A Travel Price Comparison for Austria Vienna vs. Bad Gastein for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Vienna or Bad Gastein?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vienna or Bad Gastein, 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: Vienna or Bad Gastein?

Vienna

Vienna is the largest city and capital of Austria. It has a population of over 1.7 million and is a cultural, political and economic center for the country. The historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and some complain that it feels more like a museum than a real city. Outside of the historical center though, is a young and vibrant city with a huge music scene, many street performers, and eclectic and fun restaurants and nightclubs.

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 Austria, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Austria, The Best Christmas Market Tours in Austria, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Austria.


Which place is cheaper, Bad Gastein or Vienna?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Vienna is €151, 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 Vienna and Bad Gastein in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Vienna 94
    Bad Gastein 62
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Vienna 188
    Bad Gastein 124
Compare Hotels in Vienna and Bad Gastein

Looking for a hotel in Vienna 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.

Hotels in Vienna


Hotels in Bad Gastein


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: Vienna Hotel Prices and Bad Gastein Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Vienna 19
    Bad Gastein 40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vienna

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Vienna:


  • Bus to Airport
    30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vienna

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

  • 2-in-1 Jewish Museums in Vienna Private Tour with Transfers: $366
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Business Car: $79
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Luxury Car: $106
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Luxury Van: $107
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna to Vienna Airport VIE by Luxury Car: $109
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna to Vienna Airport VIE by Luxury Van: $107
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Luxury Car: $96
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Minibus: $220
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Business Car: $54
  • Bratislava: Bus Transfer to/from Vienna: $8.58
  • CAT Transfer: Vienna Airport – Wien Mitte: $16
  • City TRANSFER Vienna: $82

Is it cheaper to fly into Vienna or Bad Gastein?

Prices for flights to both Bad Gastein and Vienna 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
    Vienna 33
    Bad Gastein 35

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vienna

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

  • Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $29
  • 1 Hour Tradtional Kaiserschmarrn Cooking Class & Tasting in Wien: $42
  • Performance Of The Lipizzans At Spanish Riding School: $44
  • Naschmarkt Food Tour: $65
  • Traditional Vienna Tasting Dinner With Folk Music: $69
  • Traditional Vienna Tasting Dinner with Folk Music: $71
  • Naschmarkt Guided Food Tour: $75
  • Vienna Evening Sightseeing Cruise With Music and Dinner: $75
  • 3-Course Evening Dinner Cruise: $77
  • Traditional Dinner Show at the Wiener Rathauskeller: $86
  • 3-Course Dinner and Concert at Schönbrunn Palace: $93
  • Evening at Schönbrunn Palace 3-course Dinner and Concert: $95

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Vienna 38
    Bad Gastein 21

Tours and Activities in Vienna

For Vienna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.26
  • Escape Game and Tour: $3.26
  • Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $4.89
  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.50
  • Detektiv-Trail Wien: Rätseltour für die ganze Familie: $6.52
  • Vienna Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.63
  • Cultural Heart of the City Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
  • MAK - Geymüllerschlössel Entry Ticket: $8.14
  • Walking Tour of the MuseumsQuartier with Guide: $8.69
  • Vienna Cathedral District Audio Tour (EN) (NO Ticket): $8.80
  • Walking Around Hofburg Palace In-App Audio Tour (EN): $8.80
  • Capuchins Crypt Entrance Ticket: $9.23

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Vienna 17
    Bad Gastein 7.86

Sample the Local Flavors in Vienna

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

  • Pub Crawl Vienna: $16
  • Vienna Nights Pub Crawl: $17
  • City Center Pub Crawl: $27
  • Local Pub Crawl Vienna: $28
  • Wine Tasting at Traditional Cellar: $35
  • Guided Wine Tasting in a Private Wine Cellar: $39
  • Viennese Wine Tasting in a Private Hidden Wine Cellar: $40
  • Wine Tasting at Schönbrunn Palace: $49
  • Austrian Wine Tasting Experience: $64
  • Vienna Historical Highlight City Tour + Wine Tasting: $75
  • Skip-the-Line Schönbrunn Palace Entry & Wine Tasting: $84
  • Wine Tasting E-Bike Tour: $92


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

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


Which is Bigger, Vienna or Bad Gastein?

Vienna has a larger population, and is about 280 times larger than the population of Bad Gastein. When comparing the sizes of Vienna 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.