Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Saint Petersburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Saint Petersburg or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Saint Petersburg or Krakow? 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.
Where Should I go: Saint Petersburg or Krakow?
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a beautiful city that sits on the eastern edge of the Baltic Sea. Its historical city center is threaded with canals and architecturally impressive buildings, leaving little doubt as to why this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the second largest city in Russia, but perhaps a favorite among travelers. The metropolitan area has a population of over 5 million as well as an impressive culture with fascinating museums, restaurants, and architecture. The city has no shortage of sights and attractions, and many days can be passed while you wander its intricate streets.
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 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint Petersburg $63Krakow $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Petersburg is $63, 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 Saint Petersburg and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint Petersburg $36Krakow $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint Petersburg $72Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Saint Petersburg and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Saint Petersburg 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: Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint Petersburg $7.29Krakow $6.40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint Petersburg
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Saint Petersburg:
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Metro Passes$1.34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Zakopane to Chocholow Thermal Pools 3h Ticket with Hotel Transfer: $93
- Zakopane and Sleigh Ride with Transfers and Lunch Option: $186
- Zakopane Tour from Krakow with Transfers and Lunch Option: $65
- Zakopane Private Transfer from to Krakow or Krakow Airport: $253
- Wroclaw: Private Transfer from/to Krakow: $248
- Wooden Architecture Museum Private Transfer Round Trip: $153
- Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $65
- Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour from Krakow with Hotel Transfer: $77
- Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $747
- Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
- VAN Private transfer: Krakow Airport - Krakow City: $43
- Two Krakow Airport Transfers, Auschwitz-Birkenau & Salt Mine: $161
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Petersburg or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Saint Petersburg 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 daySaint Petersburg $18Krakow $13
Typical Food Prices in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$4.61
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.Saint Petersburg $18Krakow $20
Tours and Activities in Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $64
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Wieliczka Salt Mine 1-Day Tour: $141
- Rynek Underground Museum Guided Tour: $25
- Rynek Underground Museum, Old Town and St. Mary's Basilica Tour: $50
- 1 Day Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Guided Tour Hotel Pick up: $44
- 1 Day Trip Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $34
- 1-Hour Tour to Krakow's Old Town by Electric Golf Cart: $21
- 120 min Old Town Segway Tour in Krakow: $49
- 2 Days Tour in Wawel Hill, Jewish Quarter and Wieliczka with Guide and Lunch: $187
- 2 Hour Private Pinball and Arcade Museum Tour from Krakow: $273
- 2 Hours Old Town Guided Bike Tour in Krakow: $27
- 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour in The Old Town of Krakow: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint Petersburg $9.68Krakow $6.75
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 comparing the travel costs between Saint Petersburg and Krakow, we can see that Krakow is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint Petersburg Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Saint Petersburg or Krakow?
Saint Petersburg has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Saint Petersburg 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 Saint Petersburg or Krakow?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Saint Petersburg or Krakow in the Summer?
Both Krakow and Saint Petersburg during the summer are popular places to visit.
In the summer, Saint Petersburg is around the same temperature as Krakow. Typically, the summer temperatures in Saint Petersburg in July average around 18°C (64°F), and Krakow averages at about 19°C (67°F).
In Krakow, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Saint Petersburg. In the summer, Saint Petersburg often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Saint Petersburg gets 267 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun.
Saint Petersburg usually gets less rain in July than Krakow. Saint Petersburg gets 77 mm (3 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySaint Petersburg 18°C (64°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Saint Petersburg or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint Petersburg and Krakow.
In October, Saint Petersburg is generally much colder than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Saint Petersburg average around 6°C (42°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Saint Petersburg usually receives less sunshine than Krakow during autumn. Saint Petersburg gets 70 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Saint Petersburg usually receives more rain than Krakow. Saint Petersburg gets 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSaint Petersburg 6°C (42°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Saint Petersburg or Krakow in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Saint Petersburg as well as Krakow.
Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Saint Petersburg. Saint Petersburg is much colder than Krakow in the winter. The daily temperature in Saint Petersburg averages around -8°C (18°F) in January, and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
In the winter, Saint Petersburg often gets less sunshine than Krakow. Saint Petersburg gets 22 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun.
Saint Petersburg usually gets more rain in January than Krakow. Saint Petersburg gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySaint Petersburg -8°C (18°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Saint Petersburg or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Saint Petersburg are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Saint Petersburg can get quite cold in the spring. In the spring, Saint Petersburg is much colder than Krakow. Typically, the spring temperatures in Saint Petersburg in April average around 4°C (40°F), and Krakow averages at about 10°C (50°F).
Saint Petersburg usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during spring. Saint Petersburg gets 180 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Saint Petersburg usually receives less rain than Krakow. Saint Petersburg gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSaint Petersburg 4°C (40°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Saint Petersburg
| Saint Petersburg | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -8°C (18°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | -7°C (20°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | -2°C (28°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 4°C (40°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 11°C (52°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 16°C (60°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 18°C (64°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (62°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 11°C (52°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 6°C (42°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 0°C (32°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | -5°C (24°F) | 48 mm (1.9 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.