A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Zermatt vs. Bad Gastein for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Zermatt or Bad Gastein?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Zermatt and Bad Gastein can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Zermatt or Bad Gastein?

Zermatt

Located at the foot of the Matterhorn, Zermatt is a Swiss village best known for its skiing, climbing, and hiking opportunities. It has become a popular mountain resort town due to its location and also features a number of boutique shops, hotels, and restaurants that cater to the vacationers who come to enjoy the many winter activities of the Alps.

Bad Gastein

Located in the High Tauern Mountains south of Salzburg, Bad Gastein is a spa and ski town known for hotels and villas built into steep and forested slopes. While the town is most visited in the winter for skiing purposes, it is also a home base for many hiking opportunities throughout the summer.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Switzerland, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Switzerland, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Austria, and The Best Christmas Market Tours in Austria.


Which place is cheaper, Bad Gastein or Zermatt?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Zermatt is $308, while the average daily cost in Bad Gastein is $172. 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 Zermatt and Bad Gastein in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zermatt $146
    Bad Gastein $72
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zermatt $292
    Bad Gastein $144
Compare Hotels in Zermatt and Bad Gastein

Looking for a hotel in Zermatt or Bad Gastein? 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 Zermatt


Hotels in Bad Gastein


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: Zermatt Hotel Prices and Bad Gastein Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zermatt $62
    Bad Gastein $47

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zermatt

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zermatt:

  • Breuil-Cervinia to Turin Caselle Airport TRN - Departure Transfer: $234

Is it cheaper to fly into Zermatt or Bad Gastein?

Prices for flights to both Bad Gastein and Zermatt 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
    Zermatt $115
    Bad Gastein $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zermatt $65
    Bad Gastein $25

Tours and Activities in Zermatt

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

  • Sion Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.97
  • Tapas tour: $122
  • Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Cable Car Ticket: $124
  • Gornergrat Railway Cogwheel Train Ticket: $175
  • From Testa Grigia Cable Car Ticket: $180
  • From Cogwheel Train Ticket to Mount Gornergrat: $210
  • Attraction Ticket: Zermatt to Mount Gornergrat Summit: $269
  • Zermatt Private Skiing Tour for any level: $288
  • Interlaken Private Tour: Zermatt Village & Glacier Paradise: $922
  • Interlaken Private Tour: Zermatt & Gornergrat Scenic Railway: $970
  • Bern Private Tour: Zermatt & Gornergrat Scenic Railway: $985
  • Basel Private Tour: Zermatt & Gornergrat Scenic Railway: $1,017

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zermatt $33
    Bad Gastein $9.22


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zermatt and Bad Gastein, we can see that Zermatt is more expensive. And not only is Bad Gastein much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bad Gastein would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bad Gastein 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 Zermatt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zermatt than you might in Bad Gastein.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zermatt Expensive? and Is Bad Gastein Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Zermatt or Bad Gastein?

Zermatt has a larger population, and is about 11% larger than the population of Bad Gastein. When comparing the sizes of Zermatt and Bad Gastein, 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.