Which place is cheaper, Krakow or Rovaniemi?
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 Rovaniemi or Krakow?
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 Rovaniemi and Krakow. 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: Rovaniemi or Krakow?
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland, in northern Finland. Almost totally destroyed during World War II, today it's a modern city known for being the "official" home town of Santa Claus, and for viewing the Northern Lights. It's home to Arktikum, a museum and science center exploring the Arctic region and the history of Finnish Lapland. The Science Centre Pilke features interactive exhibits on northern forests.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Finland, The Best Tours for Seniors to Finland, The Best Budget Tours to Poland, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Krakow.
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Rovaniemi Prices
Finland PricesKrakow Prices
Poland Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRovaniemi €208Krakow €70
The average daily cost (per person) in Rovaniemi is €208, while the average daily cost in Krakow is €70. 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 Rovaniemi and Krakow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRovaniemi €93Krakow €39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRovaniemi €186Krakow €78
Compare Hotels in Rovaniemi and Krakow
Looking for a hotel in Rovaniemi or Krakow? 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: Rovaniemi Hotel Prices and Krakow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rovaniemi €31Krakow €6.05
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rovaniemi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rovaniemi:
- Private Arrival Transfer from Rovaniemi Airport or Train Station: $71
- Private Departure Transfer from Rovaniemi: $71
- Private Transfer Between Rovaniemi Airport and City Centre: $102
- Private Transfer Rovaniemi - Levi: $117
- Private Transfer from Rovaniemi Airport RVN to Rovaniemi: $77
- Ranua Arctic Zoo Transfer in Lapland: $79
- Rovaniemi Northern Light Hunt with Campfire and BBQ with Transfer: $106
- Rovaniemi Private Transfer from Rovaniemi (RVN) Airport to City centre: $95
- Rovaniemi Private Transfer from Rovaniemi city centre to Rovaniemi airport: $95
- VIP Private Transfer in Rovaniemi : $256
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krakow
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Krakow:
- 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: $26
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Kraków APT-HTL (KRK): $28
- Private Transfer from Kraków City to Kraków John Paul II (KRK) Airport: $29
- Transfer Krakow Balice Airport - Krakow City: $30
- Krakow Airport Arrival Transfer: $30
- Krakow Airport Private Transfer: $31
- Krakow Private Airport Eco-transfer by Fully Electric car: $31
- Krakow John Paul II Airport (KRK) to Krakow hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Rovaniemi or Krakow?
Prices for flights to both Krakow and Rovaniemi 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 dayRovaniemi €82Krakow €22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rovaniemi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rovaniemi.
- Traditional Northern Light Dinner in the Lappish Hut: $105
- Insider Guided Food Tour With 5 Tastings: $142
- Lappish Cooking Master Class: $161
- Traditional Lappish evening in the wilderness with dinner: $184
- Dinner with Northern Light hunt in Rovaniemi : $226
- Sauna, Jacuzzi, and 3 Course Dinner at Kota Restaurant Autumn: $231
- Ice Sculpting and Dinner at Kota Restaurant : $246
- Lapland Cooking Workshop: $262
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Krakow
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Krakow.
- Krakow Tipsy Polish Food Tour with History Pierogi and Shots: $40
- Polish Folk Show with 3 course dinner in Krakow legendary restaurant: $49
- Pierogi Cooking Class with Market Shopping and Local Snacks: $83
- Folk Show A Taste of Polish Tradition with Dinner: $84
- Krakow Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting and Dinner: $95
- Traditional Jewish Ashkenazi Food Tour in Krakow: $121
- EVERYDAY Traditional Food Tour with Old Town Sightseeing: $176
- Katowice Private Traditional Polish Food Tour: $195
- Krakow Private Traditional Polish Food Tour: $195
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rovaniemi €48Krakow €19
Tours and Activities in Rovaniemi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Rovaniemi are as follows:
- Autumn Aurora Tour in Rovaniemi with Local Guides: $90
- Arctic Lakeside Fishing Experience - Rovaniemi: $94
- Insider Summer Bird Watching Experience: $94
- Insider Summer Berry and Mushroom picking experience: $94
- Northern lights hunting photo tour with bbq; small groups: $101
- Regular Bus Tour with Northern Lights hunt in Lapland: $105
- Experience Finnish Flea Market Mystery Tour: $106
- Vaattunkiköngäs Nature Trail Hiking Tour: $106
- Ice Fishing Tour: $106
- Wild Forest Berries and Mushrooms Picking Tour: $107
- Arctic Wildlife Adventure Ranua Wildlife Park Trip: $113
- Traditional Ice fishing experience in Lapland: $115
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: $3.59
- A Walk With the Dead Krakow Ghost Tour: $3.59
- World War Two in Jewish Quarter & Ghetto Tour: $3.59
- Street Food & Street Art Tour: $3.59
- Archdiocesan Museum in Krakow – Entry Ticket: $3.98
- Archeological Museum - Skip The Line Ticket : $4.55
- Home Army Museum in Krakow - Skip The Line Ticket: $6.72
- The Best of Walking Tour Through the Heart of the City: $6.82
- Krakow Jewish Ghetto and Quarter Audio Guided Walking Tour: $7.50
