Which place is cheaper, Budapest or Ankara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Ankara or Budapest?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Budapest. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Ankara or Budapest?
Ankara
Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Budapest, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest.
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Ankara Prices
Turkey PricesBudapest Prices
Hungary Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAnkara $110Budapest $122
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $110, while the average daily cost in Budapest is $122. 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 Ankara and Budapest in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAnkara $45Budapest $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAnkara $90Budapest $116
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Budapest
Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Budapest? 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: Ankara Hotel Prices and Budapest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ankara $29Budapest $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:
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Metro Ride$0.03
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Short Taxi Ride$0.12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
- Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $114
- Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $114
- Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
- Turkey Ankara Airport Private VIP Transfer Service ESB: $68
- Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $54
- Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $54
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $50
- Ankara Airport & Hotel Transfers : $48
- Ankara Esenboga Airport to City Hotels Transfer: $46
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
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Short Taxi Ride$7.67
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Metro Pass$4.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer: Budapest Airport BUD to Budapest by Sedan: $82
- Arrival Transfer: Budapest Airport BUD to Budapest by Sedan: $82
- Bratislava: Private transfer to Budapest or Budapest to BTS: $271
- Budapest - Pécs Transfer: $187
- Budapest - Szeged Transfer: $163
- Budapest - Vienna Private Car Transfer: $278
- Budapest Airport (BUD) to Budapest - Arrival Private Transfer : $30
- Budapest Airport - Budapest City Transfer: $46
- Budapest Airport Transfer: Budapest City to Budapest Airport BUD in Business Car: $78
- Budapest Airport transfer from Liszt Ferenc International Airport to City Centre: $49
- Budapest City - Budapest Airport Transfer: $38
- Budapest City Departure Private Transfer to Budapest Airport BUD: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Budapest?
Prices for flights to both Budapest and Ankara 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 dayAnkara $44Budapest $44
Typical Food Prices in Ankara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:
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A Quick Lunch$0.28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ankara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ankara.
- Turkish Cuisine Cooking Class at Local Home with Family: $49
- Baklava Cooking Class: $61
Typical Food Prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
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Lunch$3.74
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner and Live Hungarian Music: $1.51
- Central Market Hall Guided Food Tour with Tastings: $15
- Hungarian Folk Dance & Concert with Dinner Option: $22
- Budapest Pizza Cruise: $38
- Catamaran Pizza Cruise: $41
- Sir Lancelot Medieval Dinner with Drink and Show: $47
- Budapest on a Budget: Guided Street Food Tour w/ Sweet Wine: $52
- Food Tour Market to Tavern: 14+ Tasters & Wines: $68
- Guided Food Tour with Wine, Beer, and Shots: $69
- Folklore Revue Dinner Show with Unlimited Drinks: $73
- Budapest Danube Cruise with Buffet Dinner, Performances and Music: $74
- Budapest Food Tour: Market to Tavern with 14+ Tasters & Wines: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ankara $27Budapest $24
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara
Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Underground City$0.19
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $36
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $239
- 6-Hour Private Tour with Guide, Car, and Lunch: $175
- Private Guided Walking Tour: $35
- Private Walking Tour with a Local: $41
- Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $66
- Full Day Cappadocia Private Tour: $300
- Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $249
- Private Ankara City Tours by an Archaeologist Tour Guide : $280
- Private Ankara Sightseeing Tour: $235
Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Entrance to the Baths for Two$7.52
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
- Castle District Walking Tour: $2.35
- Jewish Quarter of Budapest Walking Tour: $2.35
- Budacastle walking tour: Statues, Storytelling, & Myths!: $2.35
- Ghetto Wall Exhibition Tour with History Guide: $3.52
- Walking Tour to the Shoes Memorial and Parliament: $3.52
- Free Tour Budapest Essential in Spanish: $3.57
- Budapest ️Highlights️ Live Guided Segway Tour: $3.57
- Budapest Castle District Walking Tour: $3.57
- Free tour of Buda Castle : $3.57
- Self Guided Tour In Budapest With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.57
- Walking tour in the Buda Castle incl. Fisherman's Bastion: $3.58
- City Segway Tours Budapest: $3.58
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAnkara $12Budapest $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $12
- Budapest Pub Crawl & Ruin Bar Tour – Free Shots & VIP Entry: $13
- Budapest Pub Crawl & Ruin Bar Tour – Free Shots & VIP Entry: $20
- Guided Pub Tour to Ruin Bars with Games & 6 Shots: $23
- New Year’s Eve Pub Crawl + 1 Hour Open Bar: $24
- Budapest Pub Tour +6 free Shots +VIP Access +Drinking Games : $24
- The Original Budapest Pub Crawl - One Hour Open Bar + Free Shots: $24
- Brewery Tour at "First Craft Beer" & Beer Tasting: $26
- Private, Personalized Pub Crawl, 3 drinks included: $29
- Pub Crawl Budapest with Challenges and Free Shots: $30
- Hungarian pálinka distillery visit and tasting: $36
- PRIVATE Budapest by Nights: GUIDED tour whit WINE tasting: $39
When comparing the travel costs between Ankara and Budapest, we can see that Budapest 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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is Budapest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ankara or Budapest?
Ankara has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Budapest. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Budapest, 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.
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.