Which place is cheaper, San Francisco or Krakow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Krakow or San Francisco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Krakow or San Francisco? 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 San Francisco?
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.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKrakow $65San Francisco $222
The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $65, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $222. 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 San Francisco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKrakow $42San Francisco $130
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKrakow $84San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Krakow and San Francisco
Looking for a hotel in Krakow or San Francisco? 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 San Francisco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Krakow $6.41San Francisco $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Private Transfer to or from Budapest: $871
- Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $750
- Private Transfer to or from Prague: $747
- From Gdansk or One-Way Private Transfer: $672
- Private Transfer to or from Bratislava: $622
- Private transfer! Warsaw Chopin Airport - Krakow City Center: $425
- Private transfer from Krakow to Budapest or from Budapest to Krakow: $299
- Private door-to-door transfer from Krakow to Budapest: $292
- From Krakow to Wroclaw Airport Private Transfer: $291
- Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
- Private Transfer from Krakow to Warsaw with 2h of Sightseeing: $287
- Private Transfer Airport to Warszawa Okęcie: $279
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
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Taxi to SFO$45
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Golden Gate Bridge Toll$6.00
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Alcatraz Tour$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Francisco: $107
- Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $245
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $108
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Luxury Car: $169
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Luxury SUV: $141
- Arrival Transfer San Francisco Pier to San Francisco City by SUV: $177
- Carmel 1-Way Transfer to/from San Francisco Airport: $535
- Departure Private Transfer San Francisco to SFO Airport by Sedan: $152
- Departure Private Transfer San Francisco to SFO Airport in a SUV: $203
- Departure Private Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO in Business Car: $108
- Napa Valley 1-Way Transfer to/from the San Francisco Airport: $400
- Private Airport SUV VIP Transfer from or to SFO to Marin County: $168
Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco 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 $13San Francisco $46
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 San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
- North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $79
- Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Bay: $82
- Secret Food Tours San Francisco: $84
- Mission District Food Tour with Tastings: $85
- Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $87
- Mission District Walking Food Tour: $89
- Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
- San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Krakow $20San Francisco $46
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 San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
- Golden Gate Bridge: Self-guided Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- San Francisco’s Chinatown on foot: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Leave your heart at the Wharf: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.99
- San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Embarcadero Self-Guided Audio Smartphone Tour: $5.99
- San Francisco self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $6.46
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Japantown & Stories: $6.99
- Ghosts & Hauntings Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Secrets of Golden Gate Park Audio Tour: $7.99
- Design in the Financial District Audio Tour: $7.99
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKrakow $6.76San Francisco $22
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 San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
- Chinatown San Francisco’s Bar Crawl: An Audio Tour: $4.99
- SF Pub Crawl and Clubbing Experience: $27
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
- Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- 2 to 3 Hour Bar Crawl in Castro San Francisco: $49
- Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
- Private Wine Tour Napa or Sonoma from $99 per person up to 7 & Concierge Service: $99
- Small Group: The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $109
- Big Bus Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $125
- Half-Day Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings: $126
- From The Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
- The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Krakow and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco 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 San Francisco is in North America, 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco 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 San Francisco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Krakow or San Francisco?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 3% larger than the population of San Francisco. When comparing the sizes of Krakow and San Francisco, 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 San Francisco?
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 San Francisco in the Summer?
Both San Francisco and Krakow during the summer are popular places to visit. Furthermore, many visitors come to San Francisco in the summer for the beaches, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
Krakow is around the same temperature as San Francisco in the summer. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around 19°C (67°F) in July, and San Francisco fluctuates around 63°F (17°C).
Krakow usually gets more rain in July than San Francisco. Krakow gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 0.1 inches (2 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKrakow 19°C (67°F)San Francisco 63°F (17°C)
Should I visit Krakow or San Francisco in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Krakow and San Francisco. Furthermore, most visitors come to San Francisco for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In the autumn, Krakow is much colder than San Francisco. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Krakow in October average around 11°C (51°F), and San Francisco averages at about 63°F (17°C).
In October, Krakow usually receives more rain than San Francisco. Krakow gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 1.3 inches (33 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKrakow 11°C (51°F)San Francisco 63°F (17°C)
Should I visit Krakow or San Francisco in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Krakow as well as San Francisco. Additionally, the winter months attract visitors to San Francisco because of the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
Krakow can be very cold during winter. In January, Krakow is generally much colder than San Francisco. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around -2°C (29°F), and San Francisco fluctuates around 50°F (10°C).
Krakow usually gets less rain in January than San Francisco. Krakow gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 3.8 inches (96 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKrakow -2°C (29°F)San Francisco 50°F (10°C)
Should I visit Krakow or San Francisco in the Spring?
Both San Francisco and Krakow are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty are the main draw to San Francisco this time of year.
Krakow is cooler than San Francisco in the spring. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around 10°C (50°F) in April, and San Francisco fluctuates around 58°F (14°C).
In April, Krakow usually receives more rain than San Francisco. Krakow gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 1.2 inches (31 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKrakow 10°C (50°F)San Francisco 58°F (14°C)
Typical Weather for San Francisco and Krakow
| Krakow | San Francisco | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 50°F (10°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
| Feb | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Mar | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 58°F (14°C) | 1.2 inches (31 mm) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 60°F (15°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Jul | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.1 inches (1 mm) |
| Sep | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.3 inches (7 mm) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.3 inches (33 mm) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) |
| Dec | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.7 inches (68 mm) |
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.