- Wawel Hill Audio-Guided Tour: $8.42
- Krakow Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self Guided Tour: $9.61
- Jewish Ghetto Guided Tour: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRovaniemi €21Krakow €6.38
Typical Alcohol Prices in Krakow
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Krakow:
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Vodka€13
Sample the Local Flavors in Krakow
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Krakow:
- Pub Crawl Krawl Through Krakow: $28
- Pub Crawl + Unlimited Drinks + VIP entry + Drinking Games & Photographer : $30
- Pub Crawl 1hr Unlimited Beer + Vodka then Clubs in Katowice: $31
- Krakow Evening Pub Crawl: $49
- Krakow Wine Tasting Private Tour with Wine Expert: $180
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rovaniemi and Krakow, we can see that Rovaniemi is more expensive. And not only is Krakow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Krakow would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Krakow and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Rovaniemi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rovaniemi than you might in Krakow.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rovaniemi Expensive? and Is Krakow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rovaniemi or Krakow?
Krakow has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Rovaniemi. When comparing the sizes of Rovaniemi and Krakow, 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.
When is the best time to visit Rovaniemi or Krakow?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Krakow in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Rovaniemi and Krakow.
Rovaniemi is cooler than Krakow in the summer. The daily temperature in Rovaniemi averages around 15°C (60°F) in July, and Krakow fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Krakow this time of the year. In Rovaniemi, it's very sunny this time of the year. Rovaniemi usually receives more sunshine than Krakow during summer. Rovaniemi gets 304 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 201 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Rovaniemi usually receives less rain than Krakow. Rovaniemi gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyRovaniemi 15°C (60°F)Krakow 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Krakow in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Rovaniemi as well as Krakow.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Rovaniemi. In the autumn, Rovaniemi is much colder than Krakow. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Rovaniemi in October average around 2°C (36°F), and Krakow averages at about 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Rovaniemi often gets less sunshine than Krakow. Rovaniemi gets 82 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 97 hours of full sun.
Rovaniemi usually gets more rain in October than Krakow. Rovaniemi gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberRovaniemi 2°C (36°F)Krakow 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Krakow in the Winter?
Both Krakow and Rovaniemi are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
Krakow can be very cold during winter. Rovaniemi can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Rovaniemi is generally much colder than Krakow. Daily temperatures in Rovaniemi average around -12°C (10°F), and Krakow fluctuates around -2°C (29°F).
Rovaniemi usually receives less sunshine than Krakow during winter. Rovaniemi gets 19 hours of sunny skies, while Krakow receives 38 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Rovaniemi usually receives more rain than Krakow. Rovaniemi gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 34 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryRovaniemi -12°C (10°F)Krakow -2°C (29°F)
Should I visit Rovaniemi or Krakow in the Spring?
Both Krakow and Rovaniemi during the spring are popular places to visit.
Rovaniemi can be very cold during spring. Rovaniemi is much colder than Krakow in the spring. The daily temperature in Rovaniemi averages around -1°C (31°F) in April, and Krakow fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
In the spring, Rovaniemi often gets more sunshine than Krakow. Rovaniemi gets 194 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Krakow receives 132 hours of full sun.
Rovaniemi usually gets less rain in April than Krakow. Rovaniemi gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Krakow receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilRovaniemi -1°C (31°F)Krakow 10°C (50°F)
Typical Weather for Krakow and Rovaniemi
| Rovaniemi | Krakow | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -12°C (10°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | -2°C (29°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | -12°C (11°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 0°C (32°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | -7°C (19°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Apr | -1°C (31°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| May | 6°C (43°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (55°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Jul | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (56°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Sep | 8°C (46°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Oct | 2°C (36°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | -4°C (24°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Dec | -10°C (15°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 1°C (33°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
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.