Should you visit Savonlinna or Kemi?
Should I visit Savonlinna or Kemi? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Savonlinna
Savonlinna is a town and a municipality of 35,504 inhabitants in the southeast of Finland, in the heart of the Saimaa lake region. The Finnish name of the town means "Castle of Savonia" and the Swedish name means "New Castle". The city was founded in 1639, based on Olavinlinna castle. Savonlinna is a historical borderland where the cultures and traditions of East and West meet. As the oldest town in Eastern Finland, Savonlinna is famous for its world class opera festival in the medieval castle surrounded by blue waters of Lake Saimaa. With its 100 year old steamships and unparalleled selection of experiences and activities, Savonlinna is a the real gem of Lakeland Finland.
Kemi
Kemi is a town on Bothnian Bay in Lapland, Finland. It's known for the massive Sampo icebreaker, a giant ship built to ply the Arctic waters. The main economic activity in Kemi is centered on two large paper and wood pulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe. Kemi also has a claim to fame as the home of the world's largest snow castle (reconstructed every year with a different design). The SnowCastle is usually located at the inner harbor of Kemi.
Which city is cheaper, Kemi or Savonlinna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Savonlinna is €83, while the average daily cost in Kemi is €107. 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. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Savonlinna and Kemi in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €42. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Savonlinna the cost is €84 on average.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Kemi, €118 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Kemi, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €59, such as in a hostel.
Food
The price of a meal in Savonlinna can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €22 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €8.80 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
On average, meal and food prices in Kemi cost around €27 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €11.
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Food
Meals for one day
Savonlinna €22
Kemi €27
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around €31 per day to get around in Savonlinna.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Kemi than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €31 on transportation in Kemi on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kemi
Also for Kemi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfer Kemi-Rovaniemi:
$311
Is it cheaper to fly into Savonlinna or Kemi?
Prices for flights to both Kemi and Savonlinna 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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around €16 per person, per day in Savonlinna. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Sightseeing expenses in Kemi, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €23 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Savonlinna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Savonlinna are as follows:
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Winter adventure from Savonlinna to Punkaharju:
$77
Tours and Activities in Kemi
For Kemi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Northern Lights Aurora Tour from Kemi:
$123
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Snow Adventure Day from Kemi:
$248
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Full-Day Tour of Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village:
$267
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Audio Guided Day Tour of Ranua Zoo with Entry Ticket and Lunch:
$280
Alcohol
The average person spends about €7.42 on alcoholic beverages in Savonlinna per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Kemi spend on average €9.59 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Savonlinna and Kemi, we can see that Kemi is more expensive. And not only is Savonlinna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Savonlinna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Savonlinna 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 Kemi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kemi than you might in Savonlinna.
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