Prices in Krakow: how expensive is Poland? Budget for a weekend trip

Hi guys, in this post, I will tell you a bit more about the prices in Krakow, Poland. How expensive is Poland? How much money to bring for a trip to Krakow or Wroclaw? What is the optimal budget for a weekend trip to Poland? This and more you will find out in this post. So keep reading to find out more about Poland.

We have more posts about prices around the world: click here to see the entire category and learn more about the possible budget for your next trip.
We just returned from our long weekend in Wroclaw and Krakow – we saw gorgeous Christmas markets, ate a soup from a bread and took hundreds of photos. Read more about our itinerary & experience here. 

Prices in Poland: how expensive is travelling in Poland?

The exchange rate used in this post: £1 = 1.76 Zl; 1$- 3.7 Zl 

Transport prices in Poland 

Poland is one of the most affordable counties in Europe to travel. But what is affordable? Well, compared to London and the U.K, Poland is really cheap. Compared with Ukraine, for example, it’s not that cheap. However, for most tourists from English-speaking countries, Poland will be very affordable. 

Travelling inside Poland is also very affordable. There’s FlixBus operating everywhere in Poland, so you get to travel between the cities from £2. For a  3-hour trip from Wroclaw to Krakow, we paid around £8 per person, but it couldn’t have been cheaper, haven’t we chosen the prime time on the weekend. 

Transport in the cities in Poland is super affordable as well: a single bus ride in Wroclaw costs 3.5 Zl which is less than 80p. Taxis are also cheap – in Krakow, there is Uber and a 15-min drive is on average 10-13 Zl. 
Getting from / to the airports is also cheap with local trains and buses. 

Accommodation prices in Poland & Krakow

In this post, I will be speaking about Poland in general, but I’ll focus on Krakow and Wroclaw. There are plenty of hotels for any budget in both cities and you can count on these price ranges when selecting the hotel.

Luxury hotels in Krakow (up to $150 per night):

Hotel Grodek, Hotel Unicus Palace. 

Comfort / affordable hotels in Krakow ($50-120 per night): PURO Krakow, INX Design Hotel

Cheap (but good) accommodation in Krakow (below $50 per night): The Secret Garden Hostel,  Lorf Hostel & Apartments. 

You can also rent a flat, especially if you’re staying for longer. If you haven’t used Airbnb before, you can definitely use this code to get a discount on your first trip.

Cost of eating out in Krakow

Poland is very affordable for eating out as well. A meal in an average restaurant for two would cost you around 100-150 Zl, however, you can find cheaper options: self-service restaurants, canteens and pierogeries where you can eat for 30-90 Zl for two! 

A coffee /tea in a nice coffee & cake place would cost your around 12 Zl, while a piece of cake would often cost you 8-17 Zl.

Even restaurants from the Michelin guide are relatively affordable.

Alcohol and nightlife are also great value in Poland – you can get a beer in a supermarket for as low as 2.5 Zl and in a restaurant / bar you get a beer for about 10-14 Zl. 

Other costs in Poland 

One of the many things you can do in Poland is shopping. Poland is home to many clothing brands such Reserved or Mohito and prices for them are generally way cheaper than in Western Europe. Reserved exists in London and the prices in London are AT LEAST 30% more expensive for the same clothes. So if you like these brands, you can as well shop for them in Poland!

Sightseeing in Poland: how expensive is it?

Here are some sample prices for the museums, tours and excursions in Krakow:

Tour to the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine (including the transportation): $40-50 (check the availability now).

Tour to Auschwitz (incl. transportation) – $34-48 per person – check the availability now (you need to book in advance).

Entrance to the Wawel Castle – 16-20 Zl. 

Finally, what’s a good travel budget for  Poland? 

Well, you can travel to Poland with pretty much any budget – you can certainly find activities, food and accommodation for any budget. However, I’d say you’d need at least £400 for two for a weekend (or 3-day) trip to Poland to be well-off – pay for the flights, good hotels, food and sightseeing. For £600 you can certainly afford a few luxuries and for £250 for two you’ll have to skip a few attractions for sure and also look for some really cheap flights. 

We spent £400 on a 3.5 day trip to Wroclaw and Krakow. That included three nights in Airbnb + Hotel, food (supermarkets, fancy places and budget-friendly places – we tried them all), flights from London (check the prices now) and even transport to Stansted Airport in London (which is like £40 for two) and buses between the cities in Poland. 

Hopefully, you know a bit more about the prices in Poland and have decided whether Poland is expensive or cheap.