A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Riga vs. Turku for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Riga or Turku?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Riga or Turku? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Riga

Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.

Turku

Turku, a city on the southwest coast of Finland, straddles the Aura River. Dating from the 13th century, it's known for Turku Castle, a medieval fortress with a history museum, perched at the river mouth. Restaurants line the cobbled riverside streets. On the eastern bank lies the Old Great Square, a former trade hub, surrounded by grand buildings. The nearby Turku Cathedral houses a royal tomb and a museum. The historic castle and cathedral point to the city's rich cultural history when it was the Finnish capital, and contemporary Turku is full of experimental art and vibrant festivals, thanks in part to its spirited university population (the country's second largest), who make Turku's nightlife young and fun. As the first city many visitors encounter arriving by ferry from Sweden and Aland, it's a splendid introduction to the Finnish mainland.

Which city is cheaper, Turku or Riga?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €82, while the average daily cost in Turku is €109. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Riga and Turku in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Riga €42
    Turku €61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Riga €84
    Turku €122

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Riga €12
    Turku €35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:

  • Riga Tank Ride - 2 Hours - Guided with Return Transfers: $1,192
  • Mercedes-Benz Viano Van Transfer from Riga to Vilnius/Talinn/Any Baltic Country: $425
  • Private Minivan Transfer: Riga to Tallinn: $418
  • Private Minivan transfer from Riga to Kaunas: $413
  • Riga Party Bus Airport Transfer: $382
  • Riga to Vilnius transfer with Sightseeing: $347
  • Riga to Tallinn transfer with Sightseeing: $335
  • Transfer from Riga to Tallinn: $283
  • Private Minivan Transfer from Kaunas to Riga: $215
  • Riga (Sigulda) Winter Bobsleigh "Olympic + Vuchko" Ride - Guided with Transfers: $199
  • Private transfer from Riga to Vilnius via Rundale palace and Hill of crosses: $169
  • Private Taxi Transfer from Riga or Riga airport to Tallinn: $153

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Turku

Also for Turku, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Turku (TKU) to City Center to Airport - Private Transfer: $68
  • Turku Private Transfer from Turku (TKU) Airport to City centre: $83
  • Turku Private Transfer from Turku city centre to Turku airport: $83

Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Turku?

Prices for flights to both Turku and Riga 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Riga €26
    Turku €26
Typical Food prices in Riga

Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:


  • Fast Food Lunch
    €5.77

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.

  • Private Guided Virtual Food Tour of Riga: $12
  • Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $34
  • Riga Medieval Dinner: $102
  • Riga Medieval Dinner: $102

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Riga €17
    Turku €18

Tours and Activities in Riga

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:

  • "Best of Riga" 6-hour Private Car & Walking Tour: $373
  • 2 Day Gastronomy Tour In Latgale: $267
  • 2 Day Gauja National Park Tour: $199
  • 2 Day Kurzeme Winery Tour: $224
  • ATV-QUAD rent and guided tours: $48
  • All Inclusive Honest History Tour - Āraiši, Cēsis, Līgatne, Sigulda: $248
  • Alternative Riga Photoshoot Tour: $49
  • An audio tour of Old from St Peter's Church to the Monument of Freedom: $5.00
  • Art Nouveau Small Group Walking Tour of Riga: $193
  • Art Nouveau Walking Tour in Riga: $57
  • Beer Bike Experience: $45
  • Best of Riga Walking Tour: $231

Tours and Activities in Turku

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Turku.

  • Romantic tour in Turku: $496
  • The best of Turku walking tour: $496
  • City Highlights Walking Tour with Local Guide: $544
  • 2-Hour Romantic Guided Walking Tour: $544
  • Christmas Magic Walking Tour: $797

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Riga €16
    Turku €9.35

Sample the Local Flavors in Riga

Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Pub Crawl in Riga: $37
  • Pub Crawl- Your best night out in Riga with our local guide!: $47
  • Riga Public Pub Crawl: $60
  • Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $64
  • Riga Brewery Tour: $83
  • Riga Brewery Tour: $83
  • Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $83
  • Riga Wine Tasting Session: $115
  • Gauja National Park Tour: Castles and Wine Tasting: $149
  • Culinary, Historic and Wine Tour to Sigulda and Cesis: $224
  • Exclusive Latvian Wine Tasting In Riga: $380
  • 1.5-Hour Latvian Wine Tasting Experience: $476

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Turku, we can see that Turku is more expensive. And not only is Riga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Riga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Riga 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 Turku would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Turku than you might in Riga.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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Riga vs. Turku Travel Comparison

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