Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Sochi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sochi or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sochi 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: Sochi or Krakow?
Sochi
Located on the coast of the Black Sea, Sochi is one of the southernmost major cities in Russia. It is especially busy in the summer when native Russians and international visitors alike come to enjoy the mountainous coastline and sunny beaches. Sochi is also known as the host of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, and many of the Olympic venues can still be visited today.
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 daySochi $60Krakow $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Sochi is $60, 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 Sochi and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSochi $14Krakow $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSochi $28Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Sochi and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Sochi 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.Sochi -Krakow $6.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- 1945-1989 Communism Tour of Krakow Nowa Huta with Transfers: $160
- 1945-1989 Communism Tour of Krakow Nowa Huta with Transfers: $171
- Airport Transfer (Krakow - Katowice): $100
- Arrival Private Transfer from Krakow Airport KRK to Krakow City by Business Car: $39
- Arrival Private Transfer from Krakow Airport KRK to Krakow City by Luxury Van: $54
- Auschwitz - Birkenau Roundtrip Transfer with assistance: $17
- Auschwitz Birkenau Transfer Service- Private Driver from Krakow: $109
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Transfer from Krakow: $12
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum with Private Transfers from Krakow: $217
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum Guided Tour with Ticket and Transfer: $35
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour with Transfer, eBook and Optional Guide: $32
- Balice KRK airport OneWay PRIVATE TRANSFER to/from Krakow’s hotel: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Sochi or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Sochi 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 daySochi $17Krakow $13
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.Sochi $112Krakow $20
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 daySochi -Krakow $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 Sochi 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 Sochi Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sochi or Krakow?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Sochi. When comparing the sizes of Sochi 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 Sochi 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 Sochi or Krakow in the Summer?
Both Krakow and Sochi are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities.
In the summer, Sochi is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sochi in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Krakow averages at about 19°C (67°F).
In July, Sochi usually receives more rain than Krakow. Sochi gets 93 mm (3.7 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 JulySochi 23°C (73°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Sochi or Krakow in the Autumn?
Both Krakow and Sochi during the autumn are popular places to visit.
In October, Sochi is generally a little warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Sochi average around 16°C (60°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Sochi. Sochi usually gets more rain in October than Krakow. Sochi gets 135 mm (5.3 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 OctoberSochi 16°C (60°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Sochi or Krakow in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Sochi and Krakow.
Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. Sochi is much warmer than Krakow in the winter. The daily temperature in Sochi averages around 6°C (44°F) in January, and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
Sochi gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Sochi usually receives more rain than Krakow. Sochi gets 183 mm (7.2 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 JanuarySochi 6°C (44°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Sochi or Krakow in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Sochi as well as Krakow.
In the spring, Sochi is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sochi in April average around 13°C (55°F), and Krakow averages at about 10°C (50°F).
Sochi receives a lot of rain in the spring. Sochi usually gets more rain in April than Krakow. Sochi gets 110 mm (4.3 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 AprilSochi 13°C (55°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Sochi
| Sochi | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 6°C (44°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 7°C (45°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 9°C (48°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 17°C (62°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (68°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 20°C (68°F) | 133 mm (5.2 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (60°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 182 mm (7.2 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 9°C (47°F) | 202 mm (8 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.