Which place is cheaper, Cork or Hofn?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hofn or Cork?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Hofn or Cork, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Hofn or Cork?
Hofn
Hofn is a very small fishing town on the southeast of Iceland, measuring just over half a mile across. It is best known for being located in the beautiful Vatnajokull Region, where the largest glacier in Europe is located. Hofn, and the surrounding area, is full of breathtaking natural scenery including lagoons, icefalls, and mountains.
Cork
Located on the banks of the River Lee, Cork has a small, but pleasant downtown that is easy to walk around. The city was built up on marshland, and many of the streets today, including St Patrick's Street, the South Mall and the Grand Parade, are actually built over what was once river channels. Today there are more than thirty bridges that cross over the channelized River Lee. As an orientation, it's nice to take a historic walking tour of the downtown area. Then you can explore the area in more detail by yourself. There are cathedrals, museums, and galleries around town so you can keep yourself quite entertained. If the weather is nice, head out to Lough park, which has a small freshwater limestone lake and some interesting water fowl to see. It's a great place to people watch and see daily life in the city of Cork.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Northern Lights Tours in Iceland, The Best Luxury Tours to Iceland, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ireland, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Ireland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHofn $151Cork $108
The average daily cost (per person) in Hofn is $151, while the average daily cost in Cork is $108. 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 Hofn and Cork in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHofn $97Cork $64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHofn $194Cork $128
Compare Hotels in Hofn and Cork
Looking for a hotel in Hofn or Cork? 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: Hofn Hotel Prices and Cork Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hofn $27Cork $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Hofn or Cork?
Prices for flights to both Cork and Hofn 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 dayHofn $36Cork $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cork
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cork.
- Hysterical Histories, Comedic Dinner Theater Show: $53
- Hysterical Histories Cork Dinner Theatre Show: $57
- Historic Cork Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hofn $18Cork $9.95
Tours and Activities in Hofn
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Hofn.
- Ice Exploration Tour from the Glacier Lagoon: $129
- Ice Cave Tour in the National Park of Vatnajökull: $160
- Sapphire Ice Cave Tour from Jökulsárlón - Extra Small Group: $170
- Crystal Ice Cave Adventure : $185
- Blue Ice Cave Adventure: $284
- Private Iceland Aurora Hunting and Photography Tour from Hofn: $291
Tours and Activities in Cork
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cork are as follows:
- Blarney Castle Tour from Cork including Cobh: $60
- Cliffs of Moher Day Tour from Including The Wild Altanic Way: $53
- Cliffs of Moher and More: Full-Day Tour from Cork: $52
- Coastal Foraging and Folklore Tour: $55
- Cork City Cycle Tour - Experience the beautiful and historic City by bike: $51
- Cork City Gaol Admission Ticket: $14
- Cork City Hop On/Off Open Top Bus Tour: $24
- Cork Culinary Tour: $128
- Cork Culinary Tour: $142
- Cork Delicious Donut Adventure by Underground Donut Tour: $65
- Cork Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Cork Holiday Donut Adventure by Underground Donut Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHofn $12Cork $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Cork
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cork:
- Clonakilty Distillery Tour & Classic Whiskey Tasting: $22
- Cork City: Rebel City Distillery Tour: $27
- Rebel City Distillery Tour: $27
- Midleton Distillery Tour with Whiskey Tasting: $32
- Midleton Distillery Experience & Whiskey Tasting -Home of Jameson: $33
- Whiskey Cocktail Making Class at Midleton Distillery: $64
- Cork Irish Whiskey Cocktail Making Class at Midleton Distillery : $65
- Midleton Distillery Behind the Scenes Tour & Tasting: $80
- Blarney Castle Cork City and Jameson Distillery Semi Private Tour: $196
- Private Cork City Tour, Kinsale and Jameson Distillery: $254
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hofn and Cork, we can see that Hofn is more expensive. And not only is Cork much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cork would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cork 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 Hofn would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hofn than you might in Cork.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hofn Expensive? and Is Cork Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hofn or Cork?
Cork has a larger population, and is about 110 times larger than the population of Hofn. When comparing the sizes of Hofn and Cork, 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 Hofn or Cork?
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 Hofn or Cork in the Summer?
Both Cork and Hofn during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, many travelers come to Cork for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Hofn is generally much colder than Cork. Daily temperatures in Hofn average around 9°C (48°F), and Cork fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
Hofn usually gets more rain in July than Cork. Hofn gets 77 mm (3 in) of rain, while Cork receives 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyHofn 9°C (48°F)Cork 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Hofn or Cork in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Hofn and Cork. Also, many visitors come to Cork in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Hofn. Hofn is much colder than Cork in the autumn. The daily temperature in Hofn averages around 4°C (40°F) in October, and Cork fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).
Hofn gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Hofn usually receives more rain than Cork. Hofn gets 153 mm (6 in) of rain, while Cork receives 97 mm (3.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberHofn 4°C (40°F)Cork 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Hofn or Cork in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Hofn as well as Cork. Also, most visitors come to Cork for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.
Hofn can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Hofn is much colder than Cork. Typically, the winter temperatures in Hofn in January average around -0°C (31°F), and Cork averages at about 6°C (43°F).
It's quite rainy in Cork. Hofn receives a lot of rain in the winter. Hofn usually gets more rain in January than Cork. Hofn gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Cork receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryHofn -0°C (31°F)Cork 6°C (43°F)
Should I visit Hofn or Cork in the Spring?
Both Cork and Hofn are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Cork because of the activities around the city.
Hofn can be very cold during spring. In April, Hofn is generally much colder than Cork. Daily temperatures in Hofn average around 2°C (36°F), and Cork fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).
In April, Hofn usually receives more rain than Cork. Hofn gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Cork receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilHofn 2°C (36°F)Cork 9°C (48°F)
Typical Weather for Cork and Hofn
| Hofn | Cork | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -0°C (31°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Feb | 0°C (32°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Mar | 0°C (32°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 2°C (36°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| May | 5°C (40°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jun | 8°C (46°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (48°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 9°C (48°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 7°C (44°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 4°C (40°F) | 153 mm (6 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 97 mm (3.8 in) |
| Nov | 1°C (34°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Dec | -0°C (32°F) | 124 mm (4.9 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 101 mm (4 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.