Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Shanghai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Shanghai or Krakow?
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 Shanghai and Krakow. 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: Shanghai or Krakow?
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest and most modern city in China. With a population of over 23 million, it is the economic and financial hub of the country. It also continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in China with regular changes to the city's layout and skyline. It is not uncommon for buildings to be torn down, rebuilt and then torn down and rebuilt again. The city also has skyscrapers that rank among the tallest in the world. It has an ever changing downtown and street scape. In Shanghai, the general mantra remains "out with the old, in with the new".
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 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayShanghai $115Krakow $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Shanghai is $115, while the average daily cost in Krakow is $65. 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 Shanghai and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personShanghai $81Krakow $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomShanghai $162Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Shanghai and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Shanghai 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.Shanghai $3.87Krakow $6.41
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Shanghai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Shanghai:
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Taxi Ride$3.59
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Two Subway Tickets$0.83
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
- Mount Mogan Self-Guided Tour from Shanghai by Private Transfer: $108
- Private Transfer between Shanghai Pudong Int'l Airport & Hongqiao Airport : $45
- Private Transfer from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to City Center : $30
- 1 Day-Pass for Disneyland Shanghai and Private Transfer Package: $245
- 3-hour Private Transfer to Shanghai ERA Acrobatic Show from City Center: $53
- Arrival Private Transfer Pudong Airport PVG to Shanghai City by Standard Sedan: $74
- Arrival Private Transfer: Pudong Airport PVG to Shanghai in Business Car : $113
- Departure Private Transfer: Shanghai to Pudong Airport PVG in Business Car: $112
- Departure Transfer by High-Speed Maglev Train: Hotel to Shanghai Pudong International Airport: $79
- Flexible Hours of Private Shanghai Layover or Transfer Tour: $129
- Flexible Hours of Shanghai Layover and Transfer Tour with Driver Only: $119
- Guangzhou Airport Transfer by 5 seat standard car: $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Kraków: Kraków Airport to Central Bus Station Bus Transfer: $5.35
- From Auschwitz-Birkenau Roundtrip Bus Transfer: $7.47
- Balice Airport Luxury Vehicle Private Transfer: $9.96
- Private Transfer to or from Krakow Airport: $10
- Wieliczka Salt mine private transfer-Krakow Balice Airport: $10
- Private Transfer to/from Krakow Airport (KRK): $11
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Transfer from Krakow: $12
- Krakow Airport Transfer Balice: $14
- Krakow Airport Private Transfers: $15
- Electric Car Transfer between Krakow and the Airport: $15
- Kraków Airport Private Transfer - Kraków City Center: $16
- Kraków: Airport Private Transfer by Luxury Car: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Shanghai or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Shanghai 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 dayShanghai $21Krakow $13
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
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Dumpling Breakfast$1.38
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Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory$20
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Ajisen Lunch for Two$7.18
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Cantelope$1.66
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Dumplings and Soup$2.07
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Duck Dinner$4.14
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Pastries$2.90
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Barbeque Dinner$8.83
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.
- Online Cooking Class General Tso's Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Sesame Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Fried Rice by Sunflower Li : $20
- 3-Hour Biking and Local Food Tour: $70
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai: $79
- Late night food tour in Shanghai's French Concession: $85
- Shanghai Evening Food Tour/Shanghai tour gastronomico nocturno : $85
- Late Night Food Tour in the Shanghai's French Concession: $89
- Chinese Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit: $90
- Shanghai's Koreatown Food Tour: $91
- 4-Hour Food Tour in Qibao Water Town from Shanghai by Subway: $95
- 3-Hour Flexible Private Shanghai Night Tour with Local Dinner Option: $100
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
- Discovering Cracow's Local Flavour: Food Tour: $22
- From Polish Folk Show with All-You-Can-Eat Dinner: $32
- Folk Show & 3-Course Dinner at Jama Michalika Café: $44
- Polish Folk Show with 3 course dinner in Krakow legendary restaurant: $45
- Krakow : Folk Show Dinner Drinking and Fun ! Book Now!: $64
- Cabaret Show with Optional Dinner: $70
- Pierogi Cooking Class: Mastering the Art of Polish Dumplings: $74
- 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
- Krakow Bites and Sights Food Tour: $104
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Shanghai $8.42Krakow $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Shanghai are as follows:
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30 Minute River Cruise for Two$28
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Zoo for Two$14
Tours and Activities in Shanghai
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shanghai are as follows:
- The History of the French Concession: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Shanghai Yu Garden Ticket Booking: $14
- Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket and Optional Attractions: $14
- Shanghai Yu Garden Tour：Harmony & Spirituality in Garden Art: $20
- Shanghai Highlights Walking Tour: $29
- Shanghai French Concession Walking Tour: $29
