Which place is cheaper, Plzen or Heraklion?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Heraklion or Plzen?
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 Plzen 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 Plzen?
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.
Plzen
Renowned as the home of the pilsner beer, Plzen is a city located in the West Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. Beyond beer, it also features a number of impressive landmarks some of which include St. Bartholomew's Cathedral and the Great Synagogue.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Czech Republic, and The Best Cultural Tours in Czech Republic.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHeraklion €158Plzen €95
The average daily cost (per person) in Heraklion is €158, while the average daily cost in Plzen is €95. 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 Plzen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHeraklion €81Plzen €57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHeraklion €162Plzen €114
Compare Hotels in Heraklion and Plzen
Looking for a hotel in Heraklion or Plzen? 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 Plzen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Heraklion €31Plzen €7.75
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Heraklion
Also for Heraklion, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- One-Way Shared Transfer From or To Heraklion Air - Hersonissos: $16
- Acqua Plus Water Park Admission with Optional Transfer: $32
- Private Transfer in Crete: $33
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to KOKKINI HANI area up to 7 customers: $44
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to AMMOUDARA HERAKLION area up to 7: $47
- Crete Private Transfer from Heraklion to Hersonissos: $51
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to ANISSARAS area up to 7 customers: $61
- VIP Private Transfer: Heraklion - Analipsi Hotels & Villas: $62
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to HERSONISSOS area up to 7 customers: $62
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to KOUTOULOUFARI area up to 7 : $62
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to AGIA PELAGIA area up to 7 customers: $62
- Transfer Heraklio Airport to ANALIPSI area up to 7 customers: $62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Plzen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Plzen:
- Private Transfer from Pilsen(Plzen) to Prague: $271
- Private Transfer from Pilsen to Prague with 2 hours for sightseeing: $116
- Private Transfer from Pilsen to Prague: $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Heraklion or Plzen?
Prices for flights to both Plzen 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 €52Plzen €29
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 €38Plzen €20
Tours and Activities in Heraklion
For Heraklion, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Heraklion Area: CRETAquarium Admission Ticket: $8.56
- CRETAquarium Entrance Ticket in Crete: $8.73
- Mobile Self-Guided Audio Sightseeing Tour: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Crete: Palace of Knossos E-Ticket and Optional Audio Guide: $11
- Herakleion: City Self-Guided Game & Tour: $12
- Heraklion Market & CretAquarium *Skip the line: $16
- Heraklion City Tour - Aquarium: $17
- Knossos Palace: E-ticket with Audio and Heraklion City Tour: $18
- Party Bike 1 hour Experience in Malia : $19
- Knossos Self-Guided Treasure Hunt & Tour KIDS: $21
- Minoan Day Experience: $22
Tours and Activities in Plzen
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Plzen are as follows:
- Experience Best Prague Tandem Skydiving : $250
- Pilsen Historic Underground Tour with a Glass of Beer: $8.74
- Pilsen Private Walking Tour: $201
- Pilsen: Historic Underground Tour with a Glass of Beer: $8.56
- Pilsen: Old Town Gastronomy Tour: $32
- Private Tour to Pilsner Urquell from Prague: $272
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHeraklion €26Plzen €22
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Plzen
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Plzen:
- Brewery Museum Entrance including a Glass of Beer: $6.55
- Pilsen: Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting: $17
- Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting: $17
- Pilsen Highlights Small-Group Tour and Pilsner Brewery Tour including Lunch and Beer Tasting: $108
- Pilsner brewery tour incl beer tasting & Czech town Pilsen: $140
- Day trip to Pilsner Urquell brewery and Bohemian glassworks: $207
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Heraklion and Plzen, we can see that Heraklion is more expensive. And not only is Plzen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Plzen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Plzen 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 Heraklion would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Heraklion than you might in Plzen.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Heraklion Expensive? and Is Plzen Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Heraklion or Plzen?
Plzen has a larger population, and is about 20% larger than the population of Heraklion. When comparing the sizes of Heraklion and Plzen, 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 Plzen?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Heraklion or Plzen in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Heraklion as well as Plzen. The summer months attract visitors to Heraklion because of the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Heraklion is generally a little warmer than Plzen. Daily temperatures in Heraklion average around 25°C (78°F), and Plzen fluctuates around 20°C (67°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Plzen. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Heraklion this time of the year. In the summer, Heraklion often gets more sunshine than Plzen. Heraklion gets 366 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Plzen receives 212 hours of full sun.
Heraklion usually gets less rain in July than Plzen. Heraklion gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Plzen receives 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyHeraklion 25°C (78°F)Plzen 20°C (67°F)
Should I visit Heraklion or Plzen in the Autumn?
Both Plzen and Heraklion are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Heraklion this time of year.
Heraklion is much warmer than Plzen in the autumn. The daily temperature in Heraklion averages around 20°C (68°F) in October, and Plzen fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Heraklion usually receives more sunshine than Plzen during autumn. Heraklion gets 199 hours of sunny skies, while Plzen receives 120 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Heraklion usually receives more rain than Plzen. Heraklion gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Plzen receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberHeraklion 20°C (68°F)Plzen 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Heraklion or Plzen in the Winter?
Both Plzen and Heraklion during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Heraklion for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Plzen can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Heraklion is much warmer than Plzen. Typically, the winter temperatures in Heraklion in January average around 12°C (54°F), and Plzen averages at about -1°C (31°F).
In the winter, Heraklion often gets more sunshine than Plzen. Heraklion gets 121 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Plzen receives 45 hours of full sun.
Heraklion usually gets more rain in January than Plzen. Heraklion gets 92 mm (3.6 in) of rain, while Plzen receives 25 mm (1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryHeraklion 12°C (54°F)Plzen -1°C (31°F)
Should I visit Heraklion or Plzen in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Heraklion and Plzen. Many visitors come to Heraklion in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city.
In April, Heraklion is generally much warmer than Plzen. Daily temperatures in Heraklion average around 16°C (61°F), and Plzen fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In Heraklion, it's very sunny this time of the year. Heraklion usually receives more sunshine than Plzen during spring. Heraklion gets 224 hours of sunny skies, while Plzen receives 164 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Heraklion usually receives less rain than Plzen. Heraklion gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Plzen receives 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilHeraklion 16°C (61°F)Plzen 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Plzen and Heraklion
| Heraklion | Plzen | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (54°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | -1°C (31°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Feb | 12°C (54°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (56°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (61°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| May | 19°C (67°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (74°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (78°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 20°C (67°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (77°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Sep | 23°C (73°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Oct | 20°C (68°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Dec | 14°C (58°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 23 mm (0.9 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.