Which place is cheaper, Cologne or Vientiane?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Vientiane or Cologne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vientiane 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: Vientiane or Cologne?
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
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 The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Laos, The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, and The Best Budget Tours to Germany.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVientiane $15Cologne $172
The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $15, while the average daily cost in Cologne is $172. 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 Vientiane and Cologne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVientiane $6.00Cologne $97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVientiane $12Cologne $194
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Cologne
Looking for a hotel in Vientiane 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: Vientiane Hotel Prices and Cologne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vientiane $2.08Cologne $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$4.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Private Transfer in Laos: $5.00
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Vientiane Airport Transfer: Wattay airport to hotel - Private transfer: $15
- Vientiane Private Airport and Hotel Transfers: $9.00
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Cologne?
Prices for flights to both Cologne and Vientiane 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 dayVientiane $6.30Cologne $54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Private Evening Food Tour of Laos: $70
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$15
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Donner Kebab$4.29
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: $484
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vientiane $3.53Cologne $22
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- Vientiane ATV and Canopy Walking Experience: $48
- Vientiane Sky Luge and Roller Zipline Experience: $55
- From Hue: Hue to Vientiane Bus tickets: $61
- Half-Day Vientiane City Bike Tour: $67
- Vientiane Half-Day City Tour: $69
- Guided Vientiane City and Buddha Park Full-Day Tour: $81
- Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide in Vientiane: $82
- Vientiane City Day Tour and Buddha Park Visit with Lunch: $88
- 2 Days Private Tour in Vientiane and Vang Vieng: $90
- Private Vientiane Tour - include Buddha Park: $100
- Private Tour: Full-day Vientiane's Must-See Sights and River Sunset with Lunch: $101
- Private Tour: Half-day City Guided Tour of Vientiane: $113
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.22
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
- Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVientiane $2.34Cologne $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $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: $30
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
- Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Cologne, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane is in Asia and Cologne is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Vientiane.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vientiane Expensive? and Is Cologne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vientiane or Cologne?
Cologne has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Vientiane. When comparing the sizes of Vientiane 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 Vientiane or Cologne?
Cologne has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Vientiane experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Vientiane or Cologne in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Vientiane and Cologne. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Vientiane year-round. Also, most visitors come to Cologne for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Vientiane is generally much warmer than Cologne. Daily temperatures in Vientiane average around 30°C (85°F), and Cologne fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
Vientiane usually receives less sunshine than Cologne during summer. Vientiane gets 141 hours of sunny skies, while Cologne receives 184 hours of full sun in the summer.
Vientiane gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Vientiane usually receives more rain than Cologne. Vientiane gets 266 mm (10.5 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyVientiane 30°C (85°F)Cologne 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Cologne in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Vientiane as well as Cologne. Vientiane attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. 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.
Vientiane is much warmer than Cologne in the autumn. The daily temperature in Vientiane averages around 28°C (83°F) in October, and Cologne fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Vientiane this time of the year. In the autumn, Vientiane often gets more sunshine than Cologne. Vientiane gets 222 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cologne receives 104 hours of full sun.
Vientiane usually gets more rain in October than Cologne. Vientiane gets 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberVientiane 28°C (83°F)Cologne 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Cologne in the Winter?
Both Cologne and Vientiane are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Vientiane throughout the year. Also, 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. In the winter, Vientiane is much warmer than Cologne. Typically, the winter temperatures in Vientiane in January average around 24°C (75°F), and Cologne averages at about 3°C (37°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vientiane. Vientiane usually receives more sunshine than Cologne during winter. Vientiane gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Cologne receives 43 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Vientiane usually receives less rain than Cologne. Vientiane gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryVientiane 24°C (75°F)Cologne 3°C (37°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Cologne in the Spring?
Both Cologne and Vientiane during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Vientiane because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Cologne for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
Vientiane can become quite hot in the spring. In April, Vientiane is generally much warmer than Cologne. Daily temperatures in Vientiane average around 31°C (88°F), and Cologne fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
It's quite sunny in Vientiane. In the spring, Vientiane often gets more sunshine than Cologne. Vientiane gets 230 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cologne receives 152 hours of full sun.
Vientiane usually gets more rain in April than Cologne. Vientiane gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilVientiane 31°C (88°F)Cologne 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Cologne and Vientiane
| Vientiane | Cologne | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (85°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Apr | 31°C (88°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| May | 30°C (87°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 30°C (86°F) | 273 mm (10.7 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Jul | 30°C (85°F) | 266 mm (10.5 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (85°F) | 323 mm (12.7 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (84°F) | 295 mm (11.6 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (83°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Dec | 24°C (74°F) | 3 mm (0.1 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.