- Shanghai Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
- Like a Local Customized Guided Tour: $35
- Shanghai Hotels to Wusongkou Cruise Port:Private with Meet & Great service: $38
- Shanghai Downtown Hotel to Baoshan Cruise Port:Private with Meet & Greet service: $38
- Fudan University Student Guide Tour: $42
- Shanghai Tower Tickets Booking: $43
Tours and Activities in Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kraków in a nutshell - walking tour: $1.24
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Old Town Audio-Guided Walking Tour with Headset: $3.73
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.31
- Old Town Audioguided walking Tour: $4.48
- Home Army Museum Emil Fieldorf “Nil” - Entrance Ticket: $4.54
- From Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour: $4.98
- Wawel Hill Tour with Audio Guide: $5.60
- From Kraków: Wieliczka Salt Mine Trip & Guided Tour: $6.22
- Wawel Hill Audioguide Tour: $6.72
- Krakow Old Town: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $7.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayShanghai $7.35Krakow $6.76
Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai
Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Shanghai Pub Crawl - Bar-hopping/Night life tour: $27
- Shanghai Luxury Bar Crawl in 5-star Hotel or Boutique Hotel: $255
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
- Pub Crawl 1 hour Open Bar and 5 Hours Clubs in Krakow with VIP: $24
- Halloween Pub Crawl - Krawl Through Krakow: $24
- Pub tour in Old Town with 1 hour open bar with a guide.: $25
- Pub Crawl with Shots, Drinks & Skip-the-Line Entry: $25
- Pub Crawl + Unlimited Drinks + VIP entry + Drinking Games & Photographer : $25
- Three-Hour Pub Crawl: $39
- Wieliczka Vineyard: Wine tasting with local snacks: $44
- Tyskie Brewery Tour from Katowice: $120
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shanghai and Krakow, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Shanghai is in Asia and Krakow is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Krakow would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Krakow 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 Shanghai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shanghai than you might in Krakow.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Shanghai Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Shanghai or Krakow?
Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Shanghai 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 Shanghai or Krakow?
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 Shanghai or Krakow in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Shanghai and Krakow. The city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Shanghai this time of year.
In the summer, Shanghai is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the summer temperatures in Shanghai in July average around 28°C (83°F), and Krakow averages at about 19°C (67°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. In Shanghai, it's very sunny this time of the year. Shanghai usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during summer. Shanghai gets 232 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun in the summer.
Shanghai gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Shanghai usually receives more rain than Krakow. Shanghai gets 128 mm (5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyShanghai 28°C (83°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Shanghai or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Shanghai as well as Krakow. Many travelers come to Shanghai for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Shanghai is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Shanghai average around 19°C (65°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Shanghai often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Shanghai gets 162 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Shanghai usually gets more rain in October than Krakow. Shanghai gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberShanghai 19°C (65°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Shanghai or Krakow in the Winter?
Both Krakow and Shanghai are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Shanghai in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Krakow can be very cold during winter. Shanghai can get quite cold in the winter. Shanghai is much warmer than Krakow in the winter. The daily temperature in Shanghai averages around 4°C (39°F) in January, and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
Shanghai usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during winter. Shanghai gets 135 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Shanghai usually receives more rain than Krakow. Shanghai gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryShanghai 4°C (39°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Shanghai or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Shanghai during the spring are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Shanghai for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months.
In the spring, Shanghai is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the spring temperatures in Shanghai in April average around 15°C (58°F), and Krakow averages at about 10°C (50°F).
In the spring, Shanghai often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Shanghai gets 153 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Shanghai. Shanghai usually gets more rain in April than Krakow. Shanghai gets 102 mm (4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilShanghai 15°C (58°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Shanghai
| Shanghai | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 4°C (39°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 5°C (41°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 9°C (48°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (58°F) | 102 mm (4 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 20°C (67°F) | 113 mm (4.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (75°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (83°F) | 128 mm (5 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 133 mm (5.2 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (75°F) | 156 mm (6.1 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (65°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 13°C (55°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 7°C (44°F) | 35 mm (1.4 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.