A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Fethiye vs. Sofia for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Fethiye or Sofia?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Fethiye or Sofia? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Fethiye or Sofia?

Fethiye

Fethiye is a tourist town in Lycia on the Mediterranean coast. It has a beautiful marina and plenty of activities during the day or night. Fethiye's size, location, and easy access to transportation make it a great central starting point to explore the area. It's also a popular place to pick up the "Blue Cruise," a popular boat tour along the Mediterranean coast.

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 2-Week Tours in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria.


Which place is cheaper, Sofia or Fethiye?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Fethiye is $109, while the average daily cost in Sofia is $64. 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 Fethiye and Sofia in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Fethiye $48
    Sofia $40
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Fethiye $96
    Sofia $80
Compare Hotels in Fethiye and Sofia

Looking for a hotel in Fethiye 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.

Hotels in Fethiye


Hotels in Sofia


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: Fethiye Hotel Prices and Sofia Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Fethiye $34
    Sofia $8.38
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Fethiye

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Fethiye are as follows:


  • Local Bus
    $0.26

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fethiye

Also for Fethiye, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Tandem Paragliding Over The Blue Lagoon in Fethiye From Kas Inc.Transfer: $300
  • Antalya Airport AYT Transfers to Calis Beach Hotels: $289
  • Fethiye Hotels to Bodrum Airport BJV Transfers: $267
  • Antalya Calis Beach Hotels to Antalya Airport AYT Transfers: $240
  • Dalaman Int Airport (DLM): Private Transfer to Fethiye: $119
  • Antalya Airport AYT Transfers to Olympos Hotels: $115
  • Antalya Olympos Hotels to Antalya Airport AYT Transfers: $114
  • Fethiye Rhodes Ferry Ticket With Free Hotel Transfer: $99
  • Private Airport Transfers: From Orhaniye to Dalaman Airport: $99
  • Private Airport Transfers: From Fethiye/Oludeniz to Dