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

Should you visit Lisbon or Krakow?

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

Should I visit Lisbon or Krakow? 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: Lisbon or Krakow?

Lisbon

Portugal's capital city of Lisbon continues to grow in popularity as a travel destination. The cultural scene has come to life in recent years and the city itself is stunningly beautiful. It sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is made up of hills that create a dramatic and scenic layout. The city has many white-bleached limestone buildings, narrow alleyways, and a laidback charm that appeals to visitors.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal, The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.


Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Lisbon?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Lisbon is €131, while the average daily cost in Krakow is €60. 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 Lisbon and Krakow in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lisbon 58
    Krakow 39
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lisbon 116
    Krakow 78
Compare Hotels in Lisbon and Krakow

Looking for a hotel in Lisbon or Krakow? 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 Lisbon


Hotels in Krakow


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: Lisbon Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lisbon 24
    Krakow 6.00
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lisbon

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Lisbon:


  • Taxi Ride
    6.50

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon

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

  • Airport Private Transfer to Cascais | Sintra | Estoril: $29
  • Airport Private Transfer to Lisbon: $23
  • Airport Transfer - Lisbon: $60
  • Airport Transfer: Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon in Luxury Van: $95
  • Airport Transfer: Lisbon to Lisbon Airport LIS in Business Car: $66
  • Airport Transfer: Lisbon to Lisbon Airport LIS in Luxury Van: $95
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Lisbon airport LIS to Lisbon City by Luxury Van: $48
  • Arrival Transfer: Lisbon Airport LIS to Lisbon in Business Car: $65
  • Cascais transfer: Private Transfer to/from Cascais or Lisbon: $59
  • Costa da Caparica Private Transfer from / to Lisbon: $33
  • Departure Private Transfer from Lisbon City to Lisbon airport LIS by Luxury Van: $48
  • Exclusive Luxury Transfers to/from Lisbon Airport: $16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:

  • Zakopane to Chocholow Thermal Pools 3h Ticket with Hotel Transfer: $93
  • Zakopane and Sleigh Ride with Transfers and Lunch Option: $186
  • Zakopane Tour from Krakow with Transfers and Lunch Option: $65
  • Zakopane Private Transfer from to Krakow or Krakow Airport: $253
  • Wroclaw: Private Transfer from/to Krakow: $248
  • Wooden Architecture Museum Private Transfer Round Trip: $153
  • Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $65
  • Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour from Krakow with Hotel Transfer: $77
  • Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $747
  • Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
  • VAN Private transfer: Krakow Airport - Krakow City: $43
  • Two Krakow Airport Transfers, Auschwitz-Birkenau & Salt Mine: $161

Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Krakow?

Prices for flights to both Krakow and Lisbon 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
    Lisbon 42
    Krakow 12
Typical Food Prices in Lisbon

For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Coffee
    2.50

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon

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

  • Soirée Rivage - Sunset cruise with dinner and Party: $25
  • Hard Rock Cafe Lisbon with Set Lunch or Dinner : $28
  • Tapas Food Tour: $42
  • Fado Show and Portuguese Dinner: $48
  • Lisbon Food Tour: $53
  • Alfama Tour and Live Fado with Traditional Dinner: $53
  • 2-Hour Pastel de Nata Cooking Class: $53
  • Legendary Beer Dinner: $53
  • No Diet Club - Unique food tour in Lisbon with many Tastings: $62
  • Original Morning Food Tour: $63
  • Lisbon Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks and Food inlcuded: $70
  • Tipsy Food Crawl Walking Tour with Dinner: $70

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lisbon 24
    Krakow 19

Tours and Activities in Lisbon

For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • See Lisbon Through the Eyes of a Local - Free Walking Tour: $1.07
  • Lisbon Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.12
  • Belém Unveiled: A Free Tour Through the Age of Discoveries: $1.28
  • Alfama Walking Tour Lisbon: $3.26
  • Wonders of Lisbon Walking Tour: $3.93
  • 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour in Lisbon: $4.36
  • 2-Hour Walking Tour in the Marvels of Lisbon : $4.80
  • Tower of Saint George’s Castle Church Ticket & Drink: $5.35
  • Lisbon Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $5.35
  • Lisbon Cathedral Entry Ticket: $5.35
  • Lisbon Walking Tour: $5.35
  • A Self-Guided Audio Tour From Príncipe Real to Downtown Lisbon: $5.53

