Every driver has a default. Some will circle for twenty minutes rather than pay for a garage; others pull into the first structure they see and never think about the street. Both are leaving money — or time — on the table, because the smarter choice flips depending on a single variable: how long you're staying.

Short stops: the street usually wins

If you're parking for under an hour, street parking is almost always the better deal. Meter rates are typically lower per minute than a garage's minimum, and you're parked closer to where you're going. The catch is availability — and that's exactly where checking before you leave turns a gamble into a decision.

Longer stays: garages pull ahead

Once you cross the two-to-three hour mark, the maths inverts. Most garages cap their daily rate, while a street meter just keeps ticking — and often caps your stay anyway. For a full day out, a garage is usually both cheaper and calmer.

A simple rule of thumb

• Under an hour — look for street first.
• Over three hours — head straight for a garage.
• In between — let the app compare the real prices and pick for you.

The factor everyone forgets

There's one more thing to weigh: certainty. A garage isn't just about price — it's about knowing you have a space. For anything time-sensitive, the few extra kronur can be the best money you spend all day.

Cheap parking you can't find isn't cheap. It's expensive in a currency you can't get back.

So next time you're weighing street against garage, don't start with price. Start with time — how long you're staying, and how much it would cost you to be late.