Which city is cheaper, Lucerne or Zermatt?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for Switzerland Zermatt vs. Lucerne for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Zermatt or Lucerne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Zermatt and Lucerne can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Zermatt or Lucerne?
Zermatt
Located at the foot of the Matterhorn, Zermatt is a Swiss village best known for its skiing, climbing, and hiking opportunities. It has become a popular mountain resort town due to its location and also features a number of boutique shops, hotels, and restaurants that cater to the vacationers who come to enjoy the many winter activities of the Alps.
Lucerne
Lucerne is a relatively small city in the center of Switzerland. It is located across the lake from Altdorf and it has a thriving tourism industry. It's close proximity to many of the major sights in the country make it a great base for exploration. Many people use it as a jumping off point for exploring Mount Rigi and the Rutli Meadow.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZermatt $227Lucerne $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Zermatt is $227, while the average daily cost in Lucerne is $218. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Zermatt and Lucerne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZermatt $128Lucerne $139
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZermatt $256Lucerne $278
Compare Hotels in Zermatt and Lucerne
Looking for a hotel in Zermatt or Lucerne? 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: Zermatt Hotel Prices and Lucerne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zermatt $54Lucerne $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zermatt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zermatt:
- Airport Transfer Zermatt to Geneva or vice versa: $1,219
- Airport Transfer to Zermatt or vice versa: $1,078
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lucerne
Also for Lucerne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer from Lucerne City to Lucerne Train Station: $110
- Zurich Airport Transfers : Lucerne City to Zurich Airport ZRH in Business Car: $118
- Private Transfer from Lucerne City to interlaken City: $174
- Departure Private Transfer Lucerne-Basel-Bern to Zurich Airport by Business Car: $191
- Between Basel and Luzern: One-Way Private Transfer: $193
- Zurich Airport Transfers : Lucerne City to Zurich Airport ZRH in Luxury Van: $207
- From Canyoning in Interlaken w/ Return Transfer: $239
- Rafting in Interlaken with Return Transfer from Lucerne: $239
- Zurich Airport: Private Transfer to/from Lucerne: $240
- Departure Private Transfer Lucerne-Basel-Bern to Zurich Airport by Luxury Van: $251
- Private transfer from Lucerne City to Zurich Airport: $271
- ZRH Airport - Lucern City (Transfer Service): $287
Is it cheaper to fly into Zermatt or Lucerne?
Prices for flights to both Lucerne and Zermatt 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 dayZermatt $58Lucerne $63
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zermatt $57Lucerne $35
Tours and Activities in Zermatt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zermatt are as follows:
- Guided tour “Love stories of Zermatt”: $496
- Standard Flight Experience with Matterhorn View from Zermatt: $261
- The best of Zermatt walking tour: $496
- Zermatt Village plus Mt. Gornergrat Private Tour: $305
- Zermatt and Gornergrat Private Day Tour: $512
Typical Entertainment prices in Lucerne
For Lucerne, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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1 Day Bicycle Rental$35
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The Swiss Transport Museum Entrance Fee$36
Tours and Activities in Lucerne
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Lucerne.
- Swiss Chocolate Adventure Experience at Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne: $19
- Lucerne Swiss Museum of Transport Entrance Ticket: $39
- Mount Titlis: Admission Ticket: $52
- Pearls of Switzerland Cristina Tschuppert Private city walking tour Lucerne: $178
- Day Trip from Grindelwald First Mountain Adventure: $206
- Chocolate World Experience and Tasting Private Tour from Luzern: $226
- Lucerne City Walking Tour in Portuguese (1-2 guests): $231
- Luzern City Tour with Lake Cruise Private Tour: $231
- Lake Lucerne Villas & Castles Private Walking Tour: $234
- Lake Lucerne Castles and Villas Tour: $261
- Mount Rigi with Lake Cruise Private Tour from Luzern: $279
- ALL TRANSPORT INCLUSIVE Mt. Pilatus Guided Golden Roundtrip Tour: $280
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZermatt $29Lucerne $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Lucerne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lucerne:
- Chocolate, Cheese and Wine Tour in Luzern region: $627
When comparing the travel costs between Zermatt and Lucerne, we can see that Zermatt is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
When is the best time to visit Zermatt or Lucerne?
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 Zermatt or Lucerne in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Zermatt as well as Lucerne. Also, most visitors come to Lucerne for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Zermatt is generally around the same temperature as Lucerne. Temperatures in Zermatt average around 23°C (73°F), and Lucerne stays around 21°C (70°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Lucerne. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Zermatt this time of the year. In the summer, Zermatt often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Lucerne. Zermatt gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lucerne receives 241 hours of full sun.
Zermatt receives a lot of rain in the summer. Zermatt usually gets more rain in July than Lucerne. Zermatt gets 133 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while Lucerne receives 89 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyZermatt 23°C (73°F)Lucerne 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Zermatt or Lucerne in the Autumn?
Both Lucerne and Zermatt are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Lucerne because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Zermatt is a little warmer than Lucerne in the autumn. The temperature in Zermatt is usually 15°C (58°F) in October, and Lucerne stays around 13°C (56°F).
Zermatt usually receives more sunshine than Lucerne during autumn. Zermatt gets 152 hours of sunny skies, while Lucerne receives 120 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in Zermatt. In October, Zermatt usually receives more rain than Lucerne. Zermatt gets 140 mm (5.5 in) of rain, while Lucerne receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberZermatt 15°C (58°F)Lucerne 13°C (56°F)
Should I visit Zermatt or Lucerne in the Winter?
Both Lucerne and Zermatt during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Lucerne this time of year.
It's quite cold in Lucerne in the winter. The weather in Zermatt can be very cold. In the winter, Zermatt is much warmer than Lucerne. Typically, the winter temperatures in Zermatt in January are around 5°C (41°F), and Lucerne is about 3°C (37°F).
In the winter, Zermatt often gets more sunshine than Lucerne. Zermatt gets 119 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lucerne receives 55 hours of full sun.
Zermatt usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Lucerne. Zermatt gets 76 mm (3 in) of rain, while Lucerne receives 77 mm (3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryZermatt 5°C (41°F)Lucerne 3°C (37°F)
Should I visit Zermatt or Lucerne in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Zermatt and Lucerne. Furthermore, many travelers come to Lucerne for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, Zermatt is generally a little warmer than Lucerne. Temperatures in Zermatt average around 13°C (55°F), and Lucerne stays around 12°C (53°F).
Zermatt usually receives more sunshine than Lucerne during spring. Zermatt gets 176 hours of sunny skies, while Lucerne receives 150 hours of full sun in the spring.
Zermatt gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Zermatt usually receives more rain than Lucerne. Zermatt gets 152 mm (6 in) of rain, while Lucerne receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilZermatt 13°C (55°F)Lucerne 12°C (53°F)
Typical Weather for Lucerne and Zermatt
| Zermatt | Lucerne | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 5°C (41°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Feb | 6°C (44°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Mar | 10°C (49°F) | 106 mm (4.2 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 17°C (62°F) | 194 mm (7.6 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (69°F) | 171 mm (6.7 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 133 mm (5.2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 166 mm (6.5 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 19°C (67°F) | 153 mm (6 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 15°C (58°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Nov | 9°C (49°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Dec | 6°C (42°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
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