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

Should you visit Krakow or Lofoten Islands?

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

Should I visit Krakow or Lofoten Islands? 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: Krakow or Lofoten Islands?

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.

Lofoten Islands

Lofoten Islands is an archipelago and traditional district in Norway. Lofoten is known for excellent fishing, spectacular nature attractions such as the northern lights and the midnight sun, and small villages off the beaten track. The Lofoten Islands are draped across the turbulent waters of the Norwegian Sea, far above the Arctic Circle. Kayak between the islands, go fishing for the catch of your life, or look for sea eagles soaring in the sky. If you are seeking unforgettable nature experiences, Lofoten will definitely not let you down.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Poland, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Krakow, The Best Contiki Tours to Norway, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Oslo.


Which place is cheaper, Lofoten Islands or Krakow?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Krakow Prices
    Poland Prices
    Lofoten Islands Prices
    Norway Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Krakow $82
    Lofoten Islands $86

The average daily cost (per person) in Krakow is $82, while the average daily cost in Lofoten Islands is $86. 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 Krakow and Lofoten Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Krakow $46
    Lofoten Islands $7.83
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Krakow $92
    Lofoten Islands $16
Compare Hotels in Krakow and Lofoten Islands

Looking for a hotel in Krakow or Lofoten Islands? 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 Krakow


Hotels in Lofoten Islands


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: Krakow Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Krakow $7.10
    Lofoten Islands $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:

  • Wieliczka Salt mine private transfer-Krakow Balice Airport: $11
  • Krakow Balice Airport -Wieliczka Salt mine private transfer: $12
  • Transfer Krakow Balice Airport - Krakow City: $20
  • Krakow Airport Transfer: $22
  • Private transfer | Krakow City - Krakow Airport Balice: $23
  • Private Airport Transfer: $25
  • Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour from Ticket & Transfer: $27
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Kraków HTL-APT (KRK): $28
  • Private Transfer from Kraków City to Kraków John Paul II (KRK) Airport: $29
  • Krakow Airport Arrival Transfer: $30
  • Transfer Krakow Balice Airport - Krakow City: $30
  • Krakow Airport Private Transfer: $31

Is it cheaper to fly into Krakow or Lofoten Islands?

Prices for flights to both Lofoten Islands and Krakow 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
    Krakow $25
    Lofoten Islands $65

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Krakow

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Krakow.

  • Small-Group Online Cooking Class Polish Pierogi : $30
  • Krakow Tipsy Polish Food Tour with History Pierogi and Shots: $39
  • Pierogi Cooking Class with Market Shopping and Local Snacks: $82
  • Eat Like a Local in Krakow - Food Tour with BeMyGuest: $99
  • Krakow Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting and Dinner: $105
  • Krakow Bites and Sights Food Tour: $114
  • Polish Pierogi Cooking Class with Farmer's Market Shopping: $114
  • Deluxe Polish Food Tour Experience in Krakow: $121
  • Private Food Tour in Krakow Poland: $198
  • Go Karting Experience with Pizza and Drinks in Krakow: $299

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lofoten Islands

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lofoten Islands.

  • Skrova Flavours 3 course Dinner Experience: $82

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Krakow $22
    Lofoten Islands $27

Tours and Activities in Krakow

Here are a few actual costs in Krakow for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Krakow Unveiled: Self-Guided Heritage Tour: $3.57
  • Krakow Stories: Self Guided Audio Guide Tour: $3.57
  • A Walk With the Dead Krakow Ghost Tour: $3.57
  • Archdiocesan Museum in Krakow – Entry Ticket: $3.95
  • Archeological Museum - Skip The Line Ticket : $4.52
  • The Best of A Walking Tour Through the Heart of the City: $4.78
  • Krakow Old Town Mysteries: Exploration Game and Tour: $5.96
  • Home Army Museum in Krakow - Skip The Line Ticket: $6.67
  • Wawel Hill Audio-Guided Tour: $8.36
  • Krakow Self Guided Audio Experience: $9.00
  • Krakow Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self Guided Tour: $9.55
  • Art Documentation Centre CRICOTEKA in Krakow - Entrance Ticket: $11

Tours and Activities in Lofoten Islands

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lofoten Islands are as follows:

  • Sadhana Morning Yoga - An Adventure of Awareness: $25
  • Small-Group Cultural Walking Tour of Skrova: $36
  • Half Day Snowshoe Tour: $102
  • Afternoon Kayaking Adventure in Lofoten: $113
  • Winter Half Day Kayak Tour: $113
  • SUP Adventure - Guided Tour in the Lofoten Islands: $128
  • Guided Snowshoeing Tour - Uphill version : $134
  • Guided Snowshoeing Tour - Easy version: $134
  • Special Summer Cruise Bus Tour of Lofoten: $139
  • Lofoten Unique Snorkeling Experience in Dry Suit: $163
  • Lofoten Grand Canyon Snorkeling Tour: $163
  • Unique Scuba Diving Experience: $205

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Krakow $7.49
    Lofoten Islands $0.79
Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow

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


  • Vodka
    $15

Sample the Local Flavors in Krakow

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Krakow:

  • 1 Hour of Open Bar Pub Crawl + Karaoke + VIP Entry to Best Clubs : $28
  • Pub Crawl Krawl Through Krakow: $28
  • Krakow Pub Crawl with 1 Hr of unlimited alcohol & 4 clubs/pubs: $29
  • Pub Crawl 1hr Unlimited Beer + Vodka then Clubs in Katowice: $31
  • Tyskie Brewery Tour from Katowice: $131


When comparing the travel costs between Krakow and Lofoten Islands, we can see that Lofoten Islands 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 Krakow Expensive? and Is Lofoten Islands Expensive?.