A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Leuven vs. Nice for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Leuven or Nice?

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

Should I visit Leuven or Nice? 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: Leuven or Nice?

Leuven

Lying just east of Brussels, Leuven is a Belgian city and capital of the Province of Flemish Brabant known for its breweries, historic architecture, and university. Because of the university, the town is at its busiest during the academic year (September through June), but there is plenty to see and do during all seasons.

Nice

Nice, in the French Riviera, is one of the most popular destinations in France. It's located on the southeast coast along the Mediterranean Sea and is the second largest French city on the Mediterranean. It is an energetic city that attracts all types of vacationers from every age group and demographic. It's the 5th largest city in the country and is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes departement. The metropolitan area has a population of about 1 million.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Belgium, The Best Tours for Seniors to Belgium, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.


Which place is cheaper, Nice or Leuven?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Leuven is €178, while the average daily cost in Nice is €131. 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 Leuven and Nice in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Leuven 93
    Nice 59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Leuven 186
    Nice 118
Compare Hotels in Leuven and Nice

Looking for a hotel in Leuven or Nice? 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 Leuven


Hotels in Nice


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: Leuven Hotel Prices and Nice Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Leuven 61
    Nice 25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leuven

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leuven:

  • Brussels Airport(BRU) to Brussels hotels-Arrival Private Transfer: $24
  • Brussels Airport(BRU) to Brussels city - Arrival Private Transfer: $33
  • Brussels Airport Shuttle Transfer <-> Brussels (1 to 8 PLACES): $34
  • Private transfer from Airport(BRU) to Brussels City Center: $44
  • Brussels Airport(BRU) to City hotels- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $48
  • Private transfer from Brussels Airport to Brussels city Business car: $54
  • Brussels Airport Transfer <-> Tomorrowland Boom (1 to 8 Places): $58
  • Private Airport Transfer: Brussels Airport (BRU) to Brussels: $65
  • Brussels Airport (BRU) to Brussels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $65
  • One-way Private Transfer From/To Brussels Airport: $70
  • Private Transfer from Brussels Airport to the city of Brussels: $73
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Brussels Airport to Brussels City by Business Car: $74

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nice

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nice:

  • Arrival Transfer from Côte d'Azur Airport NCE to Nice City in Private Car: $44
  • Arrival Transfer from Nice Airport NCE to Nice city by Sedan: $59
  • Arrival Transfer: Nice Airport NCE to Cannes in Luxury Van: $116
  • Arrival Transfer: Nice Airport NCE to Monaco in Business Car: $109
  • Cruise Port Hercule to Monaco hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
  • Day Trip / transfer to and from aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur: $92
  • Departure Transfer: Monaco to Nice Airport NCE in Business Car: $109
  • Departure Transfer: Monaco to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Van: $130
  • Departure Transfer: Villefranche Port to Nice Airport: $53
  • Ferry Transfer to Sainte Marguerite Island from Nice: $56
  • From Nice Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Monaco: $150
  • From Nice Airport: Private Transfer to Cannes: $128

Is it cheaper to fly into Leuven or Nice?

Prices for flights to both Nice and Leuven 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
    Leuven 49
    Nice 49

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Leuven

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leuven.

  • Mechelen Small-Group Walking Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $75
  • Mechelen Food Tour: $82
  • Vegan Walking Food Tour in Mechelen: $82

Typical Food Prices in Nice

Some typical examples of dining costs in Nice are as follows:


  • Slushee
    2.50
  • Strawberries
    4.00
  • Loaf of Bread
    3.20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nice

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nice.

  • Nice Small-Group Walking Food Tour with Local Specialties & Wine Tasting: $84
  • Viator Exclusive: Organic French Dinner in the Garden of Nice: $95
  • The Flavors of Nice Food Tour: $103
  • Old Nice Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $104
  • Nice Evening Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $104
  • Viator Exclusive: Local Cooking Class & Dinner with View of Nice: $107
  • 3.5-Hour Original Old Town Food Tour: $107
  • Private French Cooking Class with a Fun Local Noel: $112
  • PRIVATE Award-Winning Nice Food Tour: 6 or 10 Tastings: $112
  • Food Tour + Wine Pairing Lunch with a local Sommelier: $133
  • Half Day Afternoon Walking Food Tour with Dinner: $147
  • Dinner in the vineyard French Riviera: $192

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Leuven 23
    Nice 12

Tours and Activities in Leuven

Here are a few actual costs in Leuven for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Self-Guided Walking Tour with Offline Access: $5.99
  • Escape Tour - Self-Guided Citygame: $32
  • Small-Group Mechelen City Guided Walking Tour: $52
  • Mechelen Small-Group Running Tour: $52
  • Guided Small-Group Cycling Tour of Mechelen: $60
  • Small-Group Chocolate Tour in Mechelen: $63
  • Murder Crime Game Self-Guided Interactive City Tour: $74
  • Private 2 Hour Walking Tour of Mechelen : $229
  • Soothing Corners of Leuven - Romantic Tour: $288
  • Special Christmas Journey in Leuven - Walking Tour: $395

