Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Krakow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Krakow or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Krakow or Cape Town? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Krakow or Cape Town?
Krakow
Krakow is Poland's second largest city. It sits on both sides of the Wisla River at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. There are more than 1.4 million residents in the metropolitan area. Krakow is known as a historical and beautiful city that is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Tourism makes up a large part of the city's economy, but there is also a university and several local colleges which are major employers as well. Technology has grown in recent years and the city has some notable employees including Google, IBM and Motorola. Other important industries include steel, pharmaceuticals and tobacco.
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKrakow $65Cape Town $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $65, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $98. 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 Krakow and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKrakow $42Cape Town $39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKrakow $84Cape Town $78
Compare Hotels in Krakow and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Krakow or Cape Town? 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: Krakow Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Krakow $6.41Cape Town $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Zakopane: Private Transfer to Krakow: $139
- Zakopane and Sleigh Ride with Transfers and Lunch Option: $187
- Zakopane Tour & Thermal Baths with Private Transfers from Krakow: $164
- Zakopane Private Transfer from to Krakow or Krakow Airport: $254
- Zakopane Private Transfer: $148
- Zakopane Extreme Shooting Range with Hotel Transfer: $76
- Wroclaw: Private Transfer from/to Krakow: $249
- Wieliczka Salt mine private transfer-Krakow Balice Airport: $10
- Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $66
- Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $750
- Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
- VAN Private transfer: Krakow City - Krakow Airport: $43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Camps Bay Cape Town: $18
- Airport transfers: $22
- 1 Day Durbanville Valley Wine Tasting Tour with Private Transfers: $179
- 1 Day Explore Cape Town Like a Local with Private Guided Transfer: $149
- 1 Day Hemel en Aarde Whale Coast Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $204
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $54
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $28
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $18
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town): $54
- Airport Transfer to Cape Town Cruise Terminal: $17
- Airport Transfer: Cape Town to Cape Town Airport CPT in Luxury Car: $88
- Airport Transfers: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Krakow 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 dayKrakow $13Cape Town $42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Krakow
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Krakow.
- Walking Street Food Tour: $22
- Discovering Cracow's Local Flavour: Food Tour: $22
- From Polish Folk Show with All-You-Can-Eat Dinner: $32
- Folk Show & 3-Course Dinner at Jama Michalika Café: $44
- Polish Folk Show with 3 course dinner in Krakow legendary restaurant: $45
- Krakow : Folk Show Dinner Drinking and Fun ! Book Now!: $64
- Cabaret Show with Optional Dinner: $70
- Pierogi Cooking Class: Mastering the Art of Polish Dumplings: $74
- Half-Day Krakow Food Tour in Old Town and Kazimierz: $83
- 4-Hour Polish Food Tour: $88
- Polish Pierogi Cooking Class with Farmer's Market Shopping: $97
- Krakow Bites and Sights Food Tour: $104
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $55
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $56
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $59
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $61
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $70
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- Private Authentic Cape Malay Cooking Class in Manenberg with Locals: $92
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Krakow $20Cape Town $23
Tours and Activities in Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $64
- Krakow Jewish Quarter Tour in a Small Group. : $49
- Rynek Underground Museum Guided Tour: $25
- Magic Christmas tour in Wieliczka: $153
- 1 Day Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Guided Tour Hotel Pick up: $51
- 1 Day Trip Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $34
- 1 Hour Traditional Gondola Sightseeing Vistula River Cruise: $16
- 1-Hour Tour to Krakow's Old Town by Electric Golf Cart: $21
- 2 Day Private Krakow City Tour, Old Town and Jewish Quarter: $153
- 2 Hour Private Pinball and Arcade Museum Tour from Krakow: $273
- 2 Hours Old Town Guided Bike Tour in Krakow: $27
- 2-Hour Guided Tour in Kraków-Płaszów Concentration Camp : $22
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $2.99
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $3.24
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.59
- Kirstenbosch: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.14
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.38
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.38
- Meandering through Mouille Point: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Return Ticket : $5.32
- Intaka Island Kayak Tour: $5.40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKrakow $6.76Cape Town $21
Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Krakow:
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Vodka$13
Sample the Local Flavors in Krakow
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Krakow:
- Pub Crawl with 1 Hour of Unlimited Alcoholic Drinks: $22
- Kazimierz Pub Crawl with 1-Hour of Unlimited Drinks: $22
- Pub Crawl - 1-hour Open Bar then Vip to 5 Clubs - Krakow: $24
- Pub Crawl 1 hour Open Bar and 5 Hours Clubs in Krakow with VIP: $24
- Halloween Pub Crawl - Krawl Through Krakow: $24
- Pub tour in Old Town with 1 hour open bar with a guide.: $25
- Pub Crawl with Shots, Drinks & Skip-the-Line Entry: $25
- Pub Crawl + Unlimited Drinks + VIP entry + Drinking Games & Photographer : $25
- Three-Hour Pub Crawl: $39
- Wieliczka Vineyard: Wine tasting with local snacks: $44
- Tyskie Brewery Tour from Katowice: $120
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $7.17
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.66
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $28
- Sip 15 Wines on a 3-Region Wine Tour with Cheese: $38
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $38
- Three Region Wine Tour: $44
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $51
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $52
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Krakow and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Krakow is in Europe and Cape Town is in Africa, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Krakow would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Krakow 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 Cape Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cape Town than you might in Krakow.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Krakow Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Krakow or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Krakow and Cape Town, 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 Krakow or Cape Town?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cape Town is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Krakow has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Krakow or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Krakow as well as Cape Town.
In July, Krakow is generally around the same temperature as Cape Townin January. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around 19°C (67°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. In the summer, Krakow often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin January. Krakow gets 201 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun.
Krakow usually gets more rain in July than Cape Townin January. Krakow gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryKrakow 19°C (67°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Krakow are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.
Krakow is much colder than Cape Town in the autumn. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around 11°C (51°F) in October, and Cape Town fluctuates around 18°C (64°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. Krakow usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during autumn. Krakow gets 97 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Krakow usually receives more rain than Cape Townin April. Krakow gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilKrakow 11°C (51°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Krakow during the winter are popular places to visit.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Krakow. In the winter, Krakow is much colder than Cape Town. Typically, the winter temperatures in Krakow in January average around -2°C (29°F), and Cape Town averages at about 13°C (55°F)in July.
In the winter, Krakow often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin July. Krakow gets 38 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun.
Krakow usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Krakow gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyKrakow -2°C (29°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Krakow and Cape Town.
In April, Krakow is generally much colder than Cape Townin October. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around 10°C (50°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. Krakow usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during spring. Krakow gets 132 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Krakow usually receives more rain than Cape Townin October. Krakow gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberKrakow 10°C (50°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Krakow
| Krakow | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 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.