Which place is cheaper, Playa Blanca or Heraklion?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Heraklion or Playa Blanca?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Heraklion and Playa Blanca can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Heraklion or Playa Blanca?
Heraklion
The largest city on the island of Crete, Heraklion on first glance is almost completely modern - a frenzy of traffic, concrete, and dust. Do not expect pristine beaches and glittering waves (those can be found on other parts of Crete). Heraklion is first and foremost a city. Once you get past its grittiness, you will find that there are some attractive features beneath first impressions. The antiquity of the place lies embedded in the modern and is presented in one of the best museums in Greece, the food is excellent, and the people are friendly and welcoming. And though the sea is not great for swimming, its presence along the Venetian port will take you to another time if you need a break from Heraklion's bustling center.
Playa Blanca
Located on the southern tip of the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca is a resort area popular with families and couples seeking a quieter vacation alternative to the lively neighbor resort of Puerto del Carmen. The resort's white sandy beaches are peaceful and sheltered from the higher winds found on other parts of the island. Timanfaya National Park is also nearby, as well as a number of other spectacular volcanic features.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHeraklion €158Playa Blanca €155
The average daily cost (per person) in Heraklion is €158, while the average daily cost in Playa Blanca is €155. 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 Heraklion and Playa Blanca in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHeraklion €81Playa Blanca €81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHeraklion €162Playa Blanca €162
Compare Hotels in Heraklion and Playa Blanca
Looking for a hotel in Heraklion or Playa Blanca? 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: Heraklion Hotel Prices and Playa Blanca Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Heraklion €31Playa Blanca €49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Heraklion
Also for Heraklion, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Wine Tasting Experience @ Lyrarakis Winery (Transfer Included): $119
- VIP Private Transfer: Heraklion - Analipsi Hotels & Villas: $62
- Transfers in Crete from-to Airports/Ports/Hotels/Villas: $128
- Transfer Services From Heraklion To Rethymno Hotels: $96
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to SITIA area up to 7 customers: $280
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to RETHIMNO CITY area up to 7 : $157
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to PLAKA ELOUNTA area up to 7: $148
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to Makris Gialos area up to 7 : $228
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to MATALA area up to 7 customers: $149
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to MALIA area up to 7 customers: $80
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to KOUTOULOUFARI area up to 7 : $62
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to KOKKINI HANI area up to 7 customers: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Heraklion or Playa Blanca?
Prices for flights to both Playa Blanca and Heraklion 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 dayHeraklion €52Playa Blanca €45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Heraklion
For Heraklion, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Troy Dinner-Show: $33
- Spectacular Dinner-Show: $44
- From Village Cretan Night, Live Dancers & dinner: $48
- Cretan Night with Dinner & Live Show: $49
- Crete: Olive Oil Festival, Farm Dinner, Live Show & Pickup: $59
- Cretan Farm with scenic view: Olive Mill Festival & dinner: $64
- Amazing Sunset Safari Route with Dinner: $84
- Cook with Locals | Cretan cooking Class at Archanes (transfer - lunch included): $86
- Crete: Land Rover Safari with Sunset Viewing, Dinner, & Wine: $90
- Full-Day Jeep Safari Tour with Cooking Lesson: $97
- Food tour tasting walking tour: $123
- E-bike Food Tour Tasting in Heraklion : $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Heraklion €38Playa Blanca €20
Tours and Activities in Heraklion
For Heraklion, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4x4 Safari tour Southern Crete Tripitis Gorge: $108
- Adventure Safari Tour Secrets of the southern Crete : $100
- Ηeraklion Walking Tour with Archaeological Museum: $82
- 3-Hour Trekking Mount Karfi Adventure with pickup from Heraklion: $118
- 4-Hour Giouchtas Trekking Hiking Experience from Heraklion: $90
- 4x4 self drive adventure_Cretan mainland: $87
- Adventure Jeep Safari Amazing sunset : $85
- Agios Nikolaos-Spinalonga-Elounda Tour TR: $47
- All Year Tour to Knossos Palace & Heraklion: $618
- All-Day Knossos Palace Tour & Olive Mill Visit: $695
- Archaeological Museum of Heraklion Tour: $86
- Archaeological Museum of Guided Walking Tour: $86
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHeraklion €26Playa Blanca €9.29
Sample the Local Flavors in Heraklion
Also in Heraklion, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine Tasting E-Bike Tour: $95
- Ecobike Wine Tasting Tour in Heraklion: $115
- Ecobike Tour with Wine Tasting: $118
- Luxury Private Wine Tasting Experience in Haralabakis Winery: $119
- Half Day Small Group Wine Tour with wine Tastings: $125
- Half Day Semi Private Wine Tour with Tastings: $134
- Semi Private Heraklion Valley Wine Tour with Lunch: $159
- The Gourmet Wine Tour of Heraklion area: $180
- Private SUV Wine Tour with Lunch: $183
- Full Day Private Crete Wine Tour Experience from Heraklion : $190
- Full day Knossos Palace, Local Distillery, Lunch @ Archanes: $192
- Knossos, Olive Mill, Winery - Distillery with Tastings & Lunch : $196
When comparing the travel costs between Heraklion and Playa Blanca, we can see that Heraklion 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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Heraklion Expensive? and Is Playa Blanca Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Heraklion or Playa Blanca?
