Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra 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: Sintra or Krakow?
Sintra
Located just 28 kilometers from Lisbon, Sintra is a town that was, for a long time, home to Portuguese royalty leading up to the 1910 revolution. In town you will find a Royal Palace and in the surrounding area there is a Moorish Castle, and the Pena Palace, which dates back to the 19th century. The town is on the Estoril Coast near the Sintra Mountains, making its setting very dramatic, beautiful and picturesque. The surrounding hills are actually designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because they offer a great combination of both cultural importance and natural beauty.
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 Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Krakow €60
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Krakow is €60. 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 Sintra and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Krakow €39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Krakow €78
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Sintra 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: Sintra Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Krakow €6.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sintra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sintra:
- Algarve vs Lisbon: Private Transfer to/from Algarve /Lisbon: $513
- Estoril, Cascais or Sintra Private Transfer to Lisbon: $27
- Lisbon Airport Transfer to Cascais / Sintra / Estoril: $51
- Lisbon Airport: Cascais/Estoril/Sintra Private Transfer: $57
- Lisbon transfer, national and Iberian trips: $86
- Private Guided Transfer in Sintra and Lisbon: $87
- Private Transfer Lisbon & Cascais by Van or Car: $73
- Private transfer from Sintra to Porto with 2 hours for sightseeing: $289
- TRANSFER Cascais to Lisbon Airport: $82
- Tours and Transfers: $89
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(3pax): $98
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(8pax): $109
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Kraków: Kraków Airport to Central Bus Station Bus Transfer: $5.31
- From Auschwitz-Birkenau Roundtrip Bus Transfer: $6.19
- Balice Airport Luxury Vehicle Private Transfer: $9.91
- Private Transfer to or from Krakow 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 by Luxury Car: $16
- Auschwitz - Birkenau Roundtrip Transfer with assistance: $17
- Kraków Airport Private Transfer - Kraków City Center: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Sintra 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 daySintra €42Krakow €12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sintra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sintra.
- Private Portuguese Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Lisbon Local: $220
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.Sintra €23Krakow €19
Tours and Activities in Sintra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sintra are as follows:
- Discover Enchanted A Fairy-Tale Free Tour: $1.28
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $3.74
- Sintra Myths and Legends Interpretative Center Entry Ticket: $4.28
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
- Pena Palace In-app Audio Tour (WITHOUT A TICKET): $7.44
- Sintra Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Monserrate Palace and Park Skip-the-Line Ticket: $13
- Sintra Sightseeing Train Tour: $13
- National Palace of Sintra and Gardens Fast Track Ticket: $14
- National Sintra Palace Ticket & Optional Audio Guide: $16
- Hop-on Hop-off Tour in Sintra: $16
- Castle of the Moors E-Ticket & Optional Audio Guide: $18
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: $3.21
- Old Town Audio-Guided Walking Tour with Headset: $3.72
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.28
- Old Town Audioguided walking Tour: $4.46
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entry Tickets: $4.71
- From Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour: $4.95
- Wawel Hill Tour with Audio Guide: $5.57
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Mound Entrance Tickets: $5.62
- From Kraków: Wieliczka Salt Mine Trip & Guided Tour: $6.19
- Skip the Line Ticket for Kościuszko Mound in Krakow: $6.59
- Wawel Hill Audioguide Tour: $6.69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Krakow €6.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Sintra
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sintra:
- Half-Day Tour in Cascais / Sintra with Brunch and Wine Tasting: $60
- Hiking and Wine Tasting Experience: $71
- Half Day in Sintra and Cabo da Roca with Wine Tasting: $82
- Wine Tasting Tour: $82
- Private tour wine tasting in Setubal: $96
- Excursion from Lisbon to Setúbal: Nature, Beach and Wine Tasting: $125
- Private Tour Sétubal, Palmela, Arrábida with wine tasting: $175
- Hidden Gems: Sintra & Cascais Private Tour with Wine Tasting: $181
- From Lisbon Private Tour to Porto with Port Wine Tasting: $235
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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sintra and Krakow, we can see that Sintra is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Sintra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sintra 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 Sintra Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Krakow?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Sintra 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 Sintra 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 Sintra or Krakow in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Krakow.
In July, Sintra is generally a little warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 23°C (73°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. In Sintra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during summer. Sintra gets 352 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Sintra usually receives less rain than Krakow. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 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 JulySintra 23°C (73°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Krakow.
Sintra is much warmer than Krakow in the autumn. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 19°C (66°F) in October, and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra this time of the year. In the autumn, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Sintra gets 213 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets more rain in October than Krakow. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 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 OctoberSintra 19°C (66°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Krakow in the Winter?
Both Krakow and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Sintra is much warmer than Krakow. Typically, the winter temperatures in Sintra in January average around 12°C (53°F), and Krakow averages at about -2°C (29°F).
Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during winter. Sintra gets 144 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
It's quite rainy in Sintra. In January, Sintra usually receives more rain than Krakow. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 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 JanuarySintra 12°C (53°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Sintra during the spring are popular places to visit.
In April, Sintra is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 16°C (60°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
It's quite sunny in Sintra. In the spring, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Sintra gets 235 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets more rain in April than Krakow. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 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 AprilSintra 16°C (60°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Sintra
| Sintra | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 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.