Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Hamburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hamburg or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Hamburg and Krakow can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Hamburg or Krakow?
Hamburg
Hamburg is most noted for its port, which is the largest in Germany and the second busiest in Europe. Despite it's size, it is actually located about 100 kilometers from the North Sea on the River Elbe. The popularity of this port has given Hamburg the nickname as Germany's Gateway to the World. The city itself is the second largest in Germany and the metropolitan area has a population of over 4 million people.
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 10-Day Tours from Berlin, The Best 2-Week Tours from Berlin, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHamburg €117Krakow €60
The average daily cost (per person) in Hamburg is €117, 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 Hamburg and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHamburg €54Krakow €39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHamburg €108Krakow €78
Compare Hotels in Hamburg and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Hamburg 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: Hamburg Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hamburg €29Krakow €6.00
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hamburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Hamburg:
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Short Distance Ubahn Ticket€1.70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hamburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hamburg:
- Hamburg hotels to Ostseekai Kiel Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $118
- Arrival Private Transfer from Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg: $41
- Arrival Private Transfers from Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg City: $108
- Arrival Private Transfers from Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg City: $86
- Arrival Private Transfers from Hamburg Airport XFW to Hamburg City: $76
- Departure Private Transfers from Hamburg City to Hamburg Airport HAM: $108
- Departure Private Transfers from Hamburg City to Hamburg Airport HAM: $86
- Departure Private Transfers from Hamburg City to Hamburg Airport XFW: $76
- Departure Private Transfers from Hamburg City to Hamburg Airport XFW: $92
- Fredericia Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Hamburg city: $585
- Hamburg Airport (HAM) to Ostseekai Kiel Cruise Port-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $235
- Hamburg Airport (HAM): Private Transfer to Hamburg hotels: $176
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 Hamburg or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Hamburg 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 dayHamburg €35Krakow €12
Typical Food Prices in Hamburg
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hamburg:
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Pink Thai Soup Dinner and Spring Rolls€15
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Currywurst and Pommes Frites€5.00
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Donner Kebab and Coke€6.00
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Traditional Hamburg Dinner w/ Beer€15
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Donner Kebab Lunch€4.00
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Sandwich and Coffee Break€6.00
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Fish Sandwich from Fish Market€3.50
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Coffee and Donut€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hamburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hamburg.
- St. Pauli kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- Elphi Plaza und HafenCity kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $59
- Original Musical Dinner Cruise 2024: $117
- Hamburg Private Food Tours with a Local: 100% Personalized : $186
- St. Pauli: Guided Food Tour with 5 Tastings: $481
- Elbphilharmonie Plaza and HafenCity Food Tour: $588
- Elbphilharmonie Plaza and HafenCity Food Tour: $588
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.Hamburg €39Krakow €19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hamburg
Here are a few typical costs in Hamburg for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tower at St. Michael's Church€3.50
Tours and Activities in Hamburg
Here are a few actual costs in Hamburg for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Selfguided Audiotour "Speicherstadt and HafenCity": $3.20
- Selfguided Audiotour "Old Town and City Center": $3.20
- Deutsche Hafen & St.Pauli Bezahl-Was-ihr-wollt Tour zu Fuß: $3.21
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $3.21
- Harbor&St. Pauli Pay-What-You-Want 2-Hour Walking Tour: $3.21
- English Hamburg City Center Pay-What-You-Want Walking Tour: $3.21
- German Hamburg Historic City Center Pay-What-You-Want Tour: $3.21
- English Harbor&St.Pauli Pay-What-You-Want Walking Tour: $3.21
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- The Local Tour of Hamburg Historic Centre: $3.26
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.28
- Exclusive Self-Guided Audio Tour in St. Pauli: $4.60
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 dayHamburg €17Krakow €6.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Hamburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Hamburg:
- Night Pub Crawl through The Repperbahn: $21
- Weekend Night Pub Crawl through the Reeperbahn: $34
- Pub Crawl - Ultimate party pub crawl incl. One-hour drinks flat rate: $44
- Hamburg Pub Crawl including 1 hour flatrate for beer: $51
- Bachelor(ette) Premium Party with Pub Crawl: $401
- Private Pub Crawl Tour: $401
- Private Premium Pub Crawl: $513
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 Hamburg and Krakow, we can see that Hamburg 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 Hamburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hamburg 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 Hamburg Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hamburg or Krakow?
Hamburg has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Hamburg 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 Hamburg 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 Hamburg or Krakow in the Summer?
Both Krakow and Hamburg are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Hamburg for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Hamburg is cooler than Krakow in the summer. The daily temperature in Hamburg averages around 17°C (62°F) in July, and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
It's quite sunny in Krakow. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Hamburg. Hamburg usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Krakow during summer. Hamburg gets 207 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Hamburg usually receives around the same amount of rain as Krakow. Hamburg gets 82 mm (3.2 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 JulyHamburg 17°C (62°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Hamburg or Krakow in the Autumn?
Both Krakow and Hamburg during the autumn are popular places to visit. The autumn months attract visitors to Hamburg because of the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Hamburg is around the same temperature as Krakow. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Hamburg in October average around 10°C (50°F), and Krakow averages at about 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Hamburg often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Krakow. Hamburg gets 101 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Hamburg usually gets more rain in October than Krakow. Hamburg gets 63 mm (2.5 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 OctoberHamburg 10°C (50°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Hamburg or Krakow in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Hamburg and Krakow. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Hamburg this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Krakow. It's quite cold in Hamburg in the winter. In January, Hamburg is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Hamburg average around 0°C (33°F), and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
Hamburg usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during winter. Hamburg gets 42 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Hamburg usually receives more rain than Krakow. Hamburg 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 JanuaryHamburg 0°C (33°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Hamburg or Krakow in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Hamburg as well as Krakow. Many travelers come to Hamburg for the natural beauty.
Hamburg is cooler than Krakow in the spring. The daily temperature in Hamburg averages around 8°C (46°F) in April, and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
In the spring, Hamburg often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Hamburg gets 161 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
Hamburg usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Krakow. Hamburg gets 51 mm (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 AprilHamburg 8°C (46°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Hamburg
| Hamburg | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 0°C (33°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 1°C (34°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 4°C (39°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 8°C (46°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 57 mm (2.3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (60°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (62°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 17°C (62°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 14°C (57°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 10°C (50°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 2°C (35°F) | 72 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.