Which place is cheaper, San Sebastian or Krakow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Krakow or San Sebastian?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Krakow or San Sebastian? 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 Sebastian?
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 Sebastian
San Sebastián is a city in northern Spain very well known for its summertime fun in the sun. While the streets are cool and happening at night, they take on a different charm by day. Beautiful beaches line the city's edge, right next to elegant historic architecture and churches, topping charts as some of the best city beaches in Europe. The food, too, is said to be some of the best with traditional Basque cuisine as well as the popular pintxo (tapas) bites. San Sebastián is a place of lively culture, teeming with beauty, flavors, and colors.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKrakow $64San Sebastian $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $64, while the average daily cost in San Sebastian is $96. 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 Sebastian in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKrakow $42San Sebastian $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKrakow $84San Sebastian $86
Compare Hotels in Krakow and San Sebastian
Looking for a hotel in Krakow or San Sebastian? 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 Sebastian Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Krakow $6.40San Sebastian $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Kraków: Kraków Airport to Central Bus Station Bus Transfer: $5.31
- From Auschwitz-Birkenau Roundtrip Bus Transfer: $6.19
- Balice Airport Luxury Vehicle Private Transfer: $9.91
- Private Transfer to or from Krakow Airport: $10
- Private Transfer to/from Krakow Airport (KRK): $11
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Transfer from Krakow: $12
- Krakow Airport Transfer Balice: $14
- Krakow Airport Private Transfers: $15
- Electric Car Transfer between Krakow and the Airport: $15
- Kraków: Airport Private Transfer by Luxury Car: $16
- Auschwitz - Birkenau Roundtrip Transfer with assistance: $17
- Kraków Airport Private Transfer - Kraków City Center: $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Sebastian
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Sebastian:
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian Airport to Pamplona city: $247
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Bilbao Airport: $268
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Pamplona Airport : $245
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Bilbao: $268
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Vitoria: $291
- Private Transfer from the Airport to San Sebastian City: $84
- San Sebastián-Bilbao city or airport private transfer: $273
Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or San Sebastian?
Prices for flights to both San Sebastian 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 Sebastian $33
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 San Sebastian
Some typical examples of dining costs in San Sebastian are as follows:
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Dinner for 2$59
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Lunch for 2$11
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Lunch for 2$34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Sebastian
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Sebastian.
- San Sebastian Walking and Food Tour: $104
- Insider Best Culinary Gems Guided Food Tour in San Sebastian: $109
- Basque Cuisine Cooking Class with Market Visit: $148
- Full Day San Sebastian Food Tour : $150
- I travel for Food Tour in San Sebastian: $152
- Authentic Basque Cooking Class in the Old Town: $152
- Private San Sebastian Walking Food Tour: $158
- Michelin Star Secrets Cooking Class in San Sebastian: $213
- Food tour in San Sebastian and Visit to a Gastronomical Club: $224
- History and flavors of San Sebastian for Dinner with Eskerne Falcón: $235
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Krakow $20San Sebastian $36
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 San Sebastian
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in San Sebastian are as follows:
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Valle de los Caídos Monument$6.43
Tours and Activities in San Sebastian
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Sebastian are as follows:
- San Sebastian Walking Tour With Pintxo And Drink: $16
- Guided tour of San Sebastián: $19
- Walking Tour in San Sebastian: $43
- Electric scooter city tour: $45
- City tour, bike ride: $45
- San Sebastian : Private Custom Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $49
- City tour, by electric bicycle: $50
- Private Walking Tour in San Sebastian with Pintxo and Drink: $54
- San Sebastián City Bike tour : $54
- Private Guided Sightseeing Bike Tour of San Sebastian: $60
- Hondarribia, S.Juan & S.Pedro Small Group Tour from San Sebastian: $60
- Small-Group Electric Bike Tour in San Sebastián : $61
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKrakow $6.75San Sebastian $21
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
Sample the Local Flavors in San Sebastian
Also in San Sebastian, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ultimate San Sebastian Pintxos & Wine Tour (Evening): $141
- Getaria Txakoli Wine Tour with Hotel Pick-up from San Sebastian: $148
- Best quality food & wine tasting tour in San Sebastian. : $191
- Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries Visit with Tasting from San Sebastian: $240
- Rioja Wine Tour: Winery, Tasting & Lunch from San Sebastian: $251
- Full Rioja Wine Tour with Lunch from San Sebastian Private Tour: $298
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Krakow and San Sebastian, we can see that San Sebastian 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 San Sebastian would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Sebastian 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 Sebastian Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Krakow or San Sebastian?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of San Sebastian. When comparing the sizes of Krakow and San Sebastian, 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 Sebastian?
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 San Sebastian in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Krakow and San Sebastian. Also, many visitors come to San Sebastian in the summer for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Krakow is generally around the same temperature as San Sebastian. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around 19°C (67°F), and San Sebastian fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Sebastian this time of the year. In Krakow, it's very sunny this time of the year. Krakow usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as San Sebastian during summer. Krakow gets 201 hours of sunny skies, while San Sebastian receives 209 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Krakow usually receives around the same amount of rain as San Sebastian. Krakow gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while San Sebastian receives 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKrakow 19°C (67°F)San Sebastian 20°C (68°F)
Should I visit Krakow or San Sebastian in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Krakow as well as San Sebastian. Also, most visitors come to San Sebastian for the shopping scene during these months.
Krakow is cooler than San Sebastian in the autumn. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around 11°C (51°F) in October, and San Sebastian fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
In the autumn, Krakow often gets less sunshine than San Sebastian. Krakow gets 97 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Sebastian receives 144 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in San Sebastian. Krakow usually gets less rain in October than San Sebastian. Krakow gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while San Sebastian receives 155 mm (6.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKrakow 11°C (51°F)San Sebastian 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Krakow or San Sebastian in the Winter?
Both San Sebastian and Krakow are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, the winter months attract visitors to San Sebastian because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Krakow can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Krakow is much colder than San Sebastian. Typically, the winter temperatures in Krakow in January average around -2°C (29°F), and San Sebastian averages at about 8°C (47°F).
Krakow usually receives less sunshine than San Sebastian during winter. Krakow gets 38 hours of sunny skies, while San Sebastian receives 85 hours of full sun in the winter.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Sebastian. In January, Krakow usually receives less rain than San Sebastian. Krakow gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while San Sebastian receives 183 mm (7.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKrakow -2°C (29°F)San Sebastian 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Krakow or San Sebastian in the Spring?
Both San Sebastian and Krakow during the spring are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the beaches are the main draw to San Sebastian this time of year.
In April, Krakow is generally cooler than San Sebastian. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around 10°C (50°F), and San Sebastian fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
In the spring, Krakow often gets around the same amount of sunshine as San Sebastian. Krakow gets 132 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Sebastian receives 141 hours of full sun.
San Sebastian gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Krakow usually gets less rain in April than San Sebastian. Krakow gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while San Sebastian receives 163 mm (6.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKrakow 10°C (50°F)San Sebastian 12°C (54°F)
Typical Weather for San Sebastian and Krakow
| Krakow | San Sebastian | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) |
| Feb | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 147 mm (5.8 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 163 mm (6.4 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 139 mm (5.5 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 155 mm (6.1 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) |
| Dec | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 184 mm (7.2 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.