Which place is cheaper, Hamburg or Rovaniemi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rovaniemi or Hamburg?
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 Hamburg. 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 Hamburg?
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.
Hamburg
Hamburg is most noted for its port, which is the largest in Germany and the second busiest in Europe. Despite it's size, it is actually located about 100 kilometers from the North Sea on the River Elbe. The popularity of this port has given Hamburg the nickname as Germany's Gateway to the World. The city itself is the second largest in Germany and the metropolitan area has a population of over 4 million people.
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 10-Day Tours from Berlin, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Berlin.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRovaniemi €174Hamburg €117
The average daily cost (per person) in Rovaniemi is €174, while the average daily cost in Hamburg is €117. 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 Hamburg in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRovaniemi €93Hamburg €54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRovaniemi €186Hamburg €108
Compare Hotels in Rovaniemi and Hamburg
Looking for a hotel in Rovaniemi or Hamburg? 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 and Hamburg Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rovaniemi €31Hamburg €29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rovaniemi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rovaniemi:
- Airport Rovaniemi Transfer by Private Van: $115
- From Helsinki: Private Transfer to Rovaniemi: $86
- From Rovaniemi Private Transfer To Polar Explorer Icebreaker: $48
- From Return Transfer to Ranua Zoo by Private Van: $385
- From Return Transfer to Ranua Zoo by Private Van: $29
- Private Arrival Transfer from Rovaniemi Airport or Train Station: $56
- Private Departure Transfer from Rovaniemi: $55
- Private Transfer Rovaniemi - Helsinki: $96
- Private Transfer Rovaniemi - Kirkenes: $96
- Private Transfer Rovaniemi - Kiruna: $107
- Private Transfer Rovaniemi - Levi: $96
- Private Transfer Rovaniemi - Tromso: $96
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hamburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Hamburg:
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Short Distance Ubahn Ticket€1.70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hamburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hamburg:
- Private Transfer from Hamburg Cruise Port to Hamburg Airport(HAM): $38
- Private Transfer from Hamburg Airport(HAM) to Hamburg Cruise Port: $38
- Arrival Private Transfer from Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg: $41
- Private Transfer from Hamburg to Hamburg Airport HAM Departure : $41
- Private Transfer from Hamburg Cruise Port to Hamburg City Hotels: $51
- Private Transfer from Hamburg City Hotels to Hamburg Cruise Port: $51
- Private Transfer from Hamburg Hotels to Bremerhaven Cruise Port: $65
- Arrival Private Transfers from Hamburg Airport XFW to Hamburg City: $76
- Departure Private Transfers from Hamburg City to Hamburg Airport XFW: $76
- Private Transfer from Hamburg Airport(HAM) to Ostseekai Kiel Port: $78
- Private Transfer from Hamburg City to Ostseekai Kiel Cruise Port: $78
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Hamburg Airport HAM to Hamburg: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Rovaniemi or Hamburg?
Prices for flights to both Hamburg 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 €47Hamburg €35
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
Typical Food Prices in Hamburg
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hamburg:
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Pink Thai Soup Dinner and Spring Rolls€15
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Currywurst and Pommes Frites€5.00
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Donner Kebab and Coke€6.00
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Traditional Hamburg Dinner w/ Beer€15
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Donner Kebab Lunch€4.00
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Sandwich and Coffee Break€6.00
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Fish Sandwich from Fish Market€3.50
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Coffee and Donut€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hamburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hamburg.
