Which place is cheaper, Balaton Lake or Rovaniemi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Rovaniemi and Balaton Lake. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake?
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland, in northern Finland. Almost totally destroyed during World War II, today it's a modern city known for being the "official" home town of Santa Claus, and for viewing the Northern Lights. It's home to Arktikum, a museum and science center exploring the Arctic region and the history of Finnish Lapland. The Science Centre Pilke features interactive exhibits on northern forests.
Balaton Lake
Balaton is a major freshwater lake in Hungary and the largest lake in Central Europe with a shoreline of 197 kilometers. The region around the lake is a popular holiday destination with a great number of resort towns and high-rise hotels to accommodate visitors seeking out lakeside activities, beaches, volcanic hills, and vineyards. Some of the towns are also very historic, offering examples from eighteenth-century art and architecture to castle ruins.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Finland, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Finland, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Hungary, and The Best Luxury Tours to Hungary.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRovaniemi €174Balaton Lake €80
The average daily cost (per person) in Rovaniemi is €174, while the average daily cost in Balaton Lake is €80. 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 Rovaniemi and Balaton Lake in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRovaniemi €93Balaton Lake €45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRovaniemi €186Balaton Lake €90
Compare Hotels in Rovaniemi and Balaton Lake
Looking for a hotel in Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake? 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: Rovaniemi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rovaniemi €31Balaton Lake €11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rovaniemi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rovaniemi:
- From Return Transfer to Ranua Zoo by Private Van: $29
- From Rovaniemi Private Transfer To Polar Explorer Icebreaker: $48
- Private Departure Transfer from Rovaniemi: $55
- Private Arrival Transfer from Rovaniemi Airport or Train Station: $56
- Private Transfer from Rovaniemi airport-city centre: $75
- Santa Claus Village Guided Tour with Transfer: $77
- Rovaniemi Private City Transfer by Luxury Vehicule : $83
- From Helsinki: Private Transfer to Rovaniemi: $86
- Santa Claus Village Tour with Transfer: $87
- Trip to Santa Claus Village with Hotel Transfer: $87
- Rovaniemi Private Transfer from Rovaniemi (RVN) Airport to City centre: $87
- Rovaniemi Private Transfer from Rovaniemi city centre to Rovaniemi airport: $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake?
Prices for flights to both Balaton Lake and Rovaniemi 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 dayRovaniemi €47Balaton Lake €25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rovaniemi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rovaniemi.
- Snow Restaurant Dinner Tour: $116
- Lappish Cooking Master Class: $134
- Lappish Cooking Master Class: $147
- From SnowHotel Aurora Experience with Dinner: $149
- Best Of Lapland: Sauna, Ice swimming, Dinner & Northern Lights : $169
- Private Sauna, Jacuzzi and Dinner: $176
- Romantic Glass Igloo Dinner under Northern Lights : $223
- Northern Lights dinner in a Glass Igloo: $234
- Aurora Borealis Dinner in a Glass Igloo: $234
- PRIVATE Party dinner in a Glass Igloo Under Northern Lights : $240
- PRIVATE Glass Igloo Dinner Under Northern Lights : $240
- Private Glass Igloo Dinner on the Shore of Frozen Lake: $245
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rovaniemi €48Balaton Lake €19
Tours and Activities in Rovaniemi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Rovaniemi are as follows:
- Essential A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- SnowGlow Winterpark Entry Ticket: $26
- Snowman World Entrance Ticket: $31
- Guided Supermarket Tour: $37
- Tour to Aurora Horses Farm with Charming Finnhorses: $38
- Guided Northern Lights Tour by Van: $74
- BBQ Picnic Experience under Northern Lights: $74
- Private Aurora Borealis Car Tour with Hot Drinks: $74
- Bus Tour with Hunting Northern Lights: $75
- Guided tour in Santa Claus village with hotel pick up: $80
- Lapland: Aurora Borealis BBQ Tour: $80
- From Northern Lights Photo Tour with Pickup: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRovaniemi €21Balaton Lake €8.18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rovaniemi and Balaton Lake, we can see that Rovaniemi is more expensive. And not only is Balaton Lake much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Balaton Lake would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Balaton Lake 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 Rovaniemi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rovaniemi than you might in Balaton Lake.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rovaniemi Expensive? and Is Balaton Lake Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake?
Rovaniemi has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Balaton Lake. When comparing the sizes of Rovaniemi and Balaton Lake, 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 Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake?
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 Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake in the Summer?
Both Balaton Lake and Rovaniemi are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities.
Rovaniemi is cooler than Balaton Lake in the summer. The daily temperature in Rovaniemi averages around 15°C (60°F) in July, and Balaton Lake fluctuates around 22°C (71°F).
It's quite sunny in Balaton Lake. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Rovaniemi. Rovaniemi usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Balaton Lake during summer. Rovaniemi gets 304 hours of sunny skies, while Balaton Lake receives 302 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Rovaniemi usually receives less rain than Balaton Lake. Rovaniemi gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Balaton Lake receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyRovaniemi 15°C (60°F)Balaton Lake 22°C (71°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake in the Autumn?
Both Balaton Lake and Rovaniemi during the autumn are popular places to visit.
Rovaniemi can get quite cold in the autumn. In the autumn, Rovaniemi is much colder than Balaton Lake. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Rovaniemi in October average around 2°C (36°F), and Balaton Lake averages at about 13°C (56°F).
In the autumn, Rovaniemi often gets less sunshine than Balaton Lake. Rovaniemi gets 82 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Balaton Lake receives 169 hours of full sun.
Rovaniemi usually gets more rain in October than Balaton Lake. Rovaniemi gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Balaton Lake receives 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberRovaniemi 2°C (36°F)Balaton Lake 13°C (56°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Rovaniemi and Balaton Lake.
The weather in Balaton Lake can be very cold. Rovaniemi can be very cold during winter. In January, Rovaniemi is generally much colder than Balaton Lake. Daily temperatures in Rovaniemi average around -12°C (10°F), and Balaton Lake fluctuates around 0°C (32°F).
Rovaniemi usually receives less sunshine than Balaton Lake during winter. Rovaniemi gets 19 hours of sunny skies, while Balaton Lake receives 72 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Rovaniemi usually receives more rain than Balaton Lake. Rovaniemi gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Balaton Lake receives 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryRovaniemi -12°C (10°F)Balaton Lake 0°C (32°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Balaton Lake in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Rovaniemi as well as Balaton Lake.
The weather in Rovaniemi can be very cold. Rovaniemi is much colder than Balaton Lake in the spring. The daily temperature in Rovaniemi averages around -1°C (31°F) in April, and Balaton Lake fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
In the spring, Rovaniemi often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Balaton Lake. Rovaniemi gets 194 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Balaton Lake receives 187 hours of full sun.
Rovaniemi usually gets less rain in April than Balaton Lake. Rovaniemi gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Balaton Lake receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilRovaniemi -1°C (31°F)Balaton Lake 12°C (54°F)
Typical Weather for Balaton Lake and Rovaniemi
| Rovaniemi | Balaton Lake | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -12°C (10°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Feb | -12°C (11°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | -7°C (19°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) |
| Apr | -1°C (31°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| May | 6°C (43°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (55°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jul | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (56°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Sep | 8°C (46°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Oct | 2°C (36°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) |
| Nov | -4°C (24°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Dec | -10°C (15°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 45 mm (1.8 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.