Heraklion has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Playa Blanca. When comparing the sizes of Heraklion and Playa Blanca, 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 Heraklion or Playa Blanca?
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 Heraklion or Playa Blanca in the Summer?
Both Playa Blanca and Heraklion are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Heraklion because of the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.
Heraklion is around the same temperature as Playa Blanca in the summer. The daily temperature in Heraklion averages around 25°C (78°F) in July, and Playa Blanca fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
It's quite sunny in Playa Blanca. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Heraklion. Heraklion usually receives more sunshine than Playa Blanca during summer. Heraklion gets 366 hours of sunny skies, while Playa Blanca receives 282 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Heraklion usually receives more rain than Playa Blanca. Heraklion gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 0 mm (0 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyHeraklion 25°C (78°F)Playa Blanca 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Heraklion or Playa Blanca in the Autumn?
Both Playa Blanca and Heraklion during the autumn are popular places to visit. The city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Heraklion this time of year.
In the autumn, Heraklion is around the same temperature as Playa Blanca. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Heraklion in October average around 20°C (68°F), and Playa Blanca averages at about 22°C (72°F).
In Playa Blanca, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Heraklion often gets less sunshine than Playa Blanca. Heraklion gets 199 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa Blanca receives 224 hours of full sun.
Heraklion usually gets more rain in October than Playa Blanca. Heraklion gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberHeraklion 20°C (68°F)Playa Blanca 22°C (72°F)
Should I visit Heraklion or Playa Blanca in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Heraklion and Playa Blanca. Many travelers come to Heraklion for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Heraklion is generally cooler than Playa Blanca. Daily temperatures in Heraklion average around 12°C (54°F), and Playa Blanca fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Playa Blanca this time of the year. Heraklion usually receives less sunshine than Playa Blanca during winter. Heraklion gets 121 hours of sunny skies, while Playa Blanca receives 204 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Heraklion usually receives more rain than Playa Blanca. Heraklion gets 92 mm (3.6 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryHeraklion 12°C (54°F)Playa Blanca 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Heraklion or Playa Blanca in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Heraklion as well as Playa Blanca. Many visitors come to Heraklion in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city.
Heraklion is cooler than Playa Blanca in the spring. The daily temperature in Heraklion averages around 16°C (61°F) in April, and Playa Blanca fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Playa Blanca. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Heraklion this time of the year. In the spring, Heraklion often gets less sunshine than Playa Blanca. Heraklion gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa Blanca receives 250 hours of full sun.
Heraklion usually gets more rain in April than Playa Blanca. Heraklion gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilHeraklion 16°C (61°F)Playa Blanca 19°C (66°F)
Typical Weather for Playa Blanca and Heraklion
| Heraklion | Playa Blanca | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (54°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 12°C (54°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (56°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (61°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| May | 19°C (67°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (74°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (78°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (77°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Sep | 23°C (73°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Oct | 20°C (68°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 14°C (58°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.