Which place is cheaper, Cologne or Leiden?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Leiden or Cologne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Leiden and Cologne can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Leiden or Cologne?
Leiden
Leiden is a city in the province of South Holland. It is south of the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam, and has a population of about 190,000. It is known for its university, museums, markets, and of course, canals. Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands and is a sister school of Oxford, which is England's oldest university.
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Amsterdam, The Best 2-Week Tours from Amsterdam, The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, and The Best Budget Tours to Germany.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLeiden €133Cologne €161
The average daily cost (per person) in Leiden is €133, while the average daily cost in Cologne is €161. 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 Leiden and Cologne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLeiden €78Cologne €91
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLeiden €156Cologne €182
Compare Hotels in Leiden and Cologne
Looking for a hotel in Leiden or Cologne? 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: Leiden Hotel Prices and Cologne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Leiden €26Cologne €19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leiden
Also for Leiden, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zero Emission Tesla Taxi Transfer from Leiden Area to the Airport: $93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $109
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Leiden or Cologne?
Prices for flights to both Cologne and Leiden 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 dayLeiden €39Cologne €50
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner€14
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Donner Kebab€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $481
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Leiden €17Cologne €20
Tours and Activities in Leiden
For Leiden, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Highlights Walking Tour in Leiden with Audio and GPS Guide: $7.57
- Hortus Botanicus Entry Ticket: $9.62
- Guided City Canal Cruise: $13
- The Hidden Stories of Leiden - Self-guided audio tour: $14
- Self-Guided City Trail Kids Tour in Noordwijk (4-8 years): $21
- Windmill cruise through Warmond: $21
- 90 minutes Walking tour and Escape room in Leiden: $21
- Self-guided city trail - JOLA's Schnipseljagd Noordwijk Sea Tour: $26
- Discover Leiden with a self-guided Outside Escape city game tour!: $27
- Self-guided city trail - JOLA's Schnipseljagd Leiden Tour: $32
- Self-guided city trail - JOLA's Schnipseljagd Noordwijk Tour: $32
- Escape Tour - Self-Guided Citygame: $32
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 120min - Cologne City Tour: $158
- 3-Hour Cologne Street Art Bike Tour in Small Group with Guide: $44
- 3-Hour Murder Mystery Interactive City Walking Tour in Köln: $75
- 5 Hours Cologne to Aachen Train Tour in Germany: $63
- Aachen Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide: $231
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Aachen old town tour - GERMAN (public): $13
- Amusing Stories of Cologne Walking Tour: $13
- Awesome Sites of Cologne – Private Family Walking Tour: $395
- Beethoven and Bonn Highlights Tour from Cologne by Car: $840
- Best of Cologne in 1-Day Private Guided Tour with Transport: $438
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLeiden €26Cologne €23
Sample the Local Flavors in Leiden
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Leiden:
- Leiden Private Self-Guided Pub Crawl Pub Quiz: $21
- Leiden Private Self Guided Pub Crawl: $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Public brewery tour in Cologne in English: $18
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $29
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leiden and Cologne, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Leiden much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Leiden would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leiden 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne than you might in Leiden.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Leiden Expensive? and Is Cologne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Leiden or Cologne?
Cologne has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Leiden. When comparing the sizes of Leiden and Cologne, 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 Leiden or Cologne?
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 Leiden or Cologne in the Summer?
Both Cologne and Leiden during the summer are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Cologne because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
Leiden is cooler than Cologne in the summer. The daily temperature in Leiden averages around 17°C (62°F) in July, and Cologne fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
It's quite sunny in Leiden. In the summer, Leiden often gets more sunshine than Cologne. Leiden gets 204 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cologne receives 184 hours of full sun.
Leiden usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Cologne. Leiden gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyLeiden 17°C (62°F)Cologne 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Leiden or Cologne in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Leiden and Cologne. Furthermore, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Cologne this time of year.
In the autumn, Leiden is cooler than Cologne. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Leiden in October average around 11°C (51°F), and Cologne averages at about 12°C (54°F).
Leiden usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cologne during autumn. Leiden gets 99 hours of sunny skies, while Cologne receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Leiden usually receives more rain than Cologne. Leiden gets 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberLeiden 11°C (51°F)Cologne 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Leiden or Cologne in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Leiden as well as Cologne. Additionally, many travelers come to Cologne for the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Cologne. It's quite cold in Leiden in the winter. In January, Leiden is generally cooler than Cologne. Daily temperatures in Leiden average around 2°C (36°F), and Cologne fluctuates around 3°C (37°F).
In the winter, Leiden often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cologne. Leiden gets 46 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cologne receives 43 hours of full sun.
Leiden usually gets more rain in January than Cologne. Leiden gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryLeiden 2°C (36°F)Cologne 3°C (37°F)
Should I visit Leiden or Cologne in the Spring?
Both Cologne and Leiden are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many visitors come to Cologne in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
Leiden is cooler than Cologne in the spring. The daily temperature in Leiden averages around 8°C (46°F) in April, and Cologne fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
Leiden usually receives more sunshine than Cologne during spring. Leiden gets 166 hours of sunny skies, while Cologne receives 152 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Leiden usually receives around the same amount of rain as Cologne. Leiden gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilLeiden 8°C (46°F)Cologne 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Cologne and Leiden
| Leiden | Cologne | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 2°C (36°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Feb | 3°C (37°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (41°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Apr | 8°C (46°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (62°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 17°C (62°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Sep | 14°C (57°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Nov | 6°C (43°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Dec | 3°C (38°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 71 mm (2.8 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.