Which place is cheaper, Budapest or Lulea?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lulea or Budapest?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Lulea and Budapest can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Lulea or Budapest?
Lulea
Lulea is in northern Sweden, in Norrbotten. It's a mid sized city with about 70,000 residents. It also has a technical university, the Lulea University of Technology, which was created in 1971. The city of Lulea is located at the mouth of Lule River on the Gulf of Bothnia. The city's economy is focused on research, education, trade and services. The university's educational programs appeal to new businesses that range from local companies to multinational corporations. There is also a prominant IT sector in the city.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Coach Bus Tours in Sweden, The Best Adventure Tours to Sweden, The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Budapest.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLulea $105Budapest $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Lulea is $105, while the average daily cost in Budapest is $89. 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 Lulea and Budapest in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLulea $55Budapest $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLulea $110Budapest $98
Compare Hotels in Lulea and Budapest
Looking for a hotel in Lulea or Budapest? 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: Lulea Hotel Prices and Budapest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lulea $21Budapest $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
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Short Taxi Ride$6.91
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Metro Pass$3.79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bucharest - Romania to Budapest - Hungary /Private Transfer: $1,181
- Budapest - Bük Transfer: $153
- Budapest - Bratislava Transfer: $199
- Budapest - Debrecen Transfer: $168
- Budapest - Hungary to Bucharest - Romania /Private Transfer: $1,289
- Budapest - Pécs Transfer: $149
- Budapest - Szeged Transfer: $134
- Budapest Airport BUD Arrival Private Transfer to Budapest City: $89
- Budapest Airport Private Departure Transfer : City to Airport: $16
- Budapest Airport Private Luxury Transfer by a Mercedes Benz S Class: $120
- Budapest Airport Transfer: $55
- Budapest Airport Transfer - Round trip to and from Liszt Ferenc Airport: $78
Is it cheaper to fly into Lulea or Budapest?
Prices for flights to both Budapest and Lulea 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 dayLulea $35Budapest $23
Typical Food Prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
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Lunch$3.37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traveling Spoon Hungarian Goulash Private Online Cooking Class: $40
- Downtown Budapest Cruise with Pizza and Beer: $45
- Pizza & Beer Downtown Budapest Cruise: $46
- Vegan Hungarian Food Tour (full meals): $51
- Medieval Dinner Show with Drinks: $52
- Private Street Food Tour: $59
- Danube Cruise with Hungarian Dinner and Live Music: $74
- Budapest Danube Cruise with Buffet Dinner, Performances and Music: $75
- Evening Cruise and Dinner with Champagne: $86
- Lángos (Hungary’s nr1 streetfood) cooking class: $87
- Candlelit Dinner River Cruise with Live Music: $91
- Budapest Danube River Candlelit Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $93
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lulea $16Budapest $22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Entrance to the Baths for Two$6.77
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Free Tour Budapest Essential in Spanish: $3.26
- Budapest Historical Sightseeing - Walking Tour: $3.27
- Free walking tour in the Buda Castle incl. Fisherman's Bastion: $3.27
- Free Walking Tour Budapest incl. the Shoes on the Danube Bank: $3.27
- Communist History Evening Walking Tour of Budapest: $3.27
- Past and Present of Budapest Jewish District Tour: $3.27
- Self Guided City Audio Tour in Buda Castle: $5.45
- Escape Game and Tour: $5.88
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.88
- Historical Heroes & Hot Spa Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- TOP 10 Budapest- City Tour : $6.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLulea $18Budapest $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- The Original Budapest Pub Crawl - One Hour Open Bar + Free Shots: $17
- 5-Hour Pub Crawl through Ruin Bars: $21
- Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
- Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $25
- Budapest Original Ruin Pub Crawl Including 5 Shots: $28
- Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $29
- Detective Pub Crawl Game by App: $38
- 8-Tier Hungarian Wine Tasting in a Cozy Downtown Wine Bar: $38
- Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $42
- Drunken History Bar Crawl Tour with Local Drinks: $42
- Hungarian Wine Tasting (with Cheese and Charcuterie) in Budapest: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lulea and Budapest, we can see that Lulea is more expensive. And not only is Budapest much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Budapest would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Budapest 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 Lulea would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lulea than you might in Budapest.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lulea Expensive? and Is Budapest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lulea or Budapest?
Budapest has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Lulea. When comparing the sizes of Lulea and Budapest, 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 Lulea or Budapest?
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 Lulea or Budapest in the Summer?
Both Budapest and Lulea during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, most visitors come to Budapest for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Lulea is generally cooler than Budapest. Daily temperatures in Lulea average around 15°C (60°F), and Budapest fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
In Budapest, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Lulea. In the summer, Lulea often gets more sunshine than Budapest. Lulea gets 304 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Budapest receives 278 hours of full sun.
Lulea usually gets more rain in July than Budapest. Lulea gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Budapest receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyLulea 15°C (60°F)Budapest 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Lulea or Budapest in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Lulea and Budapest. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Budapest because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Lulea can be very cold during autumn. Lulea is much colder than Budapest in the autumn. The daily temperature in Lulea averages around 2°C (36°F) in October, and Budapest fluctuates around 12°C (53°F).
Lulea usually receives less sunshine than Budapest during autumn. Lulea gets 82 hours of sunny skies, while Budapest receives 152 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Lulea usually receives more rain than Budapest. Lulea gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Budapest receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberLulea 2°C (36°F)Budapest 12°C (53°F)
Should I visit Lulea or Budapest in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Lulea as well as Budapest. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Budapest this time of year.
It's quite cold in Budapest in the winter. The weather in Lulea can be very cold. In the winter, Lulea is much colder than Budapest. Typically, the winter temperatures in Lulea in January average around -12°C (10°F), and Budapest averages at about -1°C (31°F).
In the winter, Lulea often gets less sunshine than Budapest. Lulea gets 19 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Budapest receives 61 hours of full sun.
Lulea usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Budapest. Lulea gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Budapest receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryLulea -12°C (10°F)Budapest -1°C (31°F)
Should I visit Lulea or Budapest in the Spring?
Both Budapest and Lulea are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many travelers come to Budapest for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
It's quite cold in Lulea in the spring. In April, Lulea is generally much colder than Budapest. Daily temperatures in Lulea average around -1°C (31°F), and Budapest fluctuates around 12°C (53°F).
Lulea usually receives more sunshine than Budapest during spring. Lulea gets 194 hours of sunny skies, while Budapest receives 178 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Lulea usually receives less rain than Budapest. Lulea gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Budapest receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilLulea -1°C (31°F)Budapest 12°C (53°F)
Typical Weather for Budapest and Lulea
| Lulea | Budapest | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -12°C (10°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | -1°C (31°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | -12°C (11°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | -7°C (19°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Apr | -1°C (31°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| May | 6°C (43°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 16°C (62°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (55°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 20°C (67°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jul | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (56°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Sep | 8°C (46°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Oct | 2°C (36°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | -4°C (24°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) |
| Dec | -10°C (15°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 48 mm (1.9 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.