Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Vienna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Vienna or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vienna or Krakow, 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 Krakow?
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.
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 2-Week Tours in Austria, The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVienna €151Krakow €60
The average daily cost (per person) in Vienna is €151, while the average daily cost in Krakow is €60. 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 Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVienna €94Krakow €39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVienna €188Krakow €78
Compare Hotels in Vienna and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Vienna 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.
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 Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vienna €19Krakow €6.00
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vienna
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Vienna:
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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: $361
- Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Business Car: $78
- Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Luxury Car: $105
- Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Luxury Van: $106
- Airport Transfer: Vienna to Vienna Airport VIE by Business Car: $79
- 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 Luxury Van: $66
- Arrival Private Transfer from Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Minibus: $219
- Arrival Private Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Business Car: $54
- Belvedere Palace: Tour with Skip-the-Line/Transfer Options: $54
- Bratislava: Bus Transfer to/from Vienna: $9.52
- Bratislava: Bus Transfer to/from Vienna Airport: $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Zakopane to Chocholow Thermal Pools 3h Ticket with Hotel Transfer: $93
- Zakopane and Sleigh Ride with Transfers and Lunch Option: $186
- Zakopane Tour from Krakow with Transfers and Lunch Option: $65
- Zakopane Private Transfer from to Krakow or Krakow Airport: $253
- Wroclaw: Private Transfer from/to Krakow: $248
- Wooden Architecture Museum Private Transfer Round Trip: $153
- Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $65
- Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour from Krakow with Hotel Transfer: $77
- Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $747
- Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
- VAN Private transfer: Krakow Airport - Krakow City: $43
- Two Krakow Airport Transfers, Auschwitz-Birkenau & Salt Mine: $161
Is it cheaper to fly into Vienna or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow 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
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Food Meals for one dayVienna €33Krakow €12
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: $28
- Performance Of The Lipizzans At Spanish Riding School: $43
- Naschmarkt Food Tour: $64
- Vienna Naschmarket Food Tour: $65
- Traditional Vienna Tasting Dinner With Folk Music: $68
- Traditional Vienna Tasting Dinner with Folk Music: $70
- Naschmarkt Guided Food Tour: $74
- Vienna Evening Sightseeing Cruise With Music and Dinner: $74
- 3-Course Evening Dinner Cruise: $76
- Traditional Dinner Show at the Wiener Rathauskeller: $84
- Kursalon New Year's Day Concert with optional Dinner: $87
- Schnitzel cooking class with Nicole: $98
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vienna €38Krakow €19
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: $3.21
- Escape Game and Tour: $3.21
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $4.81
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.41
- Cultural Heart of the City Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Top of Vienna in One Day: An English Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.87
- Detective Trail Mystery tour for the whole family: $8.02
- MAK - Geymüllerschlössel Entry Ticket: $8.02
- Walking Tour of the MuseumsQuartier with Guide: $8.56
- 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: $9.09
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVienna €17Krakow €6.32
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: $16
- City Center Pub Crawl: $27
- Local Pub Crawl Vienna: $27
- Wine Tasting at Traditional Cellar: $34
- Guided Wine Tasting in a Private Wine Cellar: $39
- Viennese Wine Tasting in a Private Hidden Wine Cellar: $39
- Wine Tasting at Schönbrunn Palace: $48
- Austrian Wine Tasting Experience: $63
- Vienna Historical Highlight City Tour + Wine Tasting: $74
- Skip-the-Line Schönbrunn Palace Entry & Wine Tasting: $82
- Wine Tasting E-Bike Tour: $91
Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Krakow:
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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 Vienna and Krakow, we can see that Vienna is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Krakow would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Krakow 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 Krakow.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vienna Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vienna or Krakow?
Vienna has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Krakow. When comparing the sizes of Vienna 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 Vienna 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 Vienna or Krakow in the Summer?
Both Krakow and Vienna during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Vienna in the summer for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Vienna is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the summer temperatures in Vienna in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Krakow averages at about 19°C (67°F).
In Krakow, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Vienna. In the summer, Vienna often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Vienna gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun.
Vienna usually gets less rain in July than Krakow. Vienna gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyVienna 23°C (73°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Vienna or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Vienna and Krakow. Most visitors come to Vienna for the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In October, Vienna is generally a little warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Vienna average around 12°C (54°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Vienna usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during autumn. Vienna gets 140 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Vienna usually receives less rain than Krakow. Vienna gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberVienna 12°C (54°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Vienna or Krakow in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Vienna as well as Krakow. The winter months attract visitors to Vienna because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
It's quite cold in Krakow in the winter. The weather in Vienna can be very cold. Vienna is much warmer than Krakow in the winter. The daily temperature in Vienna averages around 2°C (36°F) in January, and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
In the winter, Vienna often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Vienna gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun.
Vienna usually gets more rain in January than Krakow. Vienna gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryVienna 2°C (36°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Vienna or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Vienna are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The natural beauty are the main draw to Vienna this time of year.
In the spring, Vienna is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the spring temperatures in Vienna in April average around 13°C (55°F), and Krakow averages at about 10°C (50°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vienna. Vienna usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during spring. Vienna gets 202 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Vienna usually receives around the same amount of rain as Krakow. Vienna gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilVienna 13°C (55°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Vienna
| Vienna | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 2°C (36°F) | 38 mm (1.5 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (38°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (46°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (69°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 3°C (37°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 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.