A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cologne vs. Quebec City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cologne or Quebec City?

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

Should I visit Cologne or Quebec City? 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 Quebec City?

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.

Quebec City

Quebec City is the capital of the Quebec province. It has a dramatic location on the cliffs by St. Lawrence Seaway and the city's Old Town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quebec is a mid sized city with a population of about 700,000. Most of the economy is administrative and bureaucratic, but the city has a very impressive history as the fortress capital of New France. French is the official language of the entire province, but most people in the tourist areas of Quebec City speak English.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, The Best Budget Tours to Germany, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Canada, and The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Quebec City or Cologne?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cologne is €161, while the average daily cost in Quebec City is €118. 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 Quebec City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cologne 91
    Quebec City 68
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cologne 182
    Quebec City 136
Compare Hotels in Cologne and Quebec City

Looking for a hotel in Cologne or Quebec City? 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 Cologne


Hotels in Quebec City


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 Quebec City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cologne 19
    Quebec City 15

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: $110
  • 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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quebec City

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Quebec City are as follows:


  • Parking in Quebec City
    3.40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quebec City

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quebec City:

  • From Grosse Île Tour & Cruise w/ Bus Transfer: $95
  • Le Terminal Quebec Cruise Port to Quebec - Arrival Private Transfer: $97
  • Le Terminal Quebec Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Quebec: $229
  • Le Terminal Quebec Port to Québec Airport (YQB) - Departure Private Transfer: $57
  • Le Terminal Quebec Port to Quebec city - Arrival Private Transfer: $97
  • Private Transfer from Jean Lesage Airport to Québec City: $51
  • Private Transfer from Québec City to Jean Lesage Airport: $51
  • Private Transfer from Quebec City Airport (YQB) to Saguenay Port: $93
  • Private Transfer from Quebec City Hotels to Saguenay Cruise Port: $93
  • Private Transfer from Quebec City to YQB airport: $108
  • Québec Airport (YQB) to Le Terminal Cruise Port -Arrival Transfer: $57
  • Québec Airport (YQB) to Le Terminal Quebec Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $114

Is it cheaper to fly into Cologne or Quebec City?

Prices for flights to both Quebec City 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Cologne 50
    Quebec City 34
Typical Food Prices in Cologne

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:


  • Dinner
    14
  • 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: $484

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quebec City

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quebec City.

  • Dinner Cruise with Dance and VIP Option: $132
  • Old Quebec 5-Course Gourmet Food Tour: $189
  • Combo Historical and Food Tour of the Old Quebec City: $192
  • Evening Gourmet Tour 5 Course Dinner - History and Food in Old Quebec City: $192

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cologne 20
    Quebec City 22

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: $3.22
  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
  • Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
  • Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
  • Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
  • Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
  • Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
  • Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
  • Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
  • Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
  • Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07

Tours and Activities in Quebec City

Here are a few actual costs in Quebec City for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Old Québec: First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
  • City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.31
  • Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $4.31
  • Québec City: Artillery Park Tour: $6.58
  • Walking Tour: Crimes, Revelations & Anecdotes in Quebec: $6.69
  • APP Self-Guided Tours Quebec with Audioguide: $8.74
  • Québec City: Saint-Louis Forts and Châteaux Guided Site Tour: $8.78
  • Uncover History of In-App Audio Tour: $11
  • Uncover History of In-App Audio Tour: $11
  • Observatoire de la Capitale Entry Ticket: $11
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • MNBAQ National Fine Arts Museum Entry Ticket: $12

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cologne 23
    Quebec City 17

Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:

  • Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
  • Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $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: $30
  • Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
  • The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
  • The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
  • Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64

Sample the Local Flavors in Quebec City

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Quebec City:

  • Honey and Distillery Tour with Tasting: $21
  • Craft Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour: $50
  • Island of Orleans Wine Tour: $91
  • Wine Tasting on Ile d'Orleans: $92
  • Quebec City : eTandem Rental on Ile d'Orleans-wine tasting: $116


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cologne and Quebec City, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Quebec City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cologne is in Europe and Quebec City is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Quebec City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Quebec City 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 Quebec City.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cologne Expensive? and Is Quebec City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cologne or Quebec City?

Cologne has a larger population, and is about 82% larger than the population of Quebec City. When comparing the sizes of Cologne and Quebec City, 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.