A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Torun vs. Novalja for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Torun or Novalja?

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 Torun and Novalja. 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: Torun or Novalja?

Torun

Torun is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. This magnificently walled Gothic town on the Vistula should be high on every traveler's list, possibly as its delights seem low on everyone else's, leaving visitors who make it here to revel unrestricted in its wealth of red-brick buildings, Unesco-listed sites and medieval city defenses, all of which WWII mercifully decided to ignore. Beyond architecture, Torun is also well known as the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. His name is all over town, and you can even buy gingerbread shaped in his image. This other Torun icon - its pierniki (gingerbread) - is famous across Poland.

Novalja

Novalja is a Croatian town in the north of the island of Pag in the Adriatic Sea. Novalja is known internationally as party central because of the infamous party beach, Zrce, which boasts 4 clubs open around the clock. The pumping house/techno music and dance parties typically start at around 4 pm and continue well past 2 in the morning. During the summer, many well-known DJs and groups from around the world, including Benni Benassi, Jamie Jones, and Swanky Tunes, host concerts in these nightclubs. Zrce is not just for party-goers though. Many families lay out their towels for a day at the beautiful stone beach. This Novalja beach has cafe-bars and restaurants so you can easily grab a bite to eat or quick drink at your convenience. In addition to Zrce, Novalja offers tourists a number of other gorgeous beaches. Cista and Babe and both are perfect if you're looking for a calmer location. Both of these beaches have a lot less activity than Zrce, making for a relaxing afternoon, and their waters tend to be a bit warmer too.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Krakow, The Best 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Split.


Which place is cheaper, Novalja or Torun?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Torun is $31, while the average daily cost in Novalja is $62. 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 Torun and Novalja in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Torun $14
    Novalja $34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Torun $28
    Novalja $68
Compare Hotels in Torun and Novalja

Looking for a hotel in Torun or Novalja? 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 Torun


Hotels in Novalja


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: Torun Hotel Prices and Novalja Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Torun $4.87
    Novalja $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Torun

Also for Torun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from Torun to Gdansk or Airport Gdansk GDN: $291

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Novalja

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Novalja:

  • Zrce, Private Transfer to/from Zadar Airport: $170
  • Private Transfer from Crikvenica to Rijeka Airport (RJK): $74

Is it cheaper to fly into Torun or Novalja?

Prices for flights to both Novalja and Torun 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
    Torun $9.72
    Novalja $21
Typical Food Prices in Torun

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Torun:


  • Ice Cream
    $0.65
  • Gingerbread
    $0.62
  • Sandwich
    $1.04

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Torun

For Torun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Torun Private Traditional Polish Food Tour: $179
  • Torun Private Traditional Polish Food Tour: $179

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Torun $4.50
    Novalja $6.48
Typical Entertainment Prices in Torun

For Torun, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Gingerbread Cooking Class
    $2.36

Tours and Activities in Torun

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

  • Discover A Walking Adventure: $81
  • Romantic tour in Torun: $81
  • Private Walking Tour of a Medieval Town: $83
  • Torun Old Town Highlights Private Walking Tour: $99
  • Torun Old Town Highlights Private Walking Tour: $99
  • Walking Tour of the medieval Toruń : $100
  • Family-Friendly Historical Walking Tour: $119
  • Torun Living Museum of Gingerbread and Old Town Private Walking Tour: $125
  • Torun Copernicus Trail and Old Town Private Walking Tour: $125
  • Torun Copernicus Trail and Old Town Private Walking Tour: $125
  • Magic Christmas tour in Torun: $135
  • Torun Private Vodka Tasting Tour: $159

Tours and Activities in Novalja

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

  • From Metajna/Pag Bay Guided Sea Kayaking Tour: $49
  • From Kolan Bike Tour: $47
  • From Svetojanj Bike Tour: $47
  • Kayak and Via Ferrata Adventure: $71
  • Bungee Tower Ticket with Zrce Beach Panoramic Views: $32
  • Glowing Standup Paddleboard Guided Night Tour: $58
  • Pag Island Light-Up Kayak Night Tour: $62
  • Standup Paddleboard Guided Tour: $47
  • Zrce Beach Bungee Jumping Experience: $74
  • Zrce Booze Cruise - Novalja Boat Party: $52

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Torun $4.96
    Novalja $7.76


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Torun and Novalja, we can see that Novalja is more expensive. And not only is Torun much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Torun would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Torun 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 Novalja would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Novalja than you might in Torun.

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


Which is Bigger, Torun or Novalja?

Torun has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of Novalja. When comparing the sizes of Torun and Novalja, 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.