A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Wellington vs. Krakow for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Wellington or Krakow?

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

Should I visit Wellington or Krakow? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Wellington or Krakow?

Wellington

Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, The Best 10-Day Tours in Poland, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Poland.


Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Wellington?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Wellington is $104, 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 Wellington and Krakow in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Wellington $61
    Krakow $42
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Wellington $122
    Krakow $84
Compare Hotels in Wellington and Krakow

Looking for a hotel in Wellington 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.

Hotels in Wellington


Hotels in Krakow


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: Wellington Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Wellington $12
    Krakow $6.41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington

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

  • Arrival Transfer: Wellington Airport to Central Wellington City Centre Hotels: $13
  • Departure Transfer: Wellington Central City Centre Hotels to Wellington Airport: $13
  • Private Airport Transfer: $78
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $26
  • Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $26
  • Private Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $72
  • Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
  • Wellington Airport Transfer to Wellington Hotels and Vice versa: $75
  • Wētā Workshop Experience with Guided Transfers: $61

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:

  • Zakopane: Private Transfer to Krakow: $139
  • Zakopane and Sleigh Ride with Transfers and Lunch Option: $187
  • Zakopane Tour & Thermal Baths with Private Transfers from Krakow: $164
  • Zakopane Private Transfer from to Krakow or Krakow Airport: $254
  • Zakopane Private Transfer: $148
  • Zakopane Extreme Shooting Range with Hotel Transfer: $76
  • Wroclaw: Private Transfer from/to Krakow: $249
  • Wieliczka Salt mine private transfer-Krakow Balice Airport: $10
  • Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $66
  • Warsaw to Luxury Private Transfer: $750
  • Warsaw - Premium-Class Private Airport Transfer: $288
  • VAN Private transfer: Krakow City - Krakow Airport: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Wellington or Krakow?

Prices for flights to both Krakow and Wellington 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
    Wellington $30
    Krakow $13
Typical Food Prices in Wellington

For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Dinner
    $9.02

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington

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

  • Walking Food Tour Of Wellington: $151
  • A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $185

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Wellington $16
    Krakow $20

Tours and Activities in Wellington

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

  • Return Cable Car Ticket: $6.61
  • Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa: Gallipoli Early Entry Ticket: $9.02
  • Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Guided Tour: $12
  • Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa: Mana Māori Tour: $12
  • Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa Twilight Express Tour: $12
  • Museum of New Zealand Te Papa: Small Group Guided Tour: $14
  • Wellington Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Skip the Line: Staglands Wildlife Reserve Entry Ticket: $16
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Temple: $27
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Spaceship: $27
  • Wētā Workshop Experience and Guided Tour: $33
  • Wētā Workshop Experience in Wellington: $33

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
  • Krakow Jewish Quarter Tour in a Small Group. : $49
  • Rynek Underground Museum Guided Tour: $25
  • Magic Christmas tour in Wieliczka: $153
  • 1 Day Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Guided Tour Hotel Pick up: $51
  • 1 Day Trip Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour from Krakow: $34
  • 1 Hour Traditional Gondola Sightseeing Vistula River Cruise: $16
  • 1-Hour Tour to Krakow's Old Town by Electric Golf Cart: $21
  • 2 Day Private Krakow City Tour, Old Town and Jewish Quarter: $153
  • 2 Hour Private Pinball and Arcade Museum Tour from Krakow: $273
  • 2 Hours Old Town Guided Bike Tour in Krakow: $27
  • 2-Hour Guided Tour in Kraków-Płaszów Concentration Camp : $22

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Wellington $12
    Krakow $6.76

Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington

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

  • Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour: $93
  • Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $96
  • 5 hour Martinborough shared Chefs Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch: $151
  • Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $169
  • Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $361

Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Krakow:


  • 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 Wellington and Krakow, we can see that Wellington is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Wellington is in Pacific 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 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Wellington or Krakow?

Krakow has a larger population, and is about 98% larger than the population of Wellington. When comparing the sizes of Wellington 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 Wellington or Krakow?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Wellington is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Krakow has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Wellington or Krakow in the Summer?

Both Krakow and Wellington during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Wellington because of the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Wellington is around the same temperature as Krakow. Typically, the summer temperatures in Wellington in January average around 18°C (64°F), and Krakow averages at about 19°C (67°F)in July.

In Krakow, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Wellington. In the summer, Wellington often gets more sunshine than Krakowin July. Wellington gets 242 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun.

Wellington usually gets less rain in January than Krakowin July. Wellington gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January and July
    Wellington 18°C (64°F) 
    Krakow 19°C (67°F)

Should I visit Wellington or Krakow in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Wellington and Krakow. The hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Wellington this time of year.

In April, Wellington is generally a little warmer than Krakowin October. Daily temperatures in Wellington average around 15°C (58°F), and Krakow fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).

Wellington usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during autumn. Wellington gets 163 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In April, Wellington usually receives more rain than Krakowin October. Wellington gets 82 mm (3.2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April and October
    Wellington 15°C (58°F) 
    Krakow 11°C (51°F)

Should I visit Wellington or Krakow in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Wellington as well as Krakow. Many travelers come to Wellington for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Krakow can get quite cold in the winter. Wellington is much warmer than Krakow in the winter. The daily temperature in Wellington averages around 10°C (49°F) in July, and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F)in January.

In the winter, Wellington often gets more sunshine than Krakowin January. Wellington gets 122 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun.

Wellington receives a lot of rain in the winter. Wellington usually gets more rain in July than Krakowin January. Wellington gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July and January
    Wellington 10°C (49°F) 
    Krakow -2°C (29°F)

Should I visit Wellington or Krakow in the Spring?

Both Krakow and Wellington are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Wellington in the spring for the beaches.

In the spring, Wellington is a little warmer than Krakow. Typically, the spring temperatures in Wellington in October average around 13°C (55°F), and Krakow averages at about 10°C (50°F)in April.

Wellington usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during spring. Wellington gets 180 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun in the spring.

In October, Wellington usually receives more rain than Krakowin April. Wellington gets 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October and April
    Wellington 13°C (55°F) 
    Krakow 10°C (50°F)

Typical Weather for Krakow and Wellington

Wellington Krakow
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 18°C (64°F) 61 mm (2.4 in) -2°C (29°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Feb 18°C (64°F) 51 mm (2 in) 0°C (32°F) 32 mm (1.3 in)
Mar 17°C (62°F) 75 mm (3 in) 5°C (40°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Apr 15°C (58°F) 82 mm (3.2 in) 10°C (50°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
May 12°C (54°F) 92 mm (3.6 in) 15°C (59°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Jun 10°C (51°F) 113 mm (4.4 in) 18°C (64°F) 96 mm (3.8 in)
Jul 10°C (49°F) 111 mm (4.4 in) 19°C (67°F) 86 mm (3.4 in)
Aug 10°C (50°F) 98 mm (3.9 in) 19°C (66°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Sep 12°C (53°F) 79 mm (3.1 in) 15°C (60°F) 52 mm (2 in)
Oct 13°C (55°F) 93 mm (3.7 in) 11°C (51°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Nov 15°C (58°F) 79 mm (3.1 in) 5°C (41°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Dec 17°C (62°F) 69 mm (2.7 in) 1°C (33°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)