Should you visit Kemi or Alesund?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Kemi and Alesund. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Kemi
Kemi is a town on Bothnian Bay in Lapland, Finland. It's known for the massive Sampo icebreaker, a giant ship built to ply the Arctic waters. The main economic activity in Kemi is centered on two large paper and wood pulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe. Kemi also has a claim to fame as the home of the world's largest snow castle (reconstructed every year with a different design). The SnowCastle is usually located at the inner harbor of Kemi.
Alesund
Alesund is a port town on the west coast of Norway, at the entrance to the Geirangerfjord. It could be the backdrop for a Nordic fairytale – with a modern plot twist. It's known for the art nouveau architectural style in which most of the town was rebuilt after a fire in 1904, as documented at the Jugendstilsenteret museum. And it's no coincidence that Alesund and the surrounding areas are among the most visited sites for tourists in Norway. Many use The Art Nouveau town as a starting point to explore the renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Geirangerfjord, the bird sanctuary island of Runde, or the spectacular snow-capped summits of the Hjorundfjord and the Sunnmorsalpene. There are panoramic views of Alesund's architecture, the surrounding archipelago and fjords from the Mount Aksla lookout. The town of Alesund has a beautiful setting across several islands stretching out into the Atlantic Ocean and you find unspoilt and beautiful nature the whole year round.
Which city is cheaper, Alesund or Kemi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Kemi is €107, while the average daily cost in Alesund is €84. 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 Kemi and Alesund in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Kemi, €118 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Kemi, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €59, such as in a hostel.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €45. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Alesund the cost is €90 on average.
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Kemi than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €31 on transportation in Kemi on average per day.
The cost of a taxi ride in Alesund is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €22 per person, per day, on local transportation in Alesund.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kemi
Also for Kemi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfer Kemi-Rovaniemi:
$311
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alesund
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alesund:
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Aalesund Private Transfer from Aalesund city centre to Aalesund airport:
$154
Is it cheaper to fly into Kemi or Alesund?
Prices for flights to both Alesund and Kemi 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
On average, meal and food prices in Kemi cost around €27 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €11.
The average traveler spends about €25 per day in Alesund 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
Kemi €27
Alesund €25
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Kemi, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €23 per day, per person.
Entertainment and activities in Alesund typically cost an average of €14 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Kemi
For Kemi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Northern Lights Aurora Tour from Kemi:
$123
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Snow Adventure Day from Kemi:
$248
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Full-Day Tour of Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village:
$267
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Audio Guided Day Tour of Ranua Zoo with Entry Ticket and Lunch:
$280
Tours and Activities in Alesund
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Alesund are as follows:
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Adventure on a B bird island – private Bird watching tour including lunch:
$1,334
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Alesund Architecture-Themed Kayak Tour:
$86
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Alesund Private tour Medieval Village Sunnmore, 3 hours:
$495
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Alesund Shore Excursion: The Ultimate Sightseeing Tour:
$106
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Alesund Sightseeing for Hurtigruten passengers:
$311
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Alesund Sightseeing tour Vikings islands by minibus, 4 hours. Private tour:
$1,180
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An amazing walking tour of Art Nouveau town Alesund:
$800
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Chase a troll on a private tour through the picturesque fjord towns:
$2,267
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City Sightseeing Alesund Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour:
$41
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Cruise Special: Geiranger to Bergen, The Scenic Mountain route:
$844
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E-bike And Hiking Tour In Ålesund:
$146
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Fjordcruise Ålesund Geirangerfjord Ålesund "3fjords3hours":
$165
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Kemi spend on average €9.59 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about €10 on alcoholic beverages in Alesund per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kemi and Alesund, we can see that Kemi is more expensive. And not only is Alesund much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Alesund would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alesund 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 Kemi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kemi than you might in Alesund.
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