Which place is cheaper, Lillehammer or Krakow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Krakow or Lillehammer?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Krakow or Lillehammer? 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 Lillehammer?
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.
Lillehammer
Most people know the name Lillehammer because it is the city that hosted the 1994 Olympics. While it's obviously a beautiful travel destination during the winter months when it's covered in snow and winter sport opportunities are abundant, it is also a lovely travel destination in the summer. It's a surprisingly small town with a population of around 25,000. It's streets are lined with quaint, wooden houses that date back to the 19th century. The town is located on the banks of Lake Mjosa. There's a nice shopping street that's called Storgata and cuts through the middle of the old town. It is pedestrian only, giving it a charming atmosphere and making it an enjoyable place to walk around. The town also has nice galleries and museums that are worth a visit.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland, The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in Norway, and The Best Northern Lights Tours in Norway.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKrakow $64Lillehammer $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $64, while the average daily cost in Lillehammer is $102. 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 Lillehammer in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKrakow $42Lillehammer $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKrakow $84Lillehammer $122
Compare Hotels in Krakow and Lillehammer
Looking for a hotel in Krakow or Lillehammer? 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 Lillehammer Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Krakow $6.40Lillehammer $3.92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- 1945-1989 Communism Tour of Krakow Nowa Huta with Transfers: $160
- 1945-1989 Communism Tour of Krakow Nowa Huta with Transfers: $171
- Airport Transfer (Krakow - Katowice): $100
- Arrival Private Transfer from Krakow Airport KRK to Krakow City by Business Car: $39
- Arrival Private Transfer from Krakow Airport KRK to Krakow City by Luxury Van: $54
- Auschwitz - Birkenau Roundtrip Transfer with assistance: $17
- Auschwitz Birkenau Transfer Service- Private Driver from Krakow: $109
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Transfer from Krakow: $12
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum with Private Transfers from Krakow: $217
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum Guided Tour with Ticket and Transfer: $35
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour with Transfer, eBook and Optional Guide: $32
- Balice KRK airport OneWay PRIVATE TRANSFER to/from Krakow’s hotel: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or Lillehammer?
Prices for flights to both Lillehammer 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 $13Lillehammer $35
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
- From Polish Folk Show with All-You-Can-Eat Dinner: $32
- Polish Folk Show and Dinner From Krakow: $40
- Folk Show & 3-Course Dinner at Jama Michalika Café: $44
- Romantic Dinner with a Cruise on the Vistula River: $47
- Brewery Dinner -center of Krakow : $49
- Krakow : Folk Show Dinner Drinking and Fun ! Book Now!: $59
- Folk Show Dinner Drinking and Fun in Krakow: $63
- Cabaret Show with Optional Dinner: $69
- 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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Krakow $20Lillehammer $16
Tours and Activities in Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kraków in a nutshell - walking tour: $1.24
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Old Town Audio-Guided Walking Tour with Headset: $3.72
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.28
- Old Town Audioguided walking Tour: $4.46
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entry Tickets: $4.71
- From Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour: $4.95
- Wawel Hill Tour with Audio Guide: $5.57
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entrance Tickets: $5.62
- From Kraków: Wieliczka Salt Mine Trip & Guided Tour: $6.19
- Skip the Line Ticket for Kościuszko Mound in Krakow: $6.59
- Wawel Hill Audioguide Tour: $6.69
Tours and Activities in Lillehammer
Here are a few actual costs in Lillehammer for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Maihaugen Open-Air Museum, Lillehammer. Entry Ticket: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKrakow $6.75Lillehammer $12
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
- Halloween Pub Crawl - Krawl Through Krakow: $24
- Pub tour in Old Town with 1 hour open bar with a guide.: $25
- Kazimierz Pub Crawl + 1-hour Open Bar: $25
- Pub Crawl with Shots, Drinks & Skip-the-Line Entry: $25
- Pub Crawl of Kazimierz Jewish Quarter with a Local Guide : $25
- Three-Hour Pub Crawl: $39
- Wieliczka Vineyard: Wine tasting with local snacks: $44
- Hoppy tours - Krakow brewery tour : $56
- Krakow Wine Tasting Private Tour with Wine Expert: $176
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Krakow and Lillehammer, we can see that Lillehammer is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Lillehammer would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lillehammer 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 Lillehammer Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Krakow or Lillehammer?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Lillehammer. When comparing the sizes of Krakow and Lillehammer, 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.
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.