Which place is cheaper, Reykjavik or Krakow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Krakow or Reykjavik?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Krakow or Reykjavik? 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 Reykjavik?
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.
Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the capital and largest city in the country of Iceland. The city is where the vast majority of the country's population resides and the urban area has about 200,000 residents. The city is sprawling, with a large area covered in suburbs. The the city center is quite compact, with many interesting and colorful houses. There are a lot of things that attract tourists to this city, including an interesting culture and history as well as plenty of shopping and dining opportunities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland, The Best Budget Tours to Iceland, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Iceland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKrakow $64Reykjavik $243
The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $64, while the average daily cost in Reykjavik is $243. 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 Reykjavik in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKrakow $42Reykjavik $138
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKrakow $84Reykjavik $276
Compare Hotels in Krakow and Reykjavik
Looking for a hotel in Krakow or Reykjavik? 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 Reykjavik Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Krakow $6.40Reykjavik $45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Zakopane to Chocholow Thermal Pools 3h Ticket with Hotel Transfer: $93
- Zakopane and Sleigh Ride with Transfers and Lunch Option: $186
- Zakopane Tour from Krakow with Transfers and Lunch Option: $65
- Zakopane Private Transfer from to Krakow or Krakow Airport: $253
- Wroclaw: Private Transfer from/to Krakow: $248
- Wooden Architecture Museum Private Transfer Round Trip: $153
- Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $65
- Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour from Krakow with Hotel Transfer: $77
- Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $747
- Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
- VAN Private transfer: Krakow Airport - Krakow City: $43
- Two Krakow Airport Transfers, Auschwitz-Birkenau & Salt Mine: $161
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Reykjavik
Also for Reykjavik, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Hveragerdi to Keflavik Airport (KEF) - Deparure Private Transfer: $68
- Airport Express Shared Departure Transfer from Reykjavik Hotels to Keflavik Airport: $37
- Airport Express Shared Departure transfer from Reykjavik City to Keflavik Airport: $29
- Airport Transfer (One way) between Keflavik and Reykjavik: $200
- Airport Transfer in Iceland from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik City With Hotel Drop Off: $36
- Airport Transfer in Iceland from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik City one way: $28
- Airport Transfer in Iceland from Reykjavik City to Keflavik Airport One Way: $28
- Airport Transfer in Iceland from Reykjavik City to Keflavik Airport with Hotel Pick Up: $36
- Blue Lagoon Admission Ticket Including Transfer: $268
- Blue Lagoon Admission Ticket with Transfer: $254
- Blue Lagoon Entry Ticket with Optional Private or Shared Transfer: $163
- Blue Lagoon One Way Transfer: $184
Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or Reykjavik?
Prices for flights to both Reykjavik 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 $13Reykjavik $30
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
Typical Food Prices in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner (Fish Market)$176
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Icelandic Food Tour: $123
- Weekend Reykjavik Food Tour with a stop at the Reykjavik Flea Market: $125
- The Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour: $127
- 3 Hour Shared Christmas Food Tour with Guide in Reykjavik: $129
- Reykjavik Market & Lunch Food Tour - BitesizedIceland.com: $142
- Reykjavik Old Harbor Food Tour - BitesizedIceland.com: $144
- Reykjavik Old Harbor Food Tour: $145
- Icelandic Cooking Class in Downtown Reykjavik with Musical Hosts: $296
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Krakow $20Reykjavik $71
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Reykjavik
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Reykjavik's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Art Museum$11
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Wine and Spa$29
Tours and Activities in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Reykjavík: City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
- Reykjavik Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Reykjavik Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & City Tour: $8.02
- Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $9.99
- Explore Reykjavik's Legacy: In-App Audio Tour: $11
- Citywalk Tour - Audioguide in English & German: $11
- Icelandic Museum of Rock 'n' Roll Admission Ticket: $11
- Skip the Line: Icelandic Museum of Rock 'n' Roll Admission Ticket: $11
- Geothermal Energy Exhibition Entry Ticket: $17
- Reykjavík: National Museum of Iceland Entry Ticket: $18
- Skip the Line: The National Museum of Iceland Ticket: $18
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKrakow $6.75Reykjavik $28
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Reykjavik
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Reykjavik are as follows:
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Beer$8.67
Sample the Local Flavors in Reykjavik
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Reykjavik:
- Gin Distillery tour and tasting: $25
- Eimverk Distillery Tour with Tasting: $32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Krakow and Reykjavik, we can see that Reykjavik 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 Reykjavik would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Reykjavik 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 Reykjavik Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Krakow or Reykjavik?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Reykjavik. When comparing the sizes of Krakow and Reykjavik, 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 Reykjavik?
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 Reykjavik in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Krakow as well as Reykjavik. Also, many visitors come to Reykjavik in the summer for the hiking and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Krakow is much warmer than Reykjavik. Typically, the summer temperatures in Krakow in July average around 19°C (67°F), and Reykjavik averages at about 11°C (52°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. In the summer, Krakow often gets more sunshine than Reykjavik. Krakow gets 201 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Reykjavik receives 171 hours of full sun.
Krakow usually gets more rain in July than Reykjavik. Krakow gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Reykjavik receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKrakow 19°C (67°F)Reykjavik 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Reykjavik in the Autumn?
Both Reykjavik and Krakow are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Reykjavik for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
Reykjavik can be very cold during autumn. In October, Krakow is generally much warmer than Reykjavik. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around 11°C (51°F), and Reykjavik fluctuates around 5°C (41°F).
Krakow usually receives more sunshine than Reykjavik during autumn. Krakow gets 97 hours of sunny skies, while Reykjavik receives 83 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Krakow usually receives less rain than Reykjavik. Krakow gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Reykjavik receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKrakow 11°C (51°F)Reykjavik 5°C (41°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Reykjavik in the Winter?
Both Reykjavik and Krakow during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the winter months attract visitors to Reykjavik because of the shopping scene and the cuisine.
The weather in Reykjavik can be very cold. Krakow can be very cold during winter. Krakow is much colder than Reykjavik in the winter. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around -2°C (29°F) in January, and Reykjavik fluctuates around -0°C (32°F).
In the winter, Krakow often gets more sunshine than Reykjavik. Krakow gets 38 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Reykjavik receives 27 hours of full sun.
Krakow usually gets less rain in January than Reykjavik. Krakow gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Reykjavik receives 76 mm (3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKrakow -2°C (29°F)Reykjavik -0°C (32°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Reykjavik in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Krakow and Reykjavik. Furthermore, the natural beauty are the main draw to Reykjavik this time of year.
It's quite cold in Reykjavik in the spring. In the spring, Krakow is much warmer than Reykjavik. Typically, the spring temperatures in Krakow in April average around 10°C (50°F), and Reykjavik averages at about 3°C (38°F).
Krakow usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Reykjavik during spring. Krakow gets 132 hours of sunny skies, while Reykjavik receives 140 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Krakow usually receives less rain than Reykjavik. Krakow gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Reykjavik receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKrakow 10°C (50°F)Reykjavik 3°C (38°F)
Typical Weather for Reykjavik and Krakow
| Krakow | Reykjavik | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | -0°C (32°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Feb | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 1°C (33°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 1°C (35°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Dec | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 79 mm (3.1 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.