Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Osaka?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Osaka or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Osaka or Krakow, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Osaka or Krakow?
Osaka
The third largest city in Japan, Osaka has a lot to offer travelers. It's at the center of the Kansai region, and is a wonderful place to spend a few days. The city sits at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay and is a major commercial hub for the country.
Osaka has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons. The winters are mild with January temperatures having an average high of almost 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow is very rare. Springs start cool and become hot and humid. This is also the wettest season with the rainiest time being between May and early July. Summers are hot and humid with July temperatures climbing into the high 90s Fahrenheit. The fall season becomes cooler as winter approaches.
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 Coach Bus Tours in Japan, The Best Adventure Tours to Japan, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOsaka $88Krakow $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Osaka is $88, while the average daily cost in Krakow is $65. 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 Osaka and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOsaka $45Krakow $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOsaka $90Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Osaka and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Osaka 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.
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: Osaka Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Osaka $14Krakow $6.41
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Osaka
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Osaka:
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Subway$7.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Osaka
Also for Osaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer from Osaka city to Kansai airport: $70
- Airport Transfer! Hotel in center of Osaka to Osaka International Airport (ITM): $150
- Airport Transfer! Osaka Airport (ITM) to Center of hotel in Osaka: $150
- Airport Transfer!Hotel in center of Osaka to Kansai Airport (KIX): $192
- Arrival Private Transfer from Itama Airport ITM to Osaka City by Minivan: $75
- Departure Private Transfer from Osaka City to Itama Airport ITM by Minivan: $75
- Departure Private Transfers: Osaka City to Kansai Airport KIX in Business Car: $192
- Departure Private Transfers: Osaka City to Kansai Airport KIX in Business Van: $237
- Itami Airport (ITM): Private One-Way Transfer to/from Kyoto: $199
- Itami Airport (ITM): Private One-Way Transfer to/from Nara: $215
- Itami Airport (ITM): Private One-Way Transfer to/from Osaka: $87
- Itami Airport (ITM): Private One-Way Transfer ⇋ Osaka: $163
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Zakopane: Private Transfer to Krakow: $139
- Zakopane and Sleigh Ride with Transfers and Lunch Option: $187
- Zakopane Tour & Thermal Baths with Private Transfers from Krakow: $164
- Zakopane Private Transfer from to Krakow or Krakow Airport: $254
- Zakopane Private Transfer: $148
- Zakopane Extreme Shooting Range with Hotel Transfer: $76
- Wroclaw: Private Transfer from/to Krakow: $249
- Wieliczka Salt mine private transfer-Krakow Balice Airport: $10
- Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $66
- Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $750
- Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
- VAN Private transfer: Krakow City - Krakow Airport: $43
Is it cheaper to fly into Osaka or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Osaka 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 dayOsaka $25Krakow $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Osaka
For Osaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Takoyaki DIY Cooking in the Heart of Osaka: $23
- Osaka:Food Tour & Shopping(Grand Opening Limited Time Offer): $26
- 2-Hour Kuromon Market Walking Street Food Tour: $27
- Private Takoyaki Cooking Class by Natives in Osaka: $37
- Japanese home cooking class in Osaka Umeda: $47
- Nosatlgic Namba Osaka Street Food Tour.: $48
- Osaka Okonomiyaki Cooking Experience!: $50
- Home Cooking Class: $51
- Homemade Gyoza Cooking Class in Osaka: $51
- Enjoy artistic TEMPURA Cooking Class: $60
- Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class in Dotonbori: $63
- Three Types of RAMEN Cooking Class: $65
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
- Discovering Cracow's Local Flavour: Food Tour: $22
- From Polish Folk Show with All-You-Can-Eat Dinner: $32
- Folk Show & 3-Course Dinner at Jama Michalika Café: $44
- Polish Folk Show with 3 course dinner in Krakow legendary restaurant: $45
- Krakow : Folk Show Dinner Drinking and Fun ! Book Now!: $64
- Cabaret Show with Optional Dinner: $70
- Pierogi Cooking Class: Mastering the Art of Polish Dumplings: $74
- 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
- Krakow Bites and Sights Food Tour: $104
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Osaka $20Krakow $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Osaka
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Osaka's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Osaka Aquarium (for 2)$30
Tours and Activities in Osaka
For Osaka, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Osaka Castle: Museum and Tower Entry Ticket: $3.92
- Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum Entrance Ticket: $4.58
- Table Tennis Experience with Local Players: $4.58
- Ryurei Teicha: Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Experience in Osaka: $5.23
- Osaka Sakishima Observatory Advance Ticket: $5.88
- Tsutenkaku Tower Entry Ticket: $6.54
- Tsutenkaku Entry Ticket: $7.68
- Dotonbori District Sightseeing Cruise & Beer Discount: $7.84
- Osaka Dotonbori Wonder Cruise: $8.02
- Umeda Sky Building E-Ticket: $9.81
