Which place is cheaper, Plitvice Lakes National Park or Krakow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park? 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 Plitvice Lakes National Park?
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.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
One of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe, Plitvice Lakes National Park is an area of green forests laced with a system of interconnected turquoise lakes. It was set aside as a national park in 1949, and was later designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland, The Best 10-Day Tours in Croatia, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Croatia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKrakow $64Plitvice Lakes National Park $133
The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $64, while the average daily cost in Plitvice Lakes National Park is $133. 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 Plitvice Lakes National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKrakow $42Plitvice Lakes National Park $64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKrakow $84Plitvice Lakes National Park $128
Compare Hotels in Krakow and Plitvice Lakes National Park
Looking for a hotel in Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Krakow $6.40Plitvice Lakes National Park $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Private Transfer to or from Berlin: $929
- Private Transfer to or from Budapest: $867
- Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $747
- From Gdansk or One-Way Private Transfer: $669
- Private Transfer to or from Bratislava: $619
- Private transfer! Warsaw Chopin Airport - Krakow City Center: $470
- Private transfer from Krakow to Budapest or from Budapest to Krakow: $299
- Private door-to-door transfer from Krakow to Budapest: $291
- Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
- Transfer from Krakow (Balice airport) to Krynica Zdroj : $283
- Private Transfer Airport to Warszawa Okęcie: $278
- Private transfer from Katowice AirPort to Krakow City: $272
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Also for Plitvice Lakes National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Plitvice Lakes to Zagreb private one-way transfer: $150
- From Zadar: Round-Trip Transfer to Plitvice Lakes: $42
- Plitvice lakes Guiding with Transfer: $182
- Private Transfer from Plitvička Jezera to Zadar Airport (ZAD): $271
- Private Transfer from Plitvička Jezera to Zagreb Airport (ZAG): $232
Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park?
Prices for flights to both Plitvice Lakes National Park 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 $13Plitvice Lakes National Park $43
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 $20Plitvice Lakes National Park $36
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
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Wieliczka Salt Mine 1-Day Tour: $141
- Rynek Underground Museum Guided Tour: $25
- Rynek Underground Museum, Old Town and St. Mary's Basilica Tour: $50
- 1 Day Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Guided Tour Hotel Pick up: $44
- 1 Day Trip Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $34
- 1-Hour Tour to Krakow's Old Town by Electric Golf Cart: $21
- 120 min Old Town Segway Tour in Krakow: $49
- 2 Days Tour in Wawel Hill, Jewish Quarter and Wieliczka with Guide and Lunch: $187
- 2 Hour Private Pinball and Arcade Museum Tour from Krakow: $273
- 2 Hours Old Town Guided Bike Tour in Krakow: $27
- 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour in The Old Town of Krakow: $25
Tours and Activities in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Plitvice Lakes National Park.
- Plitvice Lakes: National Park Official Entry Ticket: $11
- Plitvice Lakes National Park Admission Ticket: $14
- Half day tour around Plitvice Lakes: $29
- Plitvice Lakes Guided Tour: $36
- Plitvice Lakes: Guided Walking Tour and Boat Ride: $36
- Plitvice lakes: Guided walking tour with a boat ride: $37
- Private Guided Fairy Tale Tour in Ogulin: $38
- Plitvice Guided Tour- Tickets only RESERVED: $44
- From Split and Trogir: Plitvice Lakes Economy Group Tour: $48
- Abandoned military airbase Zeljava -2h guided tour: $55
- From Split: Plitvice Lakes Guided tour: $70
- Plitvice Lakes National Park - Inspiration Buggy Tour: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKrakow $6.75Plitvice Lakes National Park $15
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 Plitvice Lakes National Park, we can see that Plitvice Lakes National Park 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 Plitvice Lakes National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Plitvice Lakes National Park 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 Plitvice Lakes National Park Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park?
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 Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park in the Summer?
Both Plitvice Lakes National Park and Krakow during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, many travelers come to Plitvice Lakes National Park for the hiking and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Krakow is cooler than Plitvice Lakes National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Krakow in July average around 19°C (67°F), and Plitvice Lakes National Park averages at about 22°C (72°F).
In Plitvice Lakes National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Krakow. In the summer, Krakow often gets less sunshine than Plitvice Lakes National Park. Krakow gets 201 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Plitvice Lakes National Park receives 266 hours of full sun.
Krakow usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Plitvice Lakes National Park. Krakow gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Plitvice Lakes National Park receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKrakow 19°C (67°F)Plitvice Lakes National Park 22°C (72°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Krakow and Plitvice Lakes National Park. Also, many visitors come to Plitvice Lakes National Park in the autumn for the hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Krakow is generally cooler than Plitvice Lakes National Park. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around 11°C (51°F), and Plitvice Lakes National Park fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
Krakow usually receives less sunshine than Plitvice Lakes National Park during autumn. Krakow gets 97 hours of sunny skies, while Plitvice Lakes National Park receives 133 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Krakow usually receives less rain than Plitvice Lakes National Park. Krakow gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Plitvice Lakes National Park receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKrakow 11°C (51°F)Plitvice Lakes National Park 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Krakow as well as Plitvice Lakes National Park. Also, most visitors come to Plitvice Lakes National Park for the cuisine during these months.
Plitvice Lakes National Park can be very cold during winter. Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. Krakow is much colder than Plitvice Lakes National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around -2°C (29°F) in January, and Plitvice Lakes National Park fluctuates around 1°C (35°F).
In the winter, Krakow often gets less sunshine than Plitvice Lakes National Park. Krakow gets 38 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Plitvice Lakes National Park receives 54 hours of full sun.
Krakow usually gets less rain in January than Plitvice Lakes National Park. Krakow gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Plitvice Lakes National Park receives 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKrakow -2°C (29°F)Plitvice Lakes National Park 1°C (35°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Plitvice Lakes National Park in the Spring?
Both Plitvice Lakes National Park and Krakow are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Plitvice Lakes National Park because of the natural beauty.
In the spring, Krakow is cooler than Plitvice Lakes National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Krakow in April average around 10°C (50°F), and Plitvice Lakes National Park averages at about 13°C (55°F).
Krakow usually receives less sunshine than Plitvice Lakes National Park during spring. Krakow gets 132 hours of sunny skies, while Plitvice Lakes National Park receives 163 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Krakow usually receives less rain than Plitvice Lakes National Park. Krakow gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Plitvice Lakes National Park receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKrakow 10°C (50°F)Plitvice Lakes National Park 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Plitvice Lakes National Park and Krakow
| Krakow | Plitvice Lakes National Park | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 1°C (35°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Feb | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Dec | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 62 mm (2.4 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.