Should you visit Munich or Baden-Baden?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Munich or Baden-Baden, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Munich
Munich is the capital city of Bavaria and a top travel destination within Germany. It has stunning architecture and a cultural scene that rivals Berlin. It has some of the country's top museums, festivals, and concerts. Munich is most famous for its Oktoberfest, which is easily the busiest time of year in the city. The architecture is what surprises most travelers. It's quite impressive and truly adds to the character of the city. Although much of Munich was destroyed during World War II, the city has successfully rebuilt most of the buildings in their previous style. Much of the city remains as it was in the 1800s. There are two major research universities in Munich, helping to make it a center for engineering, business, and the sciences.
Baden-Baden
Baden Baden is the perfect spa town in Germany that lets you dip your toes in the culture, relax, and mingle with the locals all while soaking your weary travel bones in the nourishing mineral waters or sweating out the toxins from one too many German beers.
For a detailed guide on Baden Baden, including the bathhouses and spa etiquette, what else to do in and near Baden Baden and more, you can check out my complete guide to Baden Baden for the perfect spa weekend getaway.
Where is Baden Baden?
Baden Baden is located about 2 hours directly South of Frankfurt, making it the perfect day trip. Alternately, Baden Baden is still an easy day trip from Bavaria or other nearby regions of Germany or you can even create a whole weekend in the Black Forest, complete with Cuckoo Clock shopping and more. It's also not far from Stuttgart.
Which city is cheaper, Baden-Baden or Munich?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Munich is €116, while the average daily cost in Baden-Baden is €123. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Munich and Baden-Baden in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Munich is about €138 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
A hotel room in Baden-Baden is about €140 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
Munich food costs typically run travelers around €22 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
The average traveler spends about €33 per day in Baden-Baden for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Munich €22
Baden-Baden €33
Typical Food prices in Munich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Munich:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Munich
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Munich.
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Munich Traditional Bavarian Culture, Beer And Food Tour Including Traditional Bavarian Dress:
$200
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around €15 per day to get around in Munich.
The average price of local transportation around Baden-Baden is €27 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Munich
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Munich:
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Single Zone Trip on Subway
€2.30
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Inner District Subway Day Pass
€5.20
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City transport day ticket
€11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Munich
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Munich:
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Ultra - Munich Private Airport Transfer from City Centre to Munich Airport MUC:
$9.41
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Private Airport Transfer: from Munich to Munich Airport (MUC):
$47
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Munich to Munich Airport (MUC) - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$47
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Private Business Transfer from Munich City Center to Munich Airport (MUC):
$60
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Munich City Departure Private Transfer to Munich Train Station in Business Car:
$65
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Munich City Departure Private Transfer to Munich Central Station in Luxury Van:
$71
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Private Departure Transfer: Munich City Center to MUC Munich Airport:
$76
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Munich to Munich Airport (MUC) - Departure Private Car Transfer:
$81
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Private Departure Transfer from Munich City Hotels to Munich Airport MUC:
$82
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Munich City Departure Private Transfer to Munich Airport MUC in Luxury Van:
$93
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Munich City Departure Private Transfer to Munich Central Station in Luxury Car:
$93
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Munich Airport Transfers : Munich City to Munich Airport MUC in Business Car:
$112
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baden-Baden
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baden-Baden:
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Baden-Baden to Karlsruhe Airport (FKB) - Departure Private Car Transfer:
$60
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Baden-Baden to Karlsruhe Airport (FKB) - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$34
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Private transfer from Baden-Baden to Füssen or the opposite way:
$933
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Private transfert from Baden-Baden airport to Colmar or the opposite way:
$336
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Private transfert to Baden-Baden from Basel - Mulhouse or the opposite way:
$386
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Private transfert to Baden-Baden from Zurich or the opposite way:
$560
Is it cheaper to fly into Munich or Baden-Baden?
Prices for flights to both Baden-Baden and Munich 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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around €23 per person, per day in Munich. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Baden-Baden's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €27 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Munich
Here are a few typical costs in Munich for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Munich
Here are a few actual costs in Munich for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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SEA LIFE Munich Admission Ticket:
$18
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Discover Munich 2-Hour Small Group Walking Tour:
$19
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Call of the Isarnixe Tour:
$21
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Skip the Line: Hard Rock Cafe Munich:
$24
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Munich Card (Group) with public transport: Save at attractions & tours!:
$33
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Nazi History 2-Hour Small Group Walking Tour:
$35
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Munich (Professional Guides) 7 Guided Walking Tours:
$40
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Private and personalized experience: see Munich with a local:
$69
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The Old Court Chapel including museum tour:
$72
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The Ultimate Munich History Experience: Private & Personalized:
$110
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The Absolutely Must See Sights in Munich - 4-hour Private Walking Tour:
$117
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History & Food - Private Walking Tour Munich 4 hours with English-speaking guide:
$117
Tours and Activities in Baden-Baden
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Baden-Baden are as follows:
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Baden-Baden Private Walking Tour:
$199
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Private Black Forest Tour: Baden-Baden to Freiburg:
$248
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Baden - Baden Walking Tour:
$439
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The best of Baden-Baden walking tour:
$496
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Romantic tour in Baden-Baden:
$496
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The best of Passau walking tour:
$496
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Munich may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €29 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about €9.60 on alcoholic beverages in Baden-Baden per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Munich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Munich:
When comparing the travel costs between Munich and Baden-Baden, we can see that Baden-Baden is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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