Which place is cheaper, Bad Gastein or Thessaloniki?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Thessaloniki or Bad Gastein?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Bad Gastein? 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: Thessaloniki or Bad Gastein?
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and serves as the capital city of the Central Macedonia region. It also has a rich history dating back more than 3,000 years. As a visitor, you'll find that the city has been touched by the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, all of which left their mark. In particular, the many Byzantine churches are quite impressive, with some of them listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Bad Gastein
Located in the High Tauern Mountains south of Salzburg, Bad Gastein is a spa and ski town known for hotels and villas built into steep and forested slopes. While the town is most visited in the winter for skiing purposes, it is also a home base for many hiking opportunities throughout the summer.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Greece, The Best Contiki Tours to Greece, The Best 2-Week Tours in Austria, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayThessaloniki €134Bad Gastein €122
The average daily cost (per person) in Thessaloniki is €134, while the average daily cost in Bad Gastein is €122. 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 Thessaloniki and Bad Gastein in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personThessaloniki €79Bad Gastein €62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomThessaloniki €158Bad Gastein €124
Compare Hotels in Thessaloniki and Bad Gastein
Looking for a hotel in Thessaloniki or Bad Gastein? 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: Thessaloniki Hotel Prices and Bad Gastein Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Thessaloniki €13Bad Gastein €40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Thessaloniki
Also for Thessaloniki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Private Day Trip to Meteora with Transfer: $428
- One Way Private Transfer SKG Airport to / from Thessaloniki City Center: $24
- Private Transfer from Kavala to Sofia (SOF) Airport: $237
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki Airport to Ammon Zeus Hotel : $109
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki Airport to Sani Resort: $109
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki Airport to Thessaloniki Port: $41
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki hotels to Thessaloniki Port: $41
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki to Sofia (SOF) Airport: $254
- Private Transfer to Thessaloniki Airport from Thessaloniki City: $120
- Private transfer to IKOS OLIVIA: $87
- Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) to Thessaloniki - Arrival Transfer: $21
- Thessaloniki Airport (SKG): Transfer to Thessaloniki Port: $142
Is it cheaper to fly into Thessaloniki or Bad Gastein?
Prices for flights to both Bad Gastein and Thessaloniki 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 dayThessaloniki €42Bad Gastein €35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Open Market Food Tour with Tasting: $48
- Walking Open Market Food Tour and Tasting: $49
- Cooking & Dining Experience with Greek Family: $63
- Guided Food Tour: $70
- Food Tour in Thessaloniki: $71
- Private Walking Tour Gastronomic Food Tour in Thessaloniki: $87
- Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local: $95
- Greek Ouzo and Meze Food Tour: $95
- Greek Cooking Class, Market Visit and Lunch: $95
- Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local: $97
- Greek Ouzo and Meze Food Tour: $97
- Greek Cooking Class, Market visit and Lunch: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Thessaloniki €26Bad Gastein €21
Tours and Activities in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.95
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $6.95
- White Tower Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.54
- Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour & Narrative: $11
- Selfie Museum Entry Ticket: $11
- Self-Guided Game & Tour: $12
- Museum of Illusions Admission Ticket: $12
- Thessaloniki Self-Guided Game & Tour: $12
- Byzantine Museum E-Ticket with Audio Tour: $13
- E-ticket to Museum of Byzantine Culture with Audio Tour : $13
- Thessaloniki Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour: $17
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayThessaloniki €15Bad Gastein €7.86
Sample the Local Flavors in Thessaloniki
Also in Thessaloniki, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Thessaloniki: $25
- From Pella-Edessa wine tasting: $64
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $81
- Thessaloniki Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $83
- Winery Visit with Wine Tasting Experience: $91
- Wine Tasting Experience from Thessaloniki: $93
- Thessaloniki to Naoussa, Wine Tasting Tour – Private Day Trip: $207
When comparing the travel costs between Thessaloniki and Bad Gastein, we can see that Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki Expensive? and Is Bad Gastein Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Thessaloniki or Bad Gastein?
Thessaloniki has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Bad Gastein. When comparing the sizes of Thessaloniki and Bad Gastein, 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.
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.