Should you visit Utrecht or Delft?
Should I visit Utrecht or Delft? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Utrecht
Utrecht is a province in the Netherlands, and its capital city happens to be called Utrecht as well. Utrecht is a unique university city (sorry for the tongue twister). Imagine Amsterdam but smaller, and with fewer tourists. Utrecht has the same underlying historical/magical feel as Amsterdam does, but is full of locals rather than crowds of tourists. It has a population of about 300,000 making it the fourth largest city in the Netherlands.
Delft
Delft is a wonderful, traditional town in the Netherlands that has historical architecture, numerous canals, bicyclists, and the popular, locally produced blue and white ceramics. The city itself is moderately sized and can easily be explored as a day trip. Alternatively, it's large enough to serve as a base if you wish to explore other parts of the region. Most people head to Amsterdam and then leave the Netherlands, but Delft offers an interesting alternative for those hoping to experience the Dutch culture on a more personal scale.
Which city is cheaper, Delft or Utrecht?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Utrecht is €151, while the average daily cost in Delft is €96. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Utrecht and Delft in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €85. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Utrecht the cost is €170 on average.
Travelers usually pay around €122 for a double occupancy room in Delft If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Utrecht is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €18 per person, per day, on local transportation in Utrecht.
To get around in Delft, the average visitor spends €5.71 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Utrecht
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Utrecht:
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Private transfer: Utrecht to Utrecht Airport (UTC):
$622
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Private transfer: Utrecht Airport (UTC) to Utrecht:
$622
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Rotterdam Airport to Utrecht City - One Way:
$108
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Lelystad Airport to Utrecht City - One Way:
$92
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Utrecht City - One Way:
$100
Is it cheaper to fly into Utrecht or Delft?
Prices for flights to both Delft and Utrecht 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
The average traveler spends about €46 per day in Utrecht for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Delft food costs typically run travelers around €30 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Utrecht €46
Delft €30
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Utrecht typically cost an average of €35 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
In Delft, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €8.57 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Utrecht
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Utrecht are as follows:
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Castles, Canals and Good Folk: Explore the old city on an audio walking tour:
$5.20
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Orchid Farm & Giethoorn | Private Tour from Utrecht:
$310
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Private Experience in Amsterdam Castle and Keukenhof Flower Park:
$310
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Private Tour in Rotterdam and Keukenhof Tulip Gardens:
$310
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Private Tour to Giethoorn 'Venice of the North':
$235
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Private Tour to Kinderdijk Windmills and Keukenhof Flower Park:
$310
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Private Undercover Experience in Utrecht:
$37
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Private Walking Tour in Rotterdam and Harbor Cruise:
$272
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Private Walking Tour in Utrecht:
$123
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Private tour in Utrecht (half a day) by a local!:
$243
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Romantic tour in Utrecht:
$496
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Self-Guided Sightseeing Tour of Utrecht:
$36
Tours and Activities in Delft
For Delft, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Skip the Line: Experience Johannes Vermeer Ticket:
$11
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Vermeer Centrum Delft Museum Entry Ticket:
$11
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Royal Delftblue factory & museum ticket:
$16
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Walking Tour of Delft - The City of Orange and Blue:
$22
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Horse Drawn Carriage Tours in Delft:
$31
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[LIVE] Guided Virtual Online Tour of a city in the Netherlands:
$31
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Self-Guided Interactive Walking Tour of Delft:
$36
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Photographic Tour in Delft Historical Center:
$37
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Tour with a secret on a unique Delft:
$62
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Guided Horse Tram or Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour through Historic Delft:
$93
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Bike Tour of the Dutch Countryside from Delft:
$100
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Half Day Private Tour - Highlights of Delft:
$100
Alcohol
The average person spends about €19 on alcoholic beverages in Utrecht per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Delft spend on average €13 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Utrecht
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Utrecht:
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Culinary lunch in Utrecht - SELF GUIDED FOOD & WINE TOUR:
$102
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Discover 3 restaurants in Utrecht - SELF GUIDED FOOD & WINE TOUR:
$128
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Experience 4 gastronomic restaurants in Utrecht - SELF GUIDED FOOD & WINE TOUR:
$152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Utrecht and Delft, we can see that Utrecht is more expensive. And not only is Delft much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Delft would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Delft 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 Utrecht would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Utrecht than you might in Delft.
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