow. Many travelers come to Cologne for the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Cologne. In January, Cologne is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Cologne average around 3°C (37°F), and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
Cologne usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during winter. Cologne gets 43 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Cologne usually receives more rain than Krakow. Cologne gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCologne 3°C (37°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Krakow in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Cologne as well as Krakow. Many visitors come to Cologne in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
Cologne is around the same temperature as Krakow in the spring. The daily temperature in Cologne averages around 10°C (50°F) in April, and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
In the spring, Cologne often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Cologne gets 152 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
Cologne usually gets more rain in April than Krakow. Cologne gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCologne 10°C (50°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Cologne
| Cologne | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (39°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (44°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 14°C (58°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (63°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 71 mm (2.8 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.