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Abeno Harukas 300 Observatory E-Ticket: $12
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
- Krakow Jewish Quarter Tour in a Small Group. : $49
- Rynek Underground Museum Guided Tour: $25
- Magic Christmas tour in Wieliczka: $153
- 1 Day Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Guided Tour Hotel Pick up: $51
- 1 Day Trip Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $34
- 1 Hour Traditional Gondola Sightseeing Vistula River Cruise: $16
- 1-Hour Tour to Krakow's Old Town by Electric Golf Cart: $21
- 2 Day Private Krakow City Tour, Old Town and Jewish Quarter: $153
- 2 Hour Private Pinball and Arcade Museum Tour from Krakow: $273
- 2 Hours Old Town Guided Bike Tour in Krakow: $27
- 2-Hour Guided Tour in Kraków-Płaszów Concentration Camp : $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOsaka $12Krakow $6.76
Sample the Local Flavors in Osaka
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Osaka:
- Osaka Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour: $23
- Namba Pub Bar Crawl with a Born & Raised Local Guide: $31
- Osaka Nights: Ultimate Pub Bar Crawl with an Expert Local Guide: $33
- Local Bar Crawl in Dotombori and Uranamba Area: $39
- Osaka Local Bar Crawl in Dotombori & Uranamba Area: $40
- 3 Hour Osaka Pub Crawl Weekly Welcome Guided Tour in Namba : $52
Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Krakow:
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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
- Pub Crawl 1 hour Open Bar and 5 Hours Clubs in Krakow with VIP: $24
- Halloween Pub Crawl - Krawl Through Krakow: $24
- Pub tour in Old Town with 1 hour open bar with a guide.: $25
- Pub Crawl with Shots, Drinks & Skip-the-Line Entry: $25
- Pub Crawl + Unlimited Drinks + VIP entry + Drinking Games & Photographer : $25
- Three-Hour Pub Crawl: $39
- Wieliczka Vineyard: Wine tasting with local snacks: $44
- Tyskie Brewery Tour from Katowice: $120
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Osaka and Krakow, we can see that Osaka is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Osaka is in Asia and Krakow is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Osaka would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Osaka 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 Osaka Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Osaka or Krakow?
Osaka has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Osaka 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 Osaka 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 Osaka or Krakow in the Summer?
Both Krakow and Osaka during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Osaka in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
Osaka is a little warmer than Krakow in the summer. The daily temperature in Osaka averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
In Krakow, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Osaka often gets less sunshine than Krakow. Osaka gets 183 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Osaka. Osaka usually gets more rain in July than Krakow. Osaka gets 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyOsaka 28°C (82°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Osaka or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Osaka and Krakow. Most visitors come to Osaka for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene during these months.
In the autumn, Osaka is much warmer than Krakow. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Osaka in October average around 19°C (66°F), and Krakow averages at about 11°C (51°F).
Osaka usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during autumn. Osaka gets 159 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Osaka gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Osaka usually receives more rain than Krakow. Osaka gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberOsaka 19°C (66°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Osaka or Krakow in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Osaka as well as Krakow. The winter months attract visitors to Osaka because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
It's quite cold in Krakow in the winter. In January, Osaka is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Osaka average around 6°C (42°F), and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
In the winter, Osaka often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Osaka gets 140 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun.
Osaka usually gets more rain in January than Krakow. Osaka gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryOsaka 6°C (42°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Osaka or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Osaka are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The activities around the city are the main draw to Osaka this time of year.
Osaka is much warmer than Krakow in the spring. The daily temperature in Osaka averages around 15°C (59°F) in April, and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
Osaka usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during spring. Osaka gets 176 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Osaka. In April, Osaka usually receives more rain than Krakow. Osaka gets 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilOsaka 15°C (59°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Osaka
| Osaka | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 6°C (42°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 6°C (43°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 9°C (48°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 20°C (67°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (74°F) | 204 mm (8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (84°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 170 mm (6.7 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 13°C (56°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 8°C (47°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 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.