Is Bern expensive to visit?
Bern is a moderately priced destination with an average daily cost of $304. Compared to the rest of Europe, which is known to be an expensive region, it is a moderately priced place to visit. It's ranked in the top 50% of cities in Europe for its travel costs, comparable to places like Venice and Zurich.

Bern, Switzerland
How expensive is Bern?
On average, visitors spend about $304 per day when visiting Bern (U.S. Dollars). Two travelers together would spend an average of $607 per day. Prices vary dramatically by travel style and length of trip, but if you stay at moderately priced hotels, eat at affordable restaurants, and use public transportation when possible, you can expect to stay close to this budget. See more travel costs for Bern here.
How expensive is a weekend trip (three days) to Bern?
A weekend trip to Bern costs about $911 per person on average, based on the previous expenses of other travelers. This includes accommodation, sightseeting activities, transportation, food, and nightlife. For two people, a weekend trip costs $1,821.
How expensive is a one week (7-day) trip to Bern?
Based on the travel expenses of others, a one week trip to Bern costs around $2,125 on average, per person. This includes food, sightseeing, local transportation, accommodation, and nightlife. For two people, a one week trip costs $4,249.
Is it expensive to backpack in Bern?
Bern is a fairly popular backpacker destination with more than 3 hostels around town. Dorm beds in hostels cost around $58 per night on average. There's a wide range in prices though, with the cheapest beds costing about $51 and the most expensive dorm beds costing around $67. (See hostel prices in Bern here.)
Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in Bern.
- $51 for a dorm bed at Bern Backpackers Hotel&Hostel Glocke
- $67 for a dorm bed at Bern Youth Hostel
- $55 for a dorm bed at Hostel 77 Bern
Are hotels expensive in Bern?
Hotel prices in Bern are somewhat more affordable compared to hotels in other cities. You can expect to spend about $150 per night for a room on average. There are around 2 five star hotels in the city and they average $336 per night. Three star hotels average $134 a night and two star hotels average $94 per night.
Hotels by star rating in Bern
Rating | Number of Hotels | Average Hotel Price |
---|---|---|
5 stars | 2 | $336 |
4 stars | 13 | $168 |
3 stars | 12 | $134 |
2 stars | 5 | $94 |
1 star | 3 | $108 |
How expensive are sightseeing activities in Bern?
Activities and things to do in Bern can vary in price depending on the type of activity, length, and location. Below are a number of popular activities to give you an idea of what to expect when visiting. Generally, previous travelers have spent $35 per day on sightseeing activities and things to do when visiting, which is less than the country's average of $58.
- Thun Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $18
- Bern Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour With A Guide: $87
- Lake Thun and Lake Brienz Day Pass Ticket for Lake Boat Cruises: $145
- Self-Guided Reading City Tour in Bern: $6.26
- Private Tour of Bern - Sightseeing, Food & Culture with a local: $187
- Layover in Bern a Private Tour with a local: Best Highlights of Bern: $288
- Guided Walking Tour in Bern: $36
- Fribourg Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $18
Is food expensive in Bern?
Food in Bern can vary in price depending on the restaurant and food options available. Generally, other travelers have spent $107 on food per person per day, which is more than the country's average of $107. To save money, eat at less expensive restaurants, try street food, or cook your own meals when possible.
Is transportation expensive in Bern?
Local transportation in Bern can vary in price depending on the type of transit used. Generally, other travelers have spent $34 on local transportation per person per day, which is less than the country's average of $39. To save money, take public transit whenever possible, as it will almost always be cheaper than a taxi or private driver.
More for Bern
If you're planning a trip to Bern, Switzerland, check out these other informative travel guides.
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.