Should you visit Paros or Heraklion?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Paros and Heraklion. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Paros
A popular vacation destination for visitors to the Greek islands, Paros is the second largest island of the Cyclades group. It is characterized by beautiful Mediterranean beaches and charming seaside villages.
Heraklion
The largest city on the island of Crete, Heraklion on first glance is almost completely modern — a frenzy of traffic, concrete, and dust. Do not expect pristine beaches and glittering waves (those can be found on other parts of Crete). Heraklion is first and foremost a city. Once you get past its grittiness, you will find that there are some attractive features beneath first impressions. The antiquity of the place lies embedded in the modern and is presented in one of the best museums in Greece, the food is excellent, and the people are friendly and welcoming. And though the sea is not great for swimming, its presence along the Venetian port will take you to another time if you need a break from Heraklion's bustling center.
Which city is cheaper, Heraklion or Paros?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Paros is €97, while the average daily cost in Heraklion is €126. 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 Paros and Heraklion in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Paros, €84 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Paros, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €42, such as in a hostel.
Travelers usually pay around €130 for a double occupancy room in Heraklion If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Paros costs travelers about €36 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
The average traveler spends about €41 per day in Heraklion 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.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Paros €36
Heraklion €41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Heraklion
For Heraklion, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Live from Heraklion - Cheese Making and Vegeterian Pie Online Cooking class:
$39
-
Cretan Cooking Class Gouves (Free Transfer Included):
$86
-
5-Hour Cooking Class:
$97
-
Private Cooking Class Gouves (Free Transfer Included):
$123
-
Heraklion Private Cretan Cooking Class at a Traditional Village:
$218
-
Private Cooking Class and Wine Tasting in Heraklion:
$440
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Paros than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €30 on transportation in Paros on average per day.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Heraklion than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €25 on transportation in Heraklion on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Heraklion
Also for Heraklion, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Wine Tour - Wine Stories (Transfer & Lunch Included):
$117
-
VIP Private Transfer: Heraklion - Analipsi Hotels & Villas:
$55
-
Transfer services from Heraklion Airport to Rethymnon city (all areas):
$168
-
Transfer from Heraklion Airport/Port to Hersonissos:
$50
-
Transfer Services From Heraklion To Rethymno Hotels:
$106
-
Transfer Heraklion Airport or Port to Ammoudara Agios Nikolaos up to 7 customers:
$198
-
Transfer Heraklion Airport or Port to Ammoudara Agios Nikolaos up to 4 customers:
$133
-
Transfer From Heraklion or Rethymno 8 Pax:
$174
-
Transfer Airport to SITIA area up to 7 customers:
$385
-
Transfer Airport to SISSI area up to 6 customers:
$132
-
Transfer Airport to RETHIMNO CITY area up to 7 customers:
$237
-
Transfer Airport to PLATANIAS CHANIA area up to 7 customers:
$459
Is it cheaper to fly into Paros or Heraklion?
Prices for flights to both Heraklion and Paros 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
Sightseeing expenses in Paros, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €18 per day, per person.
Sightseeing expenses in Heraklion, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €30 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Paros
For Paros, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Authentic foodie tasting experience of Paros! (Vegan Vegetarian Carnivore):
$106
-
Paros Island Tour:
$81
-
Paros Island Tour:
$81
-
Paros Island Tour in French:
$96
-
Paros Island Tour in French:
$102
-
Round of Antiparos & Despotiko on Parian Cruises sailing boat:
$268
-
Semi Private Tour of Paros Island:
$243
-
Semi-Private Tour of Paros Island:
$240
Tours and Activities in Heraklion
For Heraklion, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Accessible Heraklion tour to Knossos & Archaeological Museum or Shopping:
$455
-
Agios Nikolaos - Elounda - Spinalonga - (Private tour):
$523
-
Architectural- gastronomic Walking tour in Heraklion:
$870
-
Best of Crete (3-days Tour package):
$1,120
-
Chrissi Island Cruise from Heraklion:
$61
-
Cretan Folklore Night Tour TR:
$66
-
Crete private tour: Knossos Palace, Archaeological museum, and Heraklion Town:
$485
-
Drive Tour Crete - Best of Heraklion Crete:
$560
-
From Heraklio: Full-Day Knossos & Heraklion Tour Guided English and German:
$45
-
From Spinalonga Island ,Elounda Barbeque and Agios Nikolaos Tour:
$45
-
Full Day Tour to Samaria Gorge:
$88
-
Full-Day Guided Spinalonga Island Tour:
$137
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Paros spend on average €20 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Heraklion spend on average €21 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Heraklion
Also in Heraklion, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
The Gourmet Wine Tour of Heraklion area:
$187
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paros and Heraklion, we can see that Heraklion is more expensive. And not only is Paros much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Paros would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paros 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 Heraklion would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Heraklion than you might in Paros.
Related Articles for Paros
Related Articles for Heraklion
