Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Plzen?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Plzen or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Plzen and Krakow 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: Plzen or Krakow?
Plzen
Renowned as the home of the pilsner beer, Plzen is a city located in the West Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. Beyond beer, it also features a number of impressive landmarks some of which include St. Bartholomew's Cathedral and the Great Synagogue.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Czech Republic, The Best Cultural Tours in Czech Republic, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPlzen $101Krakow $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Plzen is $101, while the average daily cost in Krakow is $64. 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 Plzen and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPlzen $61Krakow $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPlzen $122Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Plzen and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Plzen 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: Plzen Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Plzen $8.27Krakow $6.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Plzen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Plzen:
- Private Transfer from Pilsen to Prague: $87
- Private Transfer from Pilsen to Prague with 2 hours for sightseeing: $116
- Private Transfer from Pilsen(Plzen) to Prague: $271
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Kraków: Kraków Airport to Central Bus Station Bus Transfer: $5.31
- From Auschwitz-Birkenau Roundtrip Bus Transfer: $6.19
- Balice Airport Luxury Vehicle Private Transfer: $9.91
- Private Transfer to or from Krakow Airport: $10
- Private Transfer to/from Krakow Airport (KRK): $11
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Transfer from Krakow: $12
- Krakow Airport Transfer Balice: $14
- Krakow Airport Private Transfers: $15
- Electric Car Transfer between Krakow and the Airport: $15
- Kraków: Airport Private Transfer by Luxury Car: $16
- Auschwitz - Birkenau Roundtrip Transfer with assistance: $17
- Kraków Airport Private Transfer - Kraków City Center: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Plzen or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Plzen 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 dayPlzen $31Krakow $13
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Plzen $21Krakow $20
Tours and Activities in Plzen
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Plzen are as follows:
- Pilsen: Historic Underground Tour with a Glass of Beer: $8.56
- Pilsen Historic Underground Tour with a Glass of Beer: $8.74
- Pilsen: Old Town Gastronomy Tour: $32
- Pilsen Private Walking Tour: $201
- Experience Best Prague Tandem Skydiving : $250
- Private Tour to Pilsner Urquell from Prague: $272
Tours and Activities in Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kraków in a nutshell - walking tour: $1.24
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Old Town Audio-Guided Walking Tour with Headset: $3.72
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.28
- Old Town Audioguided walking Tour: $4.46
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entry Tickets: $4.71
- From Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour: $4.95
- Wawel Hill Tour with Audio Guide: $5.57
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entrance Tickets: $5.62
- From Kraków: Wieliczka Salt Mine Trip & Guided Tour: $6.19
- Skip the Line Ticket for Kościuszko Mound in Krakow: $6.59
- Wawel Hill Audioguide Tour: $6.69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPlzen $23Krakow $6.75
Sample the Local Flavors in Plzen
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Plzen:
- Brewery Museum Entrance including a Glass of Beer: $6.55
- Pilsen: Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting: $17
- Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting: $17
- Pilsen Highlights Small-Group Tour and Pilsner Brewery Tour including Lunch and Beer Tasting: $108
- Pilsner brewery tour incl beer tasting & Czech town Pilsen: $140
- Day trip to Pilsner Urquell brewery and Bohemian glassworks: $207
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
- 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 Plzen and Krakow, we can see that Plzen 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 Plzen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Plzen 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 Plzen Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Plzen or Krakow?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Plzen. When comparing the sizes of Plzen 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 Plzen or Krakow?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Plzen or Krakow in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Plzen and Krakow.
In July, Plzen is generally around the same temperature as Krakow. Daily temperatures in Plzen average around 20°C (67°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. In Plzen, it's very sunny this time of the year. Plzen usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Krakow during summer. Plzen gets 212 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Plzen usually receives around the same amount of rain as Krakow. Plzen gets 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyPlzen 20°C (67°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Plzen or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Plzen as well as Krakow.
Plzen is around the same temperature as Krakow in the autumn. The daily temperature in Plzen averages around 11°C (51°F) in October, and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Plzen often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Plzen gets 120 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Plzen usually gets less rain in October than Krakow. Plzen gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberPlzen 11°C (51°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Plzen or Krakow in the Winter?
Both Krakow and Plzen are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
The weather in Krakow can be very cold. Plzen can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Plzen is much warmer than Krakow. Typically, the winter temperatures in Plzen in January average around -1°C (31°F), and Krakow averages at about -2°C (29°F).
Plzen usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during winter. Plzen gets 45 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Plzen usually receives less rain than Krakow. Plzen gets 25 mm (1 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryPlzen -1°C (31°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Plzen or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Plzen during the spring are popular places to visit.
In April, Plzen is generally around the same temperature as Krakow. Daily temperatures in Plzen average around 11°C (51°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
In the spring, Plzen often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Plzen gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
Plzen usually gets less rain in April than Krakow. Plzen gets 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilPlzen 11°C (51°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Plzen
| Plzen | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -1°C (31°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 2°C (35°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (42°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (51°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 20°C (67°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (67°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (61°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 1°C (34°F) | 23 mm (0.9 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.