Venice vs Florence

Is Venice cheaper than Florence?

No: Florence is about 18% cheaper than Venice per day, at $85–155 against $100–190 for a mid-range traveller.

• A cheap local meal costs much the same in both: €6–14 ($6.50–15) in Venice, €6–12 ($6.50–13) in Florence.
• A mid-range hotel night starts about 18% lower in Florence (€90–180 ($97–194)) than in Venice (€110–220 ($118–237)).
• A single transit ride starts about 82% lower in Florence (€1.70 ($1.85)) than in Venice (€9.50 ($10.20) vaporetto).

What 3 and 7 days cost in Venice and Florence

Over a full week Venice costs about $175 more per person than Florence — roughly one extra mid-range day in Florence for the same money.

Against local wages, one mid-range visitor day costs about 7% of an average monthly salary in Venice (≈ $2,000) and 6% in Florence (≈ $1,950).

The cheapest beds listed are $38–59 a night in Venice (Hostel dorm) against $27–43 in Florence (Hostel dorm), while the top tier starts around $377 in Venice and $302 in Florence.

Per person and before flights, from each guide's daily budget, which already includes a mid-range room; budget rows use the guides' 60% budget scale.

Which one suits you

One day in Venice against one day in Florence

• Morning: in Venice, Piazza San Marco and St; in Florence, the Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome, and the piazza around them before the crowds thicken.
• Midday: in Venice, Cicchetti and an ombra standing up at All'Arco or Cantina Do Mori near the Rialto Market, which is how Venetians do lunch; in Florence, a schiacciata from All'Antico Vinaio, or lampredotto from a street stand if you want the version locals eat.
• Afternoon: in Venice, get lost on purpose in Cannaregio or Dorsoduro, off the signposted path between San Marco and the Rialto; in Florence, the Uffizi on a timed ticket booked in advance, then the Ponte Vecchio on the way across the river.
• Evening: in Venice, dinner a few streets back from the main routes, then the canals at night, which are quiet and largely yours; in Florence, Sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo, then dinner in Santa Croce or a glass at Le Volpi e l'Uva.

Slot by slot from each guide's one-day plan; the full Venice and Florence itineraries go to five days.

Getting between Venice and Florence

What the Venice guide says about reaching Florence:

• Florence and Rome are both easy train rides with guides here, and Venice works better as a first or last stop than as a base.

What the Florence guide says about reaching Venice:

• Either the churches and smaller museums the first days skipped, or the train onward: Venice and Rome both have guides here.

Staying, getting around, money and safety in Venice and Florence

First-timers usually base themselves in San Marco or Cannaregio in Venice, and in Duomo / historic center or Santa Croce in Florence.

Tipping differs: in Venice, not obligatory — a service charge (servizio) or cover charge (coperto) is often already on the bill; in Florence, not obligatory — a service charge (servizio) or cover charge (coperto) is often already included.

The Venice guide warns about 4 scams (Unofficial gondola or water-taxi touts, 'Free' rose or trinket sellers, Restaurants without visible menus or prices), the Florence guide about 4 (Unofficial 'skip the line' ticket sellers, Pickpocketing around Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo, Leather market stalls selling 'genuine leather' that isn't).

Arriving: in Venice, Marco Polo Airport (VCE) sits on the mainland; the Alilaguna water bus runs directly into the city's canals (€15–18, ~1 hour) or a land bus/taxi reaches Piazzale Roma, the edge of the car-free old town, faster and cheaper; in Florence, Florence Airport (Peretola/FLR) sits just a few kilometers from downtown; a tram (T2) runs directly to Santa Maria Novella station in about 20 minutes for €1.70.

Day to day, the Venice guide covers getting around by Vaporetto (water bus), on foot and Gondola & water taxi, the Florence guide by on foot, buses & trams and trains for day trips.

On cash and cards, the Venice guide says cards work almost everywhere, including most cafes and gondola operators, but keep some cash for smaller bacari (wine bars) and market stalls, while the Florence guide says cards are accepted almost everywhere, from museum tickets to trattorias, though small cash is handy for market stalls at Mercato Centrale or Sant'Ambrogio and for tipping.

For mobile data in Venice, get an eSIM (via Airalo or similar) before you land, or a physical SIM from an Italian carrier (TIM, Vodafone, WindTre) — easiest to buy at Marco Polo Airport or a phone shop on the mainland before crossing into the old town; in Florence, get an eSIM (via Airalo or similar) before you land, or a physical SIM from an Italian carrier (TIM, Vodafone, WindTre) — easy to pick up at a phone shop near Santa Maria Novella station.

On safety, the Venice guide's verdict is “Venice is extremely safe for violent crime — it's one of the safest major tourist cities in Europe, day or night” and the Florence guide's is “Florence is very safe for violent crime, including walking the historic center at night.”