Which place is cheaper, Rome or Krakow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Krakow or Rome?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Krakow or Rome? 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 Rome?
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.
Rome
Rome is the capital and largest city in Italy. It is also a common entry point for most visitors flying into the country. Rome has been a center of power, culture, and religion for the last millenium, making it one of the most famous and popular destinations in not only Europe, but the world. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen across continents.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland, The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKrakow $64Rome $182
The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $64, while the average daily cost in Rome is $182. 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 Rome in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKrakow $42Rome $95
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKrakow $84Rome $190
Compare Hotels in Krakow and Rome
Looking for a hotel in Krakow or Rome? 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 Rome Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Krakow $6.40Rome $23
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rome
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:
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Metro Ride (for Two)$2.14
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Train to the Airport$16
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Taxi to Airport$48
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Bicycle Rental (Full Day)$11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:
- Fiumicino Airport Rome (FCO) to Florence - Arrival Private Transfer: $224
- Private Transfer from Fiumicino Airport to Civitavecchia Cruise Port: $207
- Rome Private Transfer To Civitavecchia Sea port: $96
- Rome hotels to Venice Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $293
- Transfer from Civitavecchia port to Fco Rome airport or Rome : $250
- Transfer from and to Airport - from and to Port - from and to hotel: $164
- Airport Transfer to Rome City Hotels - Private Car Service: $65
- Airport transfer: $120
- All Italy: Private Premium Transfers in Rome: $76
- Arrival Private Transfer: Ciampino Airport CIA to Rome City in Business Car: $95
- Arrival Private Transfer: Fiumicino Airport FCO to Rome City in Luxury Car: $152
- Arrival Private Transfer: Fiumicino Airport FCO to Rome City in Luxury Van: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or Rome?
Prices for flights to both Rome 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 $13Rome $51
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 Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$15
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4 Ice Cream Sandwiches$3.20
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Cafe e doce$4.29
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Pizza (Fast Food)$2.84
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Sitdown Lunch (for Two)$34
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Cheese and bread$11
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Espresso$2.14
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Dinner$62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.
- Award-Winning Roman Food Tours: $16
- Tipsy Food Crawl Walking Tour with Dinner: $31
- Vatican and Trionfale Farmers Market Food tour and Wine tasting : $32
- Food Tour of the Vatican with Farmers Market and Wine Tasting: $32
- Rome Food Tour with Wine Tasting and Farmers Market in Prati Area: $32
- Guided Food Tour with Food and Drink Tastings: $33
- Roman Master Chef Cooking Class with Wine: $36
- Roman Dinner & History Tour: An Epic Journey Through Time: $37
- Painting & Pizza Party with Unlimited Wine: $40
- Campo dei Fiori & Jewish Ghetto area Street Food Tour: $42
- Rome Food Tour : Street Food Testings with Local Guide: $43
- Wine Tasting and Food Tour at Vatican and Trionfale Farmers: $43
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Krakow $20Rome $39
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Rome
Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)$74
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Coliseum Tickets (for Two)$35
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Roma Pass$32
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Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)$21
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Segway Tour$80
Tours and Activities in Rome
Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bergamo Old Town: Discovery Walk & Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Cambridge: Discovery Walk & Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.26
- Piazza del Popolo and Historical Sights Walking Tour in Rome: $3.27
- Shared 4 Hours Guided tour of the House of the Emperor Hadrian: $5.11
- From 1-Way Bus Ticket to Naples or Vice Versa: $5.31
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Rome: $5.33
- Bergamo Old Town: City Exploration Game and Tour: $5.35
- Twilight Treasures: An Evening Tour Through Rome's Rich History: $5.44
- Civitavecchia's Stories and Secrets: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
- What Emperor Hadrian Lost: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Ancient Rome: $5.99
- St. Peter's Basilica Rome Audio Tour Experience: $5.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKrakow $6.75Rome $19
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 Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:
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Bottle of Wine$6.96
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Pint of Beer$6.79
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Beer$11
Sample the Local Flavors in Rome
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:
- Trionfale and Prati Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $31
- Trionfale Farmers Market and Vatican Quarter Food and Wine Tour: $32
- Vatican Food and Wine Tasting Tour next to the Sistine Chapel: $32
- Cabaret & Burlesque Show: $32
- Vatican Quarter and Trionfale Farmers Market Food and Wine Tour: $43
- Bar Crawl with Local Guide & Drinks: $52
- Tipsy Tour: Fun Bar Crawl In Rome With Local Guide : $53
- Wine Tour in Historic Center of Rome: $55
- Frascati Wine Tasting Experience & Vineyards Tour : $61
- Pasta Making Class & Wine Tasting in a Trasteve Villa: $68
- E-Bike Night Tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $68
- Private Wine Tasting in Trastevere: $71
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Krakow and Rome, we can see that Rome 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 Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome 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 Rome Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Krakow or Rome?
Rome has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Krakow and Rome, 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 Rome?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Krakow or Rome in the Summer?
Both Rome and Krakow are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Rome for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Krakow is cooler than Rome in the summer. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around 19°C (67°F) in July, and Rome fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
It's quite sunny in Rome. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Krakow. Krakow usually receives less sunshine than Rome during summer. Krakow gets 201 hours of sunny skies, while Rome receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Krakow usually receives more rain than Rome. Krakow gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Rome receives 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKrakow 19°C (67°F)Rome 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Rome in the Autumn?
Both Rome and Krakow during the autumn are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the autumn months attract visitors to Rome because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Krakow is much colder than Rome. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Krakow in October average around 11°C (51°F), and Rome averages at about 17°C (63°F).
In the autumn, Krakow often gets less sunshine than Rome. Krakow gets 97 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Rome receives 198 hours of full sun.
Krakow usually gets less rain in October than Rome. Krakow gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Rome receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKrakow 11°C (51°F)Rome 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Rome in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Krakow and Rome. Furthermore, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Rome this time of year.
The weather in Krakow can be very cold. In January, Krakow is generally much colder than Rome. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around -2°C (29°F), and Rome fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
Krakow usually receives less sunshine than Rome during winter. Krakow gets 38 hours of sunny skies, while Rome receives 127 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Krakow usually receives less rain than Rome. Krakow gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Rome receives 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKrakow -2°C (29°F)Rome 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Krakow or Rome in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Krakow as well as Rome. Additionally, many travelers come to Rome for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
Krakow is cooler than Rome in the spring. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around 10°C (50°F) in April, and Rome fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Rome. In the spring, Krakow often gets less sunshine than Rome. Krakow gets 132 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Rome receives 204 hours of full sun.
Krakow usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Rome. Krakow gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Rome receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKrakow 10°C (50°F)Rome 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for Rome and Krakow
| Krakow | Rome | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Feb | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 42 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 94 mm (3.7 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.