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
  • Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Wieliczka Salt Mine 1-Day Tour: $141
  • Rynek Underground Museum Guided Tour: $25
  • Rynek Underground Museum, Old Town and St. Mary's Basilica Tour: $50
  • 1 Day Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Guided Tour Hotel Pick up: $44
  • 1 Day Trip Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $34
  • 1-Hour Tour to Krakow's Old Town by Electric Golf Cart: $21
  • 120 min Old Town Segway Tour in Krakow: $49
  • 2 Days Tour in Wawel Hill, Jewish Quarter and Wieliczka with Guide and Lunch: $187
  • 2 Hour Private Pinball and Arcade Museum Tour from Krakow: $273
  • 2 Hours Old Town Guided Bike Tour in Krakow: $27
  • 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour in The Old Town of Krakow: $25

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lisbon 18
    Krakow 6.32

Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:

  • Pub Crawl with Unlimited Drinks and VIP Club Entry: $18
  • 1-Hour Portuguese Wine Tasting Session: $20
  • Lisbon Pub Crawl: $21
  • Pub Crawl with Open Bar and VIP Club Entry: $21
  • Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots, & VIP Club Entry: $21
  • Lisbon Wild Pub Crawl : $22
  • Private Bar Crawl in Lisbon: $22
  • Beer Tasting in a Classic Brewery: $27
  • Pub Crawl Lisbon: $27
  • Wine Tasting at Quinta das Murgas: $38
  • Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $42
  • Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl in Lisbon with Local Guide: $43

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
  • 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


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


Which is Bigger, Lisbon or Krakow?

Krakow has a larger population, and is about 46% larger than the population of Lisbon. When comparing the sizes of Lisbon and Krakow, 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 Lisbon or Krakow?

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 Lisbon or Krakow in the Summer?

Both Krakow and Lisbon during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Lisbon because of the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.

Lisbon is a little warmer than Krakow in the summer. The daily temperature in Lisbon averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).

In Krakow, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Lisbon. In the summer, Lisbon often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Lisbon gets 352 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun.

Lisbon usually gets less rain in July than Krakow. Lisbon gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Lisbon 23°C (73°F) 
    Krakow 19°C (67°F)

Should I visit Lisbon or Krakow in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Lisbon and Krakow. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Lisbon this time of year.

In the autumn, Lisbon is much warmer than Krakow. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Lisbon in October average around 19°C (66°F), and Krakow averages at about 11°C (51°F).

In Lisbon, it's very sunny this time of the year. Lisbon usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during autumn. Lisbon gets 213 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Lisbon usually receives more rain than Krakow. Lisbon gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Lisbon 19°C (66°F) 
    Krakow 11°C (51°F)

Should I visit Lisbon or Krakow in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Lisbon as well as Krakow. Many travelers come to Lisbon for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Lisbon is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Lisbon average around 12°C (53°F), and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).

In the winter, Lisbon often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Lisbon gets 144 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun.

Lisbon receives a lot of rain in the winter. Lisbon usually gets more rain in January than Krakow. Lisbon gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Lisbon 12°C (53°F) 
    Krakow -2°C (29°F)

Should I visit Lisbon or Krakow in the Spring?

Both Krakow and Lisbon are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Lisbon in the spring for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.

Lisbon is much warmer than Krakow in the spring. The daily temperature in Lisbon averages around 16°C (60°F) in April, and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Lisbon. Lisbon usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during spring. Lisbon gets 235 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Lisbon usually receives more rain than Krakow. Lisbon gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Lisbon 16°C (60°F) 
    Krakow 10°C (50°F)

Typical Weather for Krakow and Lisbon

Lisbon Krakow
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 12°C (53°F) 110 mm (4.3 in) -2°C (29°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Feb 13°C (55°F) 111 mm (4.4 in) 0°C (32°F) 32 mm (1.3 in)
Mar 14°C (58°F) 69 mm (2.7 in) 5°C (40°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Apr 16°C (60°F) 64 mm (2.5 in) 10°C (50°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
May 18°C (64°F) 39 mm (1.5 in) 15°C (59°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Jun 21°C (69°F) 21 mm (0.8 in) 18°C (64°F) 96 mm (3.8 in)
Jul 23°C (73°F) 5 mm (0.2 in) 19°C (67°F) 86 mm (3.4 in)
Aug 23°C (74°F) 6 mm (0.2 in) 19°C (66°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Sep 22°C (72°F) 26 mm (1 in) 15°C (60°F) 52 mm (2 in)
Oct 19°C (66°F) 80 mm (3.1 in) 11°C (51°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Nov 15°C (59°F) 114 mm (4.5 in) 5°C (41°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Dec 12°C (54°F) 108 mm (4.3 in) 1°C (33°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)