Which place is cheaper, Budva or Dubrovnik?
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 Dubrovnik or Budva?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Dubrovnik or Budva? 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: Dubrovnik or Budva?
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, the "Pearl of the Adriatic", is a beautiful walled city in southern Croatia that sits on the edge of the Adriatic Sea. It's a small city, with only about 40,000 residents, but it's become one of the most significant tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city was historically built on maritime trade, which is not surprising given its location near major Italian and Greek ports such as Venice, Bari, Corfu, and Trieste. It was a center of language and literature and was the home of many important poets, playwrights, painters, and scientists during the 15th and 16th centuries. Today its economy is dependent on tourism and it is one of the most popular destinations in the region. People visit the city for its impressive history, beautiful setting, great weather, and interesting architecture.
Budva
A coastal resort in Montenegro, Budva is probably the country's most popular tourist destination. Not only does it host a number of great beaches, but it is also home to a picturesque old town center located on a small peninsula. Some of its best features include narrow winding lanes, historic buildings, churches, and small squares.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Split, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Croatia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Montenegro, and The Best Adventure Tours to Montenegro.
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Dubrovnik Prices
Croatia PricesBudva Prices
Montenegro Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubrovnik €121Budva €113
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubrovnik is €121, while the average daily cost in Budva is €113. 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 Dubrovnik and Budva in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubrovnik €50Budva €37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubrovnik €100Budva €74
Compare Hotels in Dubrovnik and Budva
Looking for a hotel in Dubrovnik or Budva? 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: Dubrovnik Hotel Prices and Budva Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubrovnik €12Budva €20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubrovnik
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubrovnik:
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Bus Around Town€1.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubrovnik
Also for Dubrovnik, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer Dubrovnik Town to Herceg Novi / Portonovi: $275
- Arrival Private Transfer Dubrovnik Airport DBV to Dubrovnik City by Business Car: $45
- Arrival Private Transfer from Dubrovnik Airport DBV to Dubrovnik City by Minivan: $65
- Arrival Transfer: Airport DBV to Dubrovnik by Luxury Van: $59
- Budva to Dubrovnik one way transfer: $222
- Bus transfer between Dubrovnik and Herceg Novi: $34
- Departure Private Transfer from Dubrovnik City to Dubrovnik Airport by Minivan: $60
- Departure Private Transfer: Dubrovnik City to Dubrovnik Airport by Business Car: $40
- Departure Transfer: Dubrovnik to Airport DBV by Sedan Car: $59
- Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) to Dubrovnik Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $84
- Dubrovnik Airport Private Transfer - Mercedes-Benz Van: $92
- Dubrovnik Airport Private Transfer to Dubrovnik Hotels: $68
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budva
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Budva are as follows:
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Daily Car Rental€65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budva
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Budva:
- Private Transfer from Bar to Tivat Airport (TIV): $168
- Private transfer Tivat/Kotor/Budva-Podgorica: $149
- Private Transfer from Petrovac to Tivat airport: $131
- Kotor to Budva one way transfer: $111
- Private Transfer from Petrovac to Tivat Airport (TIV): $111
- Tivat to Budva private one way transfer: $107
- AIRPORT TRANSFER Montenegro Budva Tivat Podgorica Kotor Perast: $68
- Private Transfer from Budva to Podgorica Airport and city: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubrovnik or Budva?
Prices for flights to both Budva and Dubrovnik 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 dayDubrovnik €57Budva €53
Typical Food Prices in Dubrovnik
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubrovnik:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)€29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubrovnik
For Dubrovnik, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sunset Dinner Cruise around the Old Town: $82
- Dinner in the Sky Dubrovnik - Dine 50m above ground: $101
- Dinner in the Sky Dubrovnik: $114
- Secret Food Tours in Dubrovnik: $118
- Croatian Traditional Cuisine: Peka Cooking Lesson: $143
- Old Town Food Tour: $157
- Dubrovnik Old Town Food Tour: Small-Group Experience: $167
- Konavle Wine& History&food Tour: $226
- Traditional Dalmatian Cooking Class from Dubrovnik: $234
- Pelješac Full-Day Wine and Food Tour from Dubrovnik: $246
- Dubrovnik Food Tour with Friendly Local Guide: $279
- Dubrovnik Scenic Tour & Lunch/Dinner at Country Estate: $410
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubrovnik €19Budva €22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubrovnik
For Dubrovnik, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Boat to Lokrum Island (for 2)€13
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Dubrovnik City Wall Tour (for 2)€53
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Dubrovnik Cable Car (for 2)€45
Tours and Activities in Dubrovnik
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubrovnik.
- Time Traveler’s Trail: Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure in Dubrovnik: $5.97
- Cavtat Old Town: Exploration Game and Tour: $5.97
- Dubrovnik Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $6.68
- Dubrovnik Game Of Thrones self-guided tour with mobile app: $7.51
- Dubrovnik Old Town Walking Tour with Audioguide: $8.35
- Old Town Highlights Tour with Audio Guide: $9.36
- Private Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour in Dubrovnik Old Town: $9.56
- Love Stories Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $11
- Red History Museum Regular Ticket: $11
- Skip the Line: Love Stories Museum Admission Ticket: $11
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik's Old Town: $12
- Walls of Liberty: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Dubrovnik: $12
Tours and Activities in Budva
Here are a few actual costs in Budva for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private Swimming and Boat Tour Trsteno Beach Budva: $179
- 1-Hour Guided Lipa Cave Adventure in Montenegro: $19
- Adrenaline Speedboat Tours through the Bay of Kotor: $118
- Boka Bay: Kotor, Cave, Herceg Novi, & Lady of the Rocks Tour: $69
- Budva 1 hour Private walking tour: $85
- Budva Bay: Boat Tour with Snorkeling and Sightseeing: $76
- Budva Bay: Kayak & SUP Tour to Coastal Caves: $54
- Budva Diving - Scuba Diving Experience: $74
- Budva old town private tour: $236
- 2-Hour «Night Lights» Kayak Tour: $54
- 3-Hour Paddle Board or Kayak Tour to Coastal Caves: $53
- City Private Tour: $138
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubrovnik €14Budva €14
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubrovnik
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubrovnik:
- Dubrovnik Sunset Tour with Wine Tasting : $42
- Panoramic Dubrovnik Tour Golden Hour Sunset and Wine Tasting: $46
- Sunset and Wine / Dubrovnik Sunset Tour and Premium Wine Tasting : $59
- Columbo Pub Crawl Dubrovnik: $70
- Sunset Wine Tasting At Panorama Point: $74
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Xperience: $80
- Day Tour of Korcula Island from Dubrovnik with Wine Tasting: $82
- Ston and Korcula Island Day Trip from Dubrovnik with Wine Tasting: $82
- Wine Tour - Get to know local grapes: $84
- Luxury Sunset Tour with Wine Tasting: $84
- From Korcula Island Tour with Wine Tasting: $88
- Sunset wine tasting in vineyard: $92
When comparing the travel costs between Dubrovnik and Budva, we can see that Dubrovnik 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 Dubrovnik Expensive? and Is Budva Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubrovnik or Budva?
Dubrovnik has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Budva. When comparing the sizes of Dubrovnik and Budva, 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.