Which place is cheaper, Sofia or Doha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Doha or Sofia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Sofia can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Doha or Sofia?
Doha
Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $200Sofia $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $200, 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 Doha and Sofia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDoha $119Sofia $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Sofia $82
Compare Hotels in Doha and Sofia
Looking for a hotel in Doha 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: Doha Hotel Prices and Sofia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Doha $23Sofia $8.47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- Private Full Day City Sightseeing Tour with Transfer: $243
- Private Transfer from Doha City to Doha (DOH) Airport: $191
- Qatar Doha Hamad Airport (DOH): Transfer to Doha city: $177
- Qatar Doha Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $144
- Doha Hamad Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $131
- ONE WAY: Doha International Airport - Private Transfer From/to Hotels: $122
- Departure Transfer: Doha to Hamad Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $120
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $120
- Private Arrival Transfer - Al Khor: $120
- Private Sightseeing Tour in Doha with Roundtrip Transfer: $115
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Car: $108
- Private Arrival Transfer to Sumaysimah: $100
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers in Bulgaria: $66
- Bansko Transfer From/to Sofia Airport and Hotels: $263
- Be Eco: Sofia Airport Transfer with an Electric Vehicle: $54
- Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Car: $87
- Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Van: $76
- From Bansko Transfer with Rila Monastery Visit: $129
- From Koprivshtitsa & Historic Homes Tour w/ Transfer: $54
- From Plovdiv Day Tour with Transfer: $72
- From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $451
- From Private Transfer to Plovdiv: $97
- From Private Transfer to Spa in Sapareva Banya: $91
- From Rila Monastery & Melnik Day Trip with Transfers: $94
Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Sofia?
Prices for flights to both Sofia and Doha 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 dayDoha $61Sofia $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Private Dinner on Al Safliya Island: $76
- Private Souk Waqif with Lunch or Dinner Tour: $96
- The Pearl-Qatar Food Tour & Boat Ride: $119
- Half Day Doha City Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $143
- BBQ Dinner in the desert resort; Dune bashing & camel ride: $165
- Doha Private Full Day Desert Safari Lunch | Dinner Included: $190
- Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $195
- Doha : Full Day Desert Safari | BBQ Dinner | Inland sea: $197
- Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra: $202
- Full Day Desert Private Safari with Lunch or Dinner: $214
- Private Overnight Desert Safari, Dune bashing, dinner & Breakfast: $220
- From Overnight Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner: $240
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sofia
For Sofia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Market Food Tour: $47
- Half-Day Sofia Evening Walking Tour with Vegetarian Dinner: $49
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $98
- Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $107
- Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $109
- Guided Night Tour & Folklore Performance with Dinner: $118
- Sofia by Night: Private Tour with Dinner: $118
- Evening City Tour with Folklore Dinner: $118
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Private Tour with Dinner, Folklore Show: $132
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Sofia $5.98
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Doha City Tour And Dhow Boat Ride (Private Tour): $99
- Private Express Doha City Tour: $165
- Transit/Layover Tours from Doha Airport – Explore Doha City : $105
- (Private) Quickie to the Desert Safari Experience - Inland Sea Visit: $100
- 1 Hour Camel Ride Experience in Sealine Beach: $172
- 3-Hour Kayaking Eco Adventure - Mangrove Purple Island : $70
- 4 Hours-Doha City Private Tour: $74
- 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $72
- 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $70
- 4-Hour Private Tour to Msheireb Museums: $100
- 8-Hour Private Cultural Tour: $288
- Arabian Sands Half-Day Adventure in Qatar: $140
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
- Audio Guided Museum Paleontology and Historical Geology Ticket: $3.84
- Rila Monastery: Monastery & Museums Self-Guided Audio Tour 7 lang: $5.48
- Self-Guided Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.61
- Self-guided tour of Boyana Church: $7.68
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $7.84
- Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art: $7.90
- Guided Walking Tour of Sofia: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Audio Guide for All Sofia Sights, Attractions or Experiences: $12
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $15Sofia $8.48
Sample the Local Flavors in Sofia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sofia:
- Sofia Pub Crawl - Party Tour of Sofia's Best Bars & Clubs: $16
- Sofia's Hidden Bars: 4-Hour Pub Crawl: $19
- Sofia Pub Crawl Tour of The Hidden Unique Bars: $20
- Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia: $33
- Sofia Bar Crawl: $54
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $59
- Sofia Exquisite Wine Tasting: $76
- 1-Hour Private Cheese and Wine Tasting in Sofia : $87
- Private Sofia Tour with Wine Tasting: $108
- Hisarya, Starosel, and Wine Tasting Tour from Sofia: $115
- Private Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Sofia: $120
- Koprivshtitsa and Starosel Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $140
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Sofia, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Sofia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha is in Middle East and Sofia is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Doha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Doha 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 Doha Expensive? and Is Sofia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Doha or Sofia?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Doha. When comparing the sizes of Doha 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.