Which place is cheaper, Cologne or Turku?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Turku or Cologne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Turku or Cologne, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Turku or Cologne?
Turku
Turku, a city on the southwest coast of Finland, straddles the Aura River. Dating from the 13th century, it's known for Turku Castle, a medieval fortress with a history museum, perched at the river mouth. Restaurants line the cobbled riverside streets. On the eastern bank lies the Old Great Square, a former trade hub, surrounded by grand buildings. The nearby Turku Cathedral houses a royal tomb and a museum. The historic castle and cathedral point to the city's rich cultural history when it was the Finnish capital, and contemporary Turku is full of experimental art and vibrant festivals, thanks in part to its spirited university population (the country's second largest), who make Turku's nightlife young and fun. As the first city many visitors encounter arriving by ferry from Sweden and Aland, it's a splendid introduction to the Finnish mainland.
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Finland, The Best Adventure Tours to Finland, The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, and The Best Budget Tours to Germany.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTurku €136Cologne €161
The average daily cost (per person) in Turku is €136, while the average daily cost in Cologne is €161. 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 Turku and Cologne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTurku €76Cologne €91
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTurku €152Cologne €182
Compare Hotels in Turku and Cologne
Looking for a hotel in Turku or Cologne? 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: Turku Hotel Prices and Cologne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Turku €44Cologne €19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Turku
Also for Turku, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Turku Private Transfer from Turku (TKU) Airport to City centre: $73
- Turku Private Transfer from Turku city centre to Turku airport: $73
- One-Way Helicopter Transfer to Helsinki Airport (HEL): $2,112
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $109
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Turku or Cologne?
Prices for flights to both Cologne and Turku 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 dayTurku €32Cologne €50
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner€14
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Donner Kebab€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $481
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Turku €22Cologne €20
Tours and Activities in Turku
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Turku.
- Inspiring Turku - Walking Tour: $131
- Turku Archipelago: Sea Kayaking Day Tour: $133
- Archipelago tour with Soling sailboat: $310
- Inspiring Turku - Walking Tour: $523
- Turku Enchanting Romantic Walking Tour: $659
- Turku Christmas Delights Walking Tour: $766
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 120min - Cologne City Tour: $158
- 3-Hour Cologne Street Art Bike Tour in Small Group with Guide: $44
- 3-Hour Murder Mystery Interactive City Walking Tour in Köln: $75
- 5 Hours Cologne to Aachen Train Tour in Germany: $63
- Aachen Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide: $231
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Aachen old town tour - GERMAN (public): $13
- Amusing Stories of Cologne Walking Tour: $13
- Awesome Sites of Cologne – Private Family Walking Tour: $395
- Beethoven and Bonn Highlights Tour from Cologne by Car: $840
- Best of Cologne in 1-Day Private Guided Tour with Transport: $438
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTurku €12Cologne €23
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Public brewery tour in Cologne in English: $18
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $29
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Turku and Cologne, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Turku much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Turku would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Turku 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne than you might in Turku.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Turku Expensive? and Is Cologne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Turku or Cologne?
Cologne has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Turku. When comparing the sizes of Turku and Cologne, 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 Turku or Cologne?
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 Turku or Cologne in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Turku as well as Cologne. Also, most visitors come to Cologne for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Turku is cooler than Cologne. Typically, the summer temperatures in Turku in July average around 16°C (61°F), and Cologne averages at about 19°C (66°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Turku this time of the year. In the summer, Turku often gets more sunshine than Cologne. Turku gets 262 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cologne receives 184 hours of full sun.
Turku usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Cologne. Turku gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyTurku 16°C (61°F)Cologne 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Turku or Cologne in the Autumn?
Both Cologne and Turku are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Cologne because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Turku is generally much colder than Cologne. Daily temperatures in Turku average around 6°C (43°F), and Cologne fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
Turku usually receives less sunshine than Cologne during autumn. Turku gets 90 hours of sunny skies, while Cologne receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Turku usually receives more rain than Cologne. Turku gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberTurku 6°C (43°F)Cologne 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Turku or Cologne in the Winter?
Both Cologne and Turku during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Cologne this time of year.
It's quite cold in Cologne in the winter. The weather in Turku can be very cold. Turku is much colder than Cologne in the winter. The daily temperature in Turku averages around -6°C (20°F) in January, and Cologne fluctuates around 3°C (37°F).
In the winter, Turku often gets less sunshine than Cologne. Turku gets 39 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cologne receives 43 hours of full sun.
Turku usually gets less rain in January than Cologne. Turku gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryTurku -6°C (20°F)Cologne 3°C (37°F)
Should I visit Turku or Cologne in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Turku and Cologne. Furthermore, many travelers come to Cologne for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
It's quite cold in Turku in the spring. In the spring, Turku is much colder than Cologne. Typically, the spring temperatures in Turku in April average around 3°C (37°F), and Cologne averages at about 10°C (50°F).
Turku usually receives more sunshine than Cologne during spring. Turku gets 182 hours of sunny skies, while Cologne receives 152 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Turku usually receives less rain than Cologne. Turku gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilTurku 3°C (37°F)Cologne 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Cologne and Turku
| Turku | Cologne | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -6°C (20°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Feb | -7°C (20°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Mar | -3°C (27°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Apr | 3°C (37°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 14°C (58°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Jul | 16°C (61°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.2 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Sep | 10°C (51°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Oct | 6°C (43°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Nov | 1°C (33°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Dec | -4°C (25°F) | 57 mm (2.3 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 71 mm (2.8 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.