Should you visit Dusseldorf or Baden-Baden?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Dusseldorf and Baden-Baden. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Dusseldorf
Dusseldorf is a city in western Germany divided by the Rhine River, with its Altstadt (Old Town) on the east bank and modern commercial areas to the west. Dusseldorf is a university town and a center of art and fashion. This old electoral capital is also a city of wide streets lined by elegant shops, with a ring of parks and gardens encircling its vibrant downtown area. As an important cultural center, Dusseldorf has dozens of museums and in excess of 100 art galleries encompassing everything from internationally renowned facilities, such as the impressive Art Collection North Rhine-Westphalia, to the smaller installations found in the city's trendy Konigsallee area. In the Altstadt, St. Lambertus Church and Schlossturm (Castle Tower) both date to the 13th century. Dusseldorf impresses with boundary-pushing architecture, lively nightlife, and an art scene to rival many higher-profile cities. It's a posh and modern city that likes to have a good time with bar-hopping around the Altstadt, the historical quarter along the Rhine. These tourist attractions, along with the city's location on the Rhine and its numerous wide squares and wonderful riverside walkways, make it a particularly pleasant place to spend time.
Baden-Baden
Baden Baden is the perfect spa town in Germany that lets you dip your toes in the culture, relax, and mingle with the locals all while soaking your weary travel bones in the nourishing mineral waters or sweating out the toxins from one too many German beers.
For a detailed guide on Baden Baden, including the bathhouses and spa etiquette, what else to do in and near Baden Baden and more, you can check out my complete guide to Baden Baden for the perfect spa weekend getaway.
Where is Baden Baden?
Baden Baden is located about 2 hours directly South of Frankfurt, making it the perfect day trip. Alternately, Baden Baden is still an easy day trip from Bavaria or other nearby regions of Germany or you can even create a whole weekend in the Black Forest, complete with Cuckoo Clock shopping and more. It's also not far from Stuttgart.
Which city is cheaper, Baden-Baden or Dusseldorf?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dusseldorf is €139, while the average daily cost in Baden-Baden is €123. 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 Dusseldorf and Baden-Baden in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €148 for a double occupancy room in Dusseldorf.
A hotel room in Baden-Baden is about €140 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
While meal prices in Dusseldorf can vary, the average travelers spends about €54 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Dusseldorf should cost around €22 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Dusseldorf is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
The average traveler spends about €33 per day in Baden-Baden 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Dusseldorf €54
Baden-Baden €33
Typical Food prices in Dusseldorf
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dusseldorf:
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Salami
€1.99
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Nutella
€1.00
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Yogurt
€1.00
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Dusseldorf is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €1.30 per person, per day, on local transportation in Dusseldorf.
The average price of local transportation around Baden-Baden is €27 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 Dusseldorf
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dusseldorf:
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Private Airport Transfer: from Dusseldorf to Dusseldorf Int. Airport (DUS):
$29
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Private Airport Transfer: Dusseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Dusseldorf:
$29
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Private Arrival Transfer from Düsseldorf Airport to Düsseldorf City:
$37
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Private Departure Transfer from Düsseldorf City to Düsseldorf Airport:
$37
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Arrival Private Transfer Dusseldorf Airport DUS to Dusseldorf City by Sedan Car:
$47
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Departure Private Transfer from Dusseldorf City to DUS Airport by Sedan Car:
$47
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Departure Private Business Transfer Dusseldorf to Train Station or Cruise Port:
$52
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Arrival Private Transfer from Dusseldorf Train Station or Port by Business Car:
$52
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Departure Private Transfer Dusseldorf City to Dusseldorf Airport by Business Car:
$52
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Arrival Private Transfer: Dusseldorf DUS Airport to City by Business Car:
$52
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Arrival Private Transfer Dusseldorf Airport DUS to Dusseldorf City by Minivan:
$57
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Arrival Private Transfer Dusseldorf DUS Airport to Dusseldorf City by Luxury Van:
$62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baden-Baden
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baden-Baden:
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Baden-Baden to Karlsruhe Airport (FKB) - Departure Private Car Transfer:
$60
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Baden-Baden to Karlsruhe Airport (FKB) - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$34
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Private transfer from Baden-Baden to Füssen or the opposite way:
$933
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Private transfert from Baden-Baden airport to Colmar or the opposite way:
$336
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Private transfert to Baden-Baden from Basel - Mulhouse or the opposite way:
$386
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Private transfert to Baden-Baden from Zurich or the opposite way:
$560
Is it cheaper to fly into Dusseldorf or Baden-Baden?
Prices for flights to both Baden-Baden and Dusseldorf 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
Entertainment and activities in Dusseldorf typically cost an average of €20 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Baden-Baden's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €27 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 Dusseldorf
Here are a few actual costs in Dusseldorf for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Düsseldorf: 1-hour Panorama Rhine River Cruise:
$12
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Düsseldorf Sightseeing round-trip Cruise:
$15
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Düsseldorf Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour and Rhine River Sightseeing Cruise:
$30
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Discover Dusseldorf in 60 Minutes with a Local - Walking Tour:
$34
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Dusseldorf’s Art and Culture Tour with a Local Guide:
$41
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Shopping tour- Roermond Outlet:
$46
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Shopping tour - Maasmechelen Village Belgium:
$46
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Best Intro Tour of Dusseldorf with a Local:
$61
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Düsseldorf Segway Tour: Classical City Experience:
$86
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Düsseldorf Segway Tour: Rhine River Experience:
$92
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2 Hour Segway Tour in Dusseldorf:
$92
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Dusseldorf Private Walking Tour:
$185
Tours and Activities in Baden-Baden
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Baden-Baden are as follows:
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Baden-Baden Private Walking Tour:
$199
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Private Black Forest Tour: Baden-Baden to Freiburg:
$248
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Baden - Baden Walking Tour:
$439
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The best of Baden-Baden walking tour:
$496
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Romantic tour in Baden-Baden:
$496
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The best of Passau walking tour:
$496
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Dusseldorf may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €19 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about €9.60 on alcoholic beverages in Baden-Baden per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Dusseldorf
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Dusseldorf are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Dusseldorf
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Dusseldorf:
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Brewery Tour Düsseldorf in English (inc. 4 beer):
$30
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4-Hour Pub Crawl Tour in Dusseldorf including Drinks:
$33
When comparing the travel costs between Dusseldorf and Baden-Baden, we can see that Dusseldorf 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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