Which place is cheaper, Plovdiv or Chania?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chania or Plovdiv?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Chania or Plovdiv, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Chania or Plovdiv?
Chania
Chania is a city on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. Chania is Crete's most evocative city, with its pretty Venetian quarter, crisscrossed by narrow lanes, culminating at a magnificent harbor. At the harbor entrance is a 16th-century lighthouse with Venetian, Egyptian, and Ottoman influences. On the other side, the Nautical Museum has model ships, naval objects and photographs. The former monastery of St. Francis houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania. Remnants of Venetian and Turkish architecture abound, with old townhouses now transformed into atmospheric restaurants and boutique hotels. Although all this beauty means the old town is packed with tourists in summer, it's still a great place to unwind. The Venetian Harbor is super for a stroll and a coffee or cocktail. Plus it’s got a university and a modern area to the city, which means that it retains its charm in winter. Indie boutiques and an entire lane dedicated to leather products provide good shopping and, with a multitude of creative restaurants, you’ll likely have some of your best meals on Crete here.
Plovdiv
Located in a large, hilly plain between the Rhodope Mountains in the south of Bulgaria and the Balkan Range in the central part of the country, Plovdiv sits uniquely spread across six hills. It is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world, dating back roughly 8,000 years. Some of its best features are its ancient ruins and historic architecture.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Greece, The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in Greece, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Bulgaria, and The Best Adventure Tours to Bulgaria.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChania €93Plovdiv €75
The average daily cost (per person) in Chania is €93, while the average daily cost in Plovdiv is €75. 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 Chania and Plovdiv in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChania €46Plovdiv €41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChania €92Plovdiv €82
Compare Hotels in Chania and Plovdiv
Looking for a hotel in Chania or Plovdiv? 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: Chania Hotel Prices and Plovdiv Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chania €15Plovdiv €21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chania
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chania:
- VIP transfer from Chania to Rethymno: $105
- Transfer from or to Chania airport to Gerani up to 3 customers : $85
- Transfer from Chania airport to Platanias up to 3 or vise versa: $80
- Transfer from Chania airport to Paleochora up to 3 or vise versa: $200
- Transfer from Chania airport to Kolymbari up to 3 or vise versa: $105
- Transfer from Chania airport to Georgioupolis up to 3 : $106
- Transfer from Chania airport to Elafonisi up to 3 or vise versa: $224
- Transfer from Chania airport to Chania City Center up to 3 : $54
- Transfer from Chania airport to Agia Marina up to 3 customers: $71
- Samaria Gorge: Private Transfer Tour: $202
- Private Transfers from Chania Airport to Rethymno center one way : $146
- Private Transfer from Chania city Hotels to Heraklion Cruise Port: $76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Plovdiv
Also for Plovdiv, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Burgas: $262
- Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia / vice versa: $147
- Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Varna: $354
- Private One-way Transfer Plovdiv Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $42
- Private Transfer from Pamporovo to Sofia (SOF) Airport: $160
- Sofia: Private Transfer from Sofia to Plovdiv OR vice versa: $147
- Transfer Plovdiv to Sofia airport/city with a car 3+1: $98
- Transfer from Pamporovo to Sofia: $98
- Transfer from Plovdiv to Bansko: $134
- Transfer from Plovdiv to Burgas city/airport with sedan/minivan/minibus: $190
- Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia: $103
- Transfer from Plovdiv to Stara Zagora: $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Chania or Plovdiv?
Prices for flights to both Plovdiv and Chania 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
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Food Meals for one dayChania €32Plovdiv €20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chania
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chania.
- The Delicious Chania PRIVATE Street Food Tour : $87
- CHANIA WALKING FOOD TOURS – 3 HOUR WALKING TOUR: $107
- CHANIA CRETE COOKING CLASSES – 3 HOURS: $107
- Chania Cooking Class-The Authentic: $117
- Guided Walking Food Tour with Tasting: $123
- From The Ultimate Food Tour Of Chania Villages: $123
- Wine, Food, and Sunset Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $127
- From Agioi Theodoroi Catamaran Dinner Cruise: $127
- Sunset Craft Beer & Food Tour - Chania: $131
- Horse riding,falasarna sunset,dinner in a tavern,drone video: $213
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chania €21Plovdiv €14
Tours and Activities in Chania
Here are a few actual costs in Chania for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cretan Night Show Tour From Rethymnon: $54
- Private Tour to Elafonisi and Falasarna: $131
- 6-Hours Safari Tour in Damnoni and Skinaria Beach, from Plakias: $37
- All Day Family Tour to Rethymno & Kournas Lake | JMP Tours: $351
- All Inclusive Full-day Private Tour of Crete Villages from Chania: $279
- Amazing Crete - Elafonisi, Day Tour: $555
- Authentic Wine & Food Tastings - PRIVATE Walking Tour with Lunch: $158
- Avra, full day sailing cruise: $746
- Avra, half - day sailing cruise: $533
- Balos & Falassarna Beach - Jeep Tour with Loungers and Lunch: $164
- Chania Alternative Sunset Bike Tour: $47
- Chania Battle of Crete Private Tour: WW2 Military History: $152
Tours and Activities in Plovdiv
For Plovdiv, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Plovdiv Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Pokémon GO Private Tour of Plovdiv: $17
- Plovdiv Communist Walking Tour Soviet Landmarks: $20
- Plovdiv Communist Walking Tour Soviet Landmarks: $20
- Plovdiv Private City Walking Tour Old Town & Ancient Stadium: $21
- Guided Walking Tour: $21
- Plovdiv guided walking tour: $22
- Local Adventures in the Rhodope Mountains: $32
- Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv: $38
- Plovdiv - Private walking tour: $41
- Walking tour of Plovdiv's top attractions: $54
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChania €18Plovdiv €8.99
Sample the Local Flavors in Chania
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Chania:
- Cretan wine tasting, hosted in French: $91
- Milia Mountain Tour w/Lunch Olive Oil/Wine Tastings: $144
- Wines, Olives, and History: A Private Wine Tour from Chania: $788
Sample the Local Flavors in Plovdiv
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Plovdiv:
- Chateau Copsa Wine Tasting Tours & Activities: $21
- Old Town Exploring Guide Roman Ruins & Wine Tasting: $80
- Thracian Valley wine tasting - private day tour from Plovdiv: $91
- Private Day Trip From Plovdiv To Wine Cellars And Wine Tasting: $108
- From Sofia: Plovdiv and Perushtitsa Tour With Wine Tasting: $133
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chania and Plovdiv, we can see that Chania is more expensive. And not only is Plovdiv much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Plovdiv would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Plovdiv 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 Chania would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chania than you might in Plovdiv.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chania Expensive? and Is Plovdiv Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chania or Plovdiv?
Plovdiv has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Chania. When comparing the sizes of Chania and Plovdiv, 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.