Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Vientiane?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Vientiane or Krakow?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vientiane 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: Vientiane or Krakow?
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.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Laos, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVientiane $15Krakow $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $15, while the average daily cost in Krakow is $65. 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 Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVientiane $6.00Krakow $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVientiane $12Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Vientiane 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: Vientiane Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vientiane $2.08Krakow $6.41
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 Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- Kraków: Kraków Airport to Central Bus Station Bus Transfer: $5.35
- From Auschwitz-Birkenau Roundtrip Bus Transfer: $7.47
- Balice Airport Luxury Vehicle Private Transfer: $9.96
- Private Transfer to or from Krakow Airport: $10
- Wieliczka Salt mine private transfer-Krakow Balice Airport: $10
- Private Transfer to/from Krakow Airport (KRK): $11
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Transfer from Krakow: $12
- Krakow Airport Transfer Balice: $14
- Krakow Airport Private Transfers: $15
- Electric Car Transfer between Krakow and the Airport: $15
- Kraków Airport Private Transfer - Kraków City Center: $16
- Kraków: Airport Private Transfer by Luxury Car: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow 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 $6.30Krakow $13
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
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
- Discovering Cracow's Local Flavour: Food Tour: $22
- From Polish Folk Show with All-You-Can-Eat Dinner: $32
- Folk Show & 3-Course Dinner at Jama Michalika Café: $44
- Polish Folk Show with 3 course dinner in Krakow legendary restaurant: $45
- Krakow : Folk Show Dinner Drinking and Fun ! Book Now!: $64
- Cabaret Show with Optional Dinner: $70
- Pierogi Cooking Class: Mastering the Art of Polish Dumplings: $74
- 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
- Krakow Bites and Sights Food Tour: $104
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vientiane $3.53Krakow $20
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 Krakow
Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kraków in a nutshell - walking tour: $1.24
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Old Town Audio-Guided Walking Tour with Headset: $3.73
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.31
- Old Town Audioguided walking Tour: $4.48
- Home Army Museum Emil Fieldorf “Nil” - Entrance Ticket: $4.54
- From Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour: $4.98
- Wawel Hill Tour with Audio Guide: $5.60
- From Kraków: Wieliczka Salt Mine Trip & Guided Tour: $6.22
- Wawel Hill Audioguide Tour: $6.72
- Krakow Old Town: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $7.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVientiane $2.34Krakow $6.76
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
- Pub Crawl 1 hour Open Bar and 5 Hours Clubs in Krakow with VIP: $24
- Halloween Pub Crawl - Krawl Through Krakow: $24
- Pub tour in Old Town with 1 hour open bar with a guide.: $25
- Pub Crawl with Shots, Drinks & Skip-the-Line Entry: $25
- Pub Crawl + Unlimited Drinks + VIP entry + Drinking Games & Photographer : $25
- Three-Hour Pub Crawl: $39
- Wieliczka Vineyard: Wine tasting with local snacks: $44
- Tyskie Brewery Tour from Katowice: $120
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Krakow, we can see that Krakow 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 Krakow 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 Krakow would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Krakow 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 Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vientiane or Krakow?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Vientiane. When comparing the sizes of Vientiane 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 Vientiane or Krakow?
Krakow 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 Krakow in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Vientiane and Krakow. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Vientiane year-round.
In July, Vientiane is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Vientiane average around 30°C (85°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. Vientiane usually receives less sunshine than Krakow during summer. Vientiane gets 141 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 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 Krakow. Vientiane gets 266 mm (10.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyVientiane 30°C (85°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Vientiane as well as Krakow. Vientiane attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Vientiane is much warmer than Krakow in the autumn. The daily temperature in Vientiane averages around 28°C (83°F) in October, and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°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 Krakow. Vientiane gets 222 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Vientiane usually gets more rain in October than Krakow. Vientiane gets 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberVientiane 28°C (83°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Krakow in the Winter?
Both Krakow and Vientiane are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Vientiane throughout the year.
It's quite cold in Krakow in the winter. In the winter, Vientiane is much warmer than Krakow. Typically, the winter temperatures in Vientiane in January average around 24°C (75°F), and Krakow averages at about -2°C (29°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vientiane. Vientiane usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during winter. Vientiane gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Vientiane usually receives less rain than Krakow. Vientiane gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryVientiane 24°C (75°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow 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.
Vientiane can become quite hot in the spring. In April, Vientiane is generally much warmer than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Vientiane average around 31°C (88°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
It's quite sunny in Vientiane. In the spring, Vientiane often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Vientiane gets 230 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
Vientiane usually gets more rain in April than Krakow. Vientiane gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilVientiane 31°C (88°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Vientiane
| Vientiane | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (85°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | 31°C (88°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 30°C (87°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 30°C (86°F) | 273 mm (10.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 30°C (85°F) | 266 mm (10.5 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (85°F) | 323 mm (12.7 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (84°F) | 295 mm (11.6 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (83°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | 24°C (74°F) | 3 mm (0.1 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.