Tours and Activities in Nice

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nice are as follows:

  • Vieux Nice : Discovery Stroll and Reading Walking Tour: $2.13
  • Nice : Discovery Stroll and Reading Walking Tour: $2.13
  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.41
  • Ticket to Musée National du Sport: $6.42
  • Nice Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
  • Monaco Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
  • Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.95
  • City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.95
  • Nice's Old Town Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
  • Navigating A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
  • Nice city tour: audio guide app in your smartphone: $7.49

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Leuven 25
    Nice 17

Sample the Local Flavors in Nice

Also in Nice, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Nice Bar Crawl | Best Bars In 1 Night! VIP + FREE SHOTS: $5.99
  • Pub Crawl Party with VIP Entry and Free Shots: $16
  • Pub Crawl Nice with Drinking Games and Optional Drink special: $17
  • Nice : Guided Pub / Bar Crawl with Shots and Nightclub Entry: $21
  • Riviera Bar Crawl Party with Free Shots and VIP Entry: $23
  • Nice Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $45
  • New Year's Eve Pub Crawl with Shots and VIP Club Entry: $52
  • New Year’s Eve Bar Crawl Nice France: $53
  • Provence Organic Wine Tasting Half Day Tour from Nice: $65
  • Wine Tasting: Tour de France in Nice City Centre: $74
  • Half-Day Saint Paul de Vence and Wine Tasting Tour: $82
  • Half-Day Wine Tasting and Saint Paul de Vence Tour from Nice: $84


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leuven and Nice, we can see that Leuven is more expensive. And not only is Nice much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Nice would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nice 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 Leuven would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Leuven than you might in Nice.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Leuven Expensive? and Is Nice Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Leuven or Nice?

Nice has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Leuven. When comparing the sizes of Leuven and Nice, 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 Leuven or Nice?

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 Leuven or Nice in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Leuven and Nice. Furthermore, most visitors come to Nice for the beaches, snorkeling, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

Leuven is cooler than Nice in the summer. The daily temperature in Leuven averages around 18°C (65°F) in July, and Nice fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

In July, Leuven usually receives more rain than Nice. Leuven gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while Nice receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Leuven 18°C (65°F) 
    Nice 23°C (73°F)

Should I visit Leuven or Nice in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Leuven as well as Nice. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to Nice because of the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.

In the autumn, Leuven is cooler than Nice. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Leuven in October average around 12°C (54°F), and Nice averages at about 17°C (63°F).

It's quite rainy in Nice. Leuven usually gets less rain in October than Nice. Leuven gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Nice receives 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Leuven 12°C (54°F) 
    Nice 17°C (63°F)

Should I visit Leuven or Nice in the Winter?

Both Nice and Leuven are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, the shopping scene and the cuisine are the main draw to Nice this time of year.

The weather in Leuven can be very cold. In January, Leuven is generally much colder than Nice. Daily temperatures in Leuven average around 3°C (38°F), and Nice fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).

In January, Leuven usually receives less rain than Nice. Leuven gets 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Nice receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Leuven 3°C (38°F) 
    Nice 9°C (48°F)

Should I visit Leuven or Nice in the Spring?

Both Nice and Leuven during the spring are popular places to visit. Also, many travelers come to Nice for the beaches and the natural beauty.

Leuven is cooler than Nice in the spring. The daily temperature in Leuven averages around 10°C (49°F) in April, and Nice fluctuates around 13°C (56°F).

Leuven usually gets less rain in April than Nice. Leuven gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Nice receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Leuven 10°C (49°F) 
    Nice 13°C (56°F)

Typical Weather for Nice and Leuven

Leuven Nice
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 3°C (38°F) 67 mm (2.6 in) 9°C (48°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Feb 4°C (39°F) 53 mm (2.1 in) 9°C (49°F) 76 mm (3 in)
Mar 6°C (43°F) 72 mm (2.8 in) 11°C (51°F) 71 mm (2.8 in)
Apr 10°C (49°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 13°C (56°F) 62 mm (2.4 in)
May 14°C (57°F) 71 mm (2.8 in) 16°C (62°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
Jun 17°C (62°F) 79 mm (3.1 in) 20°C (68°F) 36 mm (1.4 in)
Jul 18°C (65°F) 75 mm (3 in) 23°C (73°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Aug 18°C (65°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 23°C (73°F) 31 mm (1.2 in)
Sep 16°C (60°F) 59 mm (2.3 in) 21°C (69°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Oct 12°C (54°F) 70 mm (2.8 in) 17°C (63°F) 108 mm (4.3 in)
Nov 7°C (45°F) 76 mm (3 in) 12°C (54°F) 104 mm (4.1 in)
Dec 4°C (40°F) 76 mm (3 in) 10°C (49°F) 78 mm (3.1 in)