Which place is cheaper, Sofia or Bucharest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Bucharest or Sofia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Bucharest and Sofia. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Bucharest or Sofia?
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital and largest city in the country of Romania. With about 2 million residents living in the city and about 2.4 million in the surrounding urban area, it is also one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe. As such, it is the economic, industrial and commercial center for the country. As a visitor, you will likely enter Romania by arriving in Bucharest. The city continues to grow and change, and there are ongoing infrastructure projects that continue to modernize the city. It is not uncommon to find historic churches on the same block as modern office buildings and Communist style apartment buildings. There are also many sights around town and the city continues to grow as a trendy and fascinating city.
Sofia
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and also its largest city. Some people have tried to compare it to Budapest, but the cities are actually quite different. In Sofia you will find wonderful European style architecture intertwined with Communist style buildings. It's fascinating to see the two dramatically different building styles immediately next to each other. There are also many Orthodox Churches around town, with their beautiful domes and intricate details.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bucharest, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Romania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBucharest $140Sofia $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Bucharest is $140, while the average daily cost in Sofia is $65. 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 Bucharest and Sofia in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBucharest $64Sofia $41
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBucharest $128Sofia $82
Compare Hotels in Bucharest and Sofia
Looking for a hotel in Bucharest or Sofia? 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.
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: Bucharest Hotel Prices and Sofia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bucharest $26Sofia $8.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bucharest
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bucharest:
- Bucharest to Sofia - Private Transfer: $592
- Bucharest Airport: Private Transfer To / From Pitesti: $457
- Bucharest to Sofia Private Transfer: $456
- Bucharest to Mihail Kogalniceanu - Private Transfer: $351
- Mihail Kogalniceanu to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $351
- Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo - Private Transfer: $329
- Bucharest to Fetesti - Private Transfer: $329
- Bucharest to Craiova - Private Transfer: $307
- Transfer From Bucharest Airport To Sofia Bulgaria: $296
- Transfer Bucharest Airport to Brasov: $293
- Bucharest to Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport Constanta - Private Guided Transfer : $289
- Bucharest to Tulcea - Private Guided Transfer - Driver and Car : $289
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer from Sofia Airport: $49
- Arrival Transfer: Sofia Airport SOF to Sofia in Luxury Car: $88
- Arrival Transfer: Sofia Airport SOF to Sofia in Luxury Van: $77
- Bansko Transfer From/to Sofia Airport and Hotels: $266
- Bansko Transfer from/to Sofia Airport: $177
- Be Eco: Sofia Airport Transfer with an Electric Vehicle: $54
- From Plovdiv Day Tour with Transfer: $72
- From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $456
- From Private Transfer to Plovdiv: $98
- From Private Transfer to Spa in Sapareva Banya: $93
- From Rila Monastery & Melnik Day Trip with Transfers: $95
- From Seven Rila Lakes Transfer: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Bucharest or Sofia?
Prices for flights to both Sofia and Bucharest 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 dayBucharest $59Sofia $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bucharest
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bucharest.
- Dinner and tour inside the Museum of Communism: $51
- Dinner inside the Museum of Communism & private tour: $54
- Bohemian Bucharest Markets and Mahallas Traditional Food Tour: $61
- Cooking Class traditional food: $67
- Bucharest Historical Food Tour in Old Center: $72
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $75
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner: $86
- Unhealthy Food Tour of Bucharest – 4 hours: $88
- Discover Private Highlights and Traditional Food Tour: $110
- Historical and Cultural Tour with Romanian Cuisine dinner: $143
- 4-Hour Walking Food Tour in the Old Town: $206
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sofia
For Sofia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Traditional Bulgarian Cooking in Central Sofia: $98
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $99
- Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $108
- Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $110
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Private Tour with Dinner, Folklore Show: $133
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bucharest $15Sofia $6.02
Tours and Activities in Bucharest
Here are a few actual costs in Bucharest for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bears Sanctuary, Dracula's Castle, Brasov Day Trip Private Tour from Bucharest: $254
- Bucharest Panoramic Sightseeing - Private City Tour: $105
- Dracula's Castle & Peles Palace Tour from Bucharest Including Brasov Old Town: $189
- Transylvania Heritage Tour at Peles Bran and Cantacuzino Castles: $94
- Walking Tour - Delightful Bucharest (Old Town & Victory Avenue): $14
- 1 Day 4x4 Tour in Carpathian Mountains: $176
- 1 Day ATV Tour in Carpathian Mountains: $211
- 10 h Ceausescu Communism Private Tour in Bucharest plus Dracula's Grave : $244
- 10 hours Private Apiary Tour in Romania - From Bucharest: $278
- 10h Bucharest City Tour & Snagov Monastery (Dracula's Grave): $263
- 14 Days Private Tour in Romania, Moldova & Transnistria: $4,820
- 2 Days Private Tour - The Romanian Caves from Bucharest: $570
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
- Communist Times Quest Experience in Sofia: $7.20
- Self-Guided Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.61
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.88
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $8.05
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Guided Walking Tour of Sofia: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Self-Guided Tour in Sofia: $16
- Rila Monastery History Walking Tour: $17
- Private Kayak Tour on the Pancharevo Lake: $17
- Communist Walking Tour: $18
- Communist Walking Tour of Sofia: $18
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayBucharest $9.33Sofia $8.53
Sample the Local Flavors in Bucharest
Also in Bucharest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Weekend Pub Crawl: $24
- Bucharest Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $25
- Bachelors Party in Custom Bar Crawl: $38
- Pub Crawl in the Old CIty and Rooftop Hopping in Bucharest: $48
- Private Wine Tasting Experience: $49
- Private Romanian Wine Tasting in Urlați: $52
- Bucharest Guided Pub Crawl: $53
- Guided Pub Crawl in Bucharest: $57
- Bucharest Old Town Pub and Bar Crawl with Guide: $58
- Bucharest VIP Bar Crawl in Lipscani 'Old Town': $60
- Private Bar Crawling in Bucharest Old City: $61
- Wine Tasting in Bucharest long version: $65
Sample the Local Flavors in Sofia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sofia:
- Sofia's Hidden Bars: 4-Hour Pub Crawl: $20
- Sofia Pub Crawl Tour of The Hidden Unique Bars: $20
- Wine and tapas - Bulgarian's wine tasting experience: $22
- Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia: $33
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $60
- 1-Hour Private Cheese and Wine Tasting in Sofia : $88
- From Rozhen monastery and Melnik with wine tasting: $100
- Private Sofia Tour with Wine Tasting: $109
- Private Sofia City Tour with Wine Tasting: $111
- Hisarya, Starosel, and Wine Tasting Tour from Sofia: $116
- Private Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Sofia: $121
- Koprivshtitsa and Starosel Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $141
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bucharest and Sofia, we can see that Bucharest is more expensive. And not only is Sofia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sofia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sofia 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 Bucharest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bucharest than you might in Sofia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bucharest Expensive? and Is Sofia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bucharest or Sofia?
Bucharest has a larger population, and is about 63% larger than the population of Sofia. When comparing the sizes of Bucharest and Sofia, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.