A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Krakow vs. Vancouver for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Krakow or Vancouver?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Krakow or Vancouver? 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 Vancouver?

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.

Vancouver

Vancouver is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Western Canada. It is also the largest city in British Columbia, and is dramatically positioned between the coast and mountains. It's a very international city, with a high level of energy and countless activites that you can enjoy while you're in town. In addition to offering all of the activities and entertainment of a modern city, it is also in jumping off distance to any number of outdoor activities.

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 from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Krakow?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $65, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $142. 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 Vancouver in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Krakow $42
    Vancouver $87
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Krakow $84
    Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Krakow and Vancouver

Looking for a hotel in Krakow or Vancouver? 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.

Hotels in Krakow


Hotels in Vancouver


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 Vancouver Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Krakow $6.41
    Vancouver $12

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 Vancouver

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:


  • SkyTrain from Airport
    $6.40
  • Taxi from Airport to Downtown
    $21
  • 15 min Taxi Ride
    $8.78
  • SkyTrain DayPass
    $6.58

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver

Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Arrival Private Transfer from Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port to Vancouver by SUV: $120
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Vancouver Airport YVR to Vancouver in Luxury Car: $163
  • Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $93
  • Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $93
  • Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $186
  • Canada Place Cruise Port: Transfer to Vancouver hotels: $428
  • Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
  • Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury Car: $163
  • Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury SUV: $133
  • Maximize Your Cruise Adventure: Vancouver Tour & Transfer: $292
  • Mount Washington to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Transfer: $93
  • Private Departure Transfer to Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32

Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or Vancouver?

Prices for flights to both Vancouver 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Krakow $13
    Vancouver $31

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

Typical Food Prices in Vancouver

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:


  • All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch
    $8.87

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver

For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
  • The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $94
  • Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
  • Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
  • North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $108
  • Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $134
  • VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $138
  • Authentic Asian Eats Walking Food Tour: $142
  • 3-Hour Bowen Island Boat Cruise with Dinner: $153
  • Evening Cruise with Dinner Buffet: $153
  • Vancouver Evening Dinner Cruise: $157
  • Granville Island Uncorked Walking Food Tour: $161

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Krakow $20
    Vancouver $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
  • 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 Vancouver

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.

  • Vancouver self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.31
  • Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.75
  • Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.82
  • Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
  • Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.19
  • Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.19
  • Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
  • Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.68
  • Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.68
  • Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.99
  • Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.31
  • Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tours of Stanley Park: $7.42

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Krakow $6.76
    Vancouver $16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Krakow:


  • 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 Vancouver

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:

  • Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl ROUTE B: $18
  • Gastown Pub Crawl: $22
  • Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl: $26
  • 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $88
  • Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
  • Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $134
  • From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $138
  • From Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Local Tastings: $139
  • Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
  • Stawamus Chief Hike and Local Brewery Tasting: $165
  • Fraser Valley & White Rock Premium Public Wine Tour: $166
  • Stawamus Chief Hike & Local Brewery Tasting : $167


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Krakow and Vancouver, we can see that Vancouver 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 Vancouver 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 Vancouver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vancouver 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 Vancouver Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Krakow or Vancouver?

Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Krakow and Vancouver, 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 Vancouver?

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 Vancouver in the Summer?

Both Vancouver and Krakow during the summer are popular places to visit.

In the summer, Krakow is around the same temperature as Vancouver. Typically, the summer temperatures in Krakow in July average around 19°C (67°F), and Vancouver averages at about 18°C (64°F).

In Vancouver, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Krakow. In the summer, Krakow often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Krakow gets 201 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.

Krakow usually gets more rain in July than Vancouver. Krakow gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Krakow 19°C (67°F) 
    Vancouver 18°C (64°F)

Should I visit Krakow or Vancouver in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Krakow and Vancouver.

In October, Krakow is generally around the same temperature as Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Krakow average around 11°C (51°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).

Krakow usually receives less sunshine than Vancouver during autumn. Krakow gets 97 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 124 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Vancouver receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Krakow usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Krakow gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Krakow 11°C (51°F) 
    Vancouver 11°C (51°F)

Should I visit Krakow or Vancouver in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Krakow as well as Vancouver.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Vancouver. It's quite cold in Krakow in the winter. Krakow is much colder than Vancouver in the winter. The daily temperature in Krakow averages around -2°C (29°F) in January, and Vancouver fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).

In the winter, Krakow often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Krakow gets 38 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Krakow usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Krakow gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Krakow -2°C (29°F) 
    Vancouver 4°C (40°F)

Should I visit Krakow or Vancouver in the Spring?

Both Vancouver and Krakow are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.

In the spring, Krakow is around the same temperature as Vancouver. Typically, the spring temperatures in Krakow in April average around 10°C (50°F), and Vancouver averages at about 9°C (49°F).

Krakow usually receives less sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Krakow gets 132 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. In April, Krakow usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Krakow gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Krakow 10°C (50°F) 
    Vancouver 9°C (49°F)

Typical Weather for Vancouver and Krakow

Krakow Vancouver
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan -2°C (29°F) 34 mm (1.3 in) 4°C (40°F) 167 mm (6.6 in)
Feb 0°C (32°F) 32 mm (1.3 in) 6°C (42°F) 179 mm (7.1 in)
Mar 5°C (40°F) 34 mm (1.3 in) 7°C (45°F) 142 mm (5.6 in)
Apr 10°C (50°F) 49 mm (1.9 in) 9°C (49°F) 110 mm (4.3 in)
May 15°C (59°F) 83 mm (3.3 in) 13°C (55°F) 81 mm (3.2 in)
Jun 18°C (64°F) 96 mm (3.8 in) 16°C (60°F) 66 mm (2.6 in)
Jul 19°C (67°F) 86 mm (3.4 in) 18°C (64°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Aug 19°C (66°F) 85 mm (3.3 in) 18°C (64°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Sep 15°C (60°F) 52 mm (2 in) 15°C (59°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)
Oct 11°C (51°F) 45 mm (1.8 in) 11°C (51°F) 164 mm (6.5 in)
Nov 5°C (41°F) 45 mm (1.8 in) 7°C (44°F) 234 mm (9.2 in)
Dec 1°C (33°F) 40 mm (1.6 in) 4°C (40°F) 198 mm (7.8 in)