- St. Pauli kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- Elphi Plaza und HafenCity kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $59
- Original Musical Dinner Cruise 2024: $117
- Hamburg Private Food Tours with a Local: 100% Personalized : $186
- St. Pauli: Guided Food Tour with 5 Tastings: $481
- Elbphilharmonie Plaza and HafenCity Food Tour: $588
- Elbphilharmonie Plaza and HafenCity Food Tour: $588
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rovaniemi €48Hamburg €39
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hamburg
Here are a few typical costs in Hamburg for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tower at St. Michael's Church€3.50
Tours and Activities in Hamburg
Here are a few actual costs in Hamburg for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Selfguided Audiotour "Speicherstadt and HafenCity": $3.20
- Selfguided Audiotour "Old Town and City Center": $3.20
- Deutsche Hafen & St.Pauli Bezahl-Was-ihr-wollt Tour zu Fuß: $3.21
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $3.21
- Harbor&St. Pauli Pay-What-You-Want 2-Hour Walking Tour: $3.21
- English Hamburg City Center Pay-What-You-Want Walking Tour: $3.21
- German Hamburg Historic City Center Pay-What-You-Want Tour: $3.21
- English Harbor&St.Pauli Pay-What-You-Want Walking Tour: $3.21
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- The Local Tour of Hamburg Historic Centre: $3.26
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.28
- Exclusive Self-Guided Audio Tour in St. Pauli: $4.60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRovaniemi €21Hamburg €17
Sample the Local Flavors in Hamburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Hamburg:
- Night Pub Crawl through The Repperbahn: $21
- Weekend Night Pub Crawl through the Reeperbahn: $34
- Pub Crawl - Ultimate party pub crawl incl. One-hour drinks flat rate: $44
- Hamburg Pub Crawl including 1 hour flatrate for beer: $51
- Bachelor(ette) Premium Party with Pub Crawl: $401
- Private Pub Crawl Tour: $401
- Private Premium Pub Crawl: $513
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rovaniemi and Hamburg, we can see that Rovaniemi is more expensive. And not only is Hamburg much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hamburg would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hamburg 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 Hamburg.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rovaniemi Expensive? and Is Hamburg Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rovaniemi or Hamburg?
Hamburg has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Rovaniemi. When comparing the sizes of Rovaniemi and Hamburg, 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 Hamburg?
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 Hamburg in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Rovaniemi and Hamburg. Also, many visitors come to Hamburg in the summer for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences.
Rovaniemi is around the same temperature as Hamburg in the summer. The daily temperature in Rovaniemi averages around 15°C (60°F) in July, and Hamburg fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Hamburg this time of the year. In Rovaniemi, it's very sunny this time of the year. Rovaniemi usually receives more sunshine than Hamburg during summer. Rovaniemi gets 304 hours of sunny skies, while Hamburg receives 207 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Rovaniemi usually receives less rain than Hamburg. Rovaniemi gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Hamburg receives 82 mm (3.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyRovaniemi 15°C (60°F)Hamburg 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Hamburg in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Rovaniemi as well as Hamburg. Also, most visitors come to Hamburg for the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
Rovaniemi can get quite cold in the autumn. In the autumn, Rovaniemi is much colder than Hamburg. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Rovaniemi in October average around 2°C (36°F), and Hamburg averages at about 10°C (50°F).
In the autumn, Rovaniemi often gets less sunshine than Hamburg. Rovaniemi gets 82 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Hamburg receives 101 hours of full sun.
Rovaniemi usually gets around the same amount of rain in October as Hamburg. Rovaniemi gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Hamburg receives 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberRovaniemi 2°C (36°F)Hamburg 10°C (50°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Hamburg in the Winter?
Both Hamburg and Rovaniemi are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Hamburg because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Hamburg can be very cold. Rovaniemi can be very cold during winter. In January, Rovaniemi is generally much colder than Hamburg. Daily temperatures in Rovaniemi average around -12°C (10°F), and Hamburg fluctuates around 0°C (33°F).
Rovaniemi usually receives less sunshine than Hamburg during winter. Rovaniemi gets 19 hours of sunny skies, while Hamburg receives 42 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Rovaniemi usually receives less rain than Hamburg. Rovaniemi gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Hamburg receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryRovaniemi -12°C (10°F)Hamburg 0°C (33°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Hamburg in the Spring?
Both Hamburg and Rovaniemi during the spring are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the natural beauty are the main draw to Hamburg this time of year.
The weather in Rovaniemi can be very cold. Rovaniemi is much colder than Hamburg in the spring. The daily temperature in Rovaniemi averages around -1°C (31°F) in April, and Hamburg fluctuates around 8°C (46°F).
In the spring, Rovaniemi often gets more sunshine than Hamburg. Rovaniemi gets 194 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Hamburg receives 161 hours of full sun.
Rovaniemi usually gets less rain in April than Hamburg. Rovaniemi gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Hamburg receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilRovaniemi -1°C (31°F)Hamburg 8°C (46°F)
Typical Weather for Hamburg and Rovaniemi
| Rovaniemi | Hamburg | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -12°C (10°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 0°C (33°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Feb | -12°C (11°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | -7°C (19°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Apr | -1°C (31°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| May | 6°C (43°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 57 mm (2.3 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (55°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Jul | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (56°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Sep | 8°C (46°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Oct | 2°C (36°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Nov | -4°C (24°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Dec | -10°C (15°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 72 mm (2.8 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.