Should you visit Helsinki or Interlaken?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Helsinki and Interlaken can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital of Finland and dates back to 1550. Helsinki is an international metropolis with a diverse population, but also a small town vibe. The city itself has a population of just over 600,000 but the metropolitan area, including Espoo and Vantaa, has a population of more than 1.3 million. There are many outdoor bars and cafes that take advantage of the warmer summer months. During this time there are long days, and the population floods into the street after a long and cold winter, so visiting during the summer is a fun and lively experience.
Interlaken
Interlaken is a small city that is located in the Bernese Highlands Region of central Switzerland. It sits pleasantly between two Alpine Lakes, Brienzersee and Thunersee. This scenic setting and its easy accessibility make it a popular base camp for travel into the Bernese Oberland Alps. It has become a top tourist destination in Switzerland and it is also a hub for outdoor sports enthusiasts, as there are plenty of things to do in Interlaken in the summer. Interlaken is a great hoping off point to explore many of the nearby mountains, lakes, and valleys. It offers easy transportation to most major Swiss cities by train or car.
Which city is cheaper, Interlaken or Helsinki?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Helsinki is €112, while the average daily cost in Interlaken is €157. 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 Helsinki and Interlaken in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around €118 for a double occupancy room in Helsinki If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around €180 in Interlaken For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about €27 per day in Helsinki 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.
The average traveler spends about €43 per day in Interlaken 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
Helsinki €27
Interlaken €43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Helsinki
For Helsinki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Helsinki Food Tour Including Tastings:
$137
Typical Food prices in Interlaken
For Interlaken, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Helsinki than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €18 on transportation in Helsinki on average per day.
To get around in Interlaken, the average visitor spends €8.81 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Helsinki
Also for Helsinki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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VIP car Airport Transfer Helsinki:
$56
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VIP Transfer in Helsinki:
$71
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VIP Transfer Helsinki Airport:
$53
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VIP Airport transfers in Helsinki region:
$102
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VIP Airport transfers by new cars in Helsinki:
$102
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Ultra - Helsinki Private Transfer from Helsinki Cruise Port to City Centre:
$8.71
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Ultra - Helsinki Private Transfer from City Centre to Helsinki Cruise Port:
$8.71
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Private arrival OR departure transfer in Helsinki (airport or hotel pick up):
$185
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Private Transfer: Helsinki-Malmi Airpor (HEM) to Helsinki:
$622
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Private Transfer: Helsinki to Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport (HEL):
$622
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Private Transfer: Helsinki to Helsinki-Malmi Airpor (HEM):
$622
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Private Departure Transfer from Helsinki City to Helsinki Vantaa Airport:
$40
Typical Local Transportation prices in Interlaken
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Interlaken are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Interlaken
Also for Interlaken, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private transfer from Interlaken to Zurich Airport:
$485
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Private Transfer from interlaken City to Lucerne City:
$174
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Private Transfer from Interlaken to Geneva Airport:
$670
Is it cheaper to fly into Helsinki or Interlaken?
Prices for flights to both Interlaken and Helsinki 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
Sightseeing expenses in Helsinki, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €22 per day, per person.
In Interlaken, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €70 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Helsinki
For Helsinki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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2 Days tour to Moominworld and Turku Castle from Helsinki:
$955
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2-Hour Guided Tuk Tuk Tour in Helsinki:
$274
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2-Hours Helsinki Professional Photography Walking Tour:
$70
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2-Hours Photogenic Helsinki Walking Tour with a Local:
$67
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3.5 Hour Helsinki Highlights Private Tour:
$350
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5-hour sightseeing in Helsinki and Winterworld:
$199
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Architecture Tour of Helsinki with a city planner:
$68
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Artificial Intelligence City Tour of Helsinki:
$37
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City Sightseeing Helsinki Hop On Hop Off Tour:
$37
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City Sightseeing Helsinki Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour:
$37
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Classic style boating & Island experience with BBQ:
$187
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Daily Small Group Porvoo Tour:
$153
Tours and Activities in Interlaken
For Interlaken, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Aare River Gorge Walk Private Tour from Interlaken:
$238
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Aare River Gorge Walk Small-Group Tour from Interlaken:
$106
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Aare River Gorge Walk plus Lake Brienz Cruise - Private Tour from Interlaken:
$238
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Best of Bernese Oberland Tour from Interlaken:
$689
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Blue Lake & Öschinen lake - Private day tour from Interlaken:
$750
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Blue Lake and Winter wonderland - Private day tour from Interlaken:
$1,328
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GAILY TOUR in INTERLAKEN - Gay & Lesbian Tour:
$187
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High Ropes Adventure Park Admission in Interlaken:
$46
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Interlaken City Tour plus Harder Mountain (Top of Interlaken) Private Tour:
$247
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Interlaken Private Tour: Mountains Cows, Thun Lake, and Brienz Lake:
$421
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Interlaken Private Walking Tour with Professional Guide:
$415
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Funicular Ticket to Harder Kulm:
$19
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Helsinki spend on average €13 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Interlaken spend on average €11 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Helsinki and Interlaken, we can see that Interlaken is more expensive. And not only is Helsinki much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Helsinki would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Helsinki 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 Interlaken would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Interlaken than you might in Helsinki.
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