Kraków hotels and meals are good value, so the big extra is usually a guided day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Wawel tickets, tips, card fees and getting around add the rest.
Starts with a sample trip. Change any number to match yours.
Compare hotels near the Old Town →The sample is 2 travelers for 4 nights. Your plan ($2,830) covers the main costs most people budget for, the ones you enter on the left. Costs people forget ($926, about 33% more for this trip) are the fees, taxes, tips and extras listed in the calculator. Prices were last checked on October 17, 2026.
Share of the $3,756 real cost. Nights and travelers multiply most of these costs, so changing either one moves the total the most.
4 of this trip's numbers link to a published price or rate. The rest are our estimates, and each one says what it is based on. You can also read how we calculate every trip.
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare per person | $950 per traveler | Our estimate for a typical round-trip economy fare to Krakow from a major US airport; most routes connect in Europe. Our estimate |
| Hotel per night | $120 a night | Our estimate for a mid-range double room in or near Krakow's Old Town or Kazimierz. Our estimate |
| Food per person, per day | $45 per traveler, per day | Our estimate for cafe breakfasts, casual lunches and a sit-down dinner per person in Krakow. Our estimate |
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Checked bag fees Off by default | $90 per traveler | Most economy fares to Europe include one checked bag, so this is off by default. Basic economy fares charge extra. Source |
| Passports Off by default | $165 per traveler | A new adult passport costs about $165 and can take weeks. Our estimate |
| Airport transfers | $21 for the trip | The airport train to Krakow Glowny is 20 zl one way, so four rides for two people are about $21. Source |
| Auschwitz and salt mine tours | $135 per traveler | A guided Auschwitz and Wieliczka day tour with transport and tickets is listed at 130 euros, about $146. Source |
| Wawel Castle and museum tickets | $25 per traveler | Wawel's state rooms, the cathedral and the city's museums each charge entry. Our estimate |
| Trams and taxis | $10 a night | Trams are cheap, and rideshares help late at night. Our estimate |
| Restaurant tips | $5 per traveler, per day | Our estimate for leaving about 10% at sit-down meals, about $5 per person a day. Our estimate |
| Bars and nights out | $15 per traveler, per night | Our estimate for a few drinks each evening in Kazimierz or Old Town bars. Our estimate |
| Phone data | $30 per traveler | An international plan or eSIM. Our estimate |
| Card fees | 3% of your plan | Foreign transaction fees are usually around 3% of each purchase on cards that charge them. Source |
| Travel insurance | 6% of your plan | Squaremouth says a comprehensive plan averages about 6% of the trip cost, usually 4% to 10%. Source |
| Pre-trip shopping | $60 for the trip | Our estimate for travel-size toiletries, sunscreen and small things bought before a trip. Our estimate |
| Pet boarding or sitter | $50 a day, if you check Pets | Dogster puts regular kennel boarding at about $35 to $85 a night. Overnight sitters at home cost more. Source |
For 4 nights with flights, a hotel and food, plan on about $2,850. Once you add the costs most visitors forget, like a guided day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mine, Wawel tickets, tips and card fees, it's closer to $3,750. Use the calculator above to change any number to match your trip.
Not yet. Poland passed a law in 2026 that lets cities charge a tourist fee of up to 5 zł per night from January 1, 2027. Kraków has pushed for it, but it hadn't set a rate as of October 2026. Source
Most visitors take a guided day trip from Kraków with transport included. Visiting without a guide is free, but you must book a named entry card online, ideally at least 7 days ahead. The memorial does not recommend visits for children under 14. Source
The airport train runs to Kraków Główny, the main station next to the Old Town. A one-way ticket rose to 20 zł in January 2025, about $5. Taxis and rideshares cost more but go door to door. Source
Pay in zł. When a card machine offers to charge you in dollars, the exchange rate is usually worse than your card's own rate. A card with no foreign transaction fees saves another 3% on most purchases.