A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tihany vs. Krakow for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tihany or Krakow?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Tihany 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: Tihany or Krakow?

Tihany

Located on the northern coast of Lake Balaton in Hungary, Tihany is a historic village with quaint streets and bustling squares - all centered on the twin-towered Tihany Benedictine Abbey which dates back to the 11th century.

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 Food and Culinary Tours in Hungary, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Hungary, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.


Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Tihany?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Tihany is $44, 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 Tihany and Krakow in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tihany $19
    Krakow $42
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tihany $38
    Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Tihany and Krakow

Looking for a hotel in Tihany 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.

Hotels in Tihany


Hotels in Krakow


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: Tihany Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tihany $11
    Krakow $6.40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:

  • Private Transfer to or from Berlin: $929
  • Private Transfer to or from Budapest: $867
  • Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $747
  • From Gdansk or One-Way Private Transfer: $669
  • Private Transfer to or from Bratislava: $619
  • Private transfer! Warsaw Chopin Airport - Krakow City Center: $470
  • Private transfer from Krakow to Budapest or from Budapest to Krakow: $299
  • Private door-to-door transfer from Krakow to Budapest: $291
  • Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
  • Transfer from Krakow (Balice airport) to Krynica Zdroj : $283
  • Private Transfer Airport to Warszawa OkÄ™cie: $278
  • Private transfer from Katowice AirPort to Krakow City: $272

Is it cheaper to fly into Tihany or Krakow?

Prices for flights to both Krakow and Tihany 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Tihany $18
    Krakow $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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tihany $4.82
    Krakow $20

Tours and Activities in Tihany

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tihany.

  • Erotic Renaissance Wax Museum Entrance Ticket: $5.45
  • Lake Balaton: Paddle Board Tour of Tihany National Park: $43
  • Lake Balaton: Sunset SUP Tour Tihany: $43
  • The best of Keszthely walking tour: $98
  • Romantic tour around Keszthely for couples: $98
  • Special Magical Christmas Walking Tour in Keszthely: $218

Tours and Activities in Krakow

Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $64
  • Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Wieliczka Salt Mine 1-Day Tour: $141
  • Rynek Underground Museum Guided Tour: $25
  • Rynek Underground Museum, Old Town and St. Mary's Basilica Tour: $50
  • 1 Day Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Guided Tour Hotel Pick up: $44
  • 1 Day Trip Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $34
  • 1-Hour Tour to Krakow's Old Town by Electric Golf Cart: $21
  • 120 min Old Town Segway Tour in Krakow: $49
  • 2 Days Tour in Wawel Hill, Jewish Quarter and Wieliczka with Guide and Lunch: $187
  • 2 Hour Private Pinball and Arcade Museum Tour from Krakow: $273
  • 2 Hours Old Town Guided Bike Tour in Krakow: $27
  • 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour in The Old Town of Krakow: $25

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tihany $6.58
    Krakow $6.75

Sample the Local Flavors in Tihany

Also in Tihany, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • From Budapest: Wine Tasting At Balaton Full Day Private Tour: $1,219

Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Krakow:


  • 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 Tihany and Krakow, we can see that Krakow is more expensive. And not only is Tihany much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tihany would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tihany 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 Krakow would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Krakow than you might in Tihany.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tihany Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Tihany or Krakow?

Krakow has a larger population, and is about 530 times larger than the population of Tihany. When comparing the sizes of Tihany 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 Tihany or Krakow?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Tihany or Krakow in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Tihany as well as Krakow.

In the summer, Tihany is around the same temperature as Krakow. Typically, the summer temperatures in Tihany in July average around 21°C (70°F), and Krakow averages at about 19°C (67°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Krakow. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Tihany this time of the year. In the summer, Tihany often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Tihany gets 278 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun.

Tihany usually gets less rain in July than Krakow. Tihany gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Tihany 21°C (70°F) 
    Krakow 19°C (67°F)

Should I visit Tihany or Krakow in the Autumn?

Both Krakow and Tihany are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.

In October, Tihany is generally around the same temperature as Krakow. Daily temperatures in Tihany average around 12°C (53°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).

Tihany usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during autumn. Tihany gets 152 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Tihany usually receives less rain than Krakow. Tihany gets 32 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Tihany 12°C (53°F) 
    Krakow 11°C (51°F)

Should I visit Tihany or Krakow in the Winter?

Both Krakow and Tihany during the winter are popular places to visit.

Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Tihany. Tihany is much warmer than Krakow in the winter. The daily temperature in Tihany averages around -1°C (31°F) in January, and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).

In the winter, Tihany often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Tihany gets 61 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun.

Tihany usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Krakow. Tihany gets 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Tihany -1°C (31°F) 
    Krakow -2°C (29°F)

Should I visit Tihany or Krakow in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Tihany and Krakow.

In the spring, Tihany is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the spring temperatures in Tihany in April average around 12°C (53°F), and Krakow averages at about 10°C (50°F).

Tihany usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during spring. Tihany gets 178 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Tihany usually receives less rain than Krakow. Tihany gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Tihany 12°C (53°F) 
    Krakow 10°C (50°F)

Typical Weather for Krakow and Tihany

Tihany Krakow
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan -1°C (31°F) 34 mm (1.3 in) -2°C (29°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Feb 2°C (35°F) 34 mm (1.3 in) 0°C (32°F) 32 mm (1.3 in)
Mar 7°C (44°F) 27 mm (1 in) 5°C (40°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Apr 12°C (53°F) 39 mm (1.5 in) 10°C (50°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
May 16°C (62°F) 56 mm (2.2 in) 15°C (59°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Jun 20°C (67°F) 61 mm (2.4 in) 18°C (64°F) 96 mm (3.8 in)
Jul 21°C (70°F) 51 mm (2 in) 19°C (67°F) 86 mm (3.4 in)
Aug 21°C (69°F) 58 mm (2.3 in) 19°C (66°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Sep 17°C (63°F) 39 mm (1.5 in) 15°C (60°F) 52 mm (2 in)
Oct 12°C (53°F) 32 mm (1.3 in) 11°C (51°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Nov 6°C (42°F) 54 mm (2.1 in) 5°C (41°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Dec 1°C (34°F) 40 mm (1.6 in) 1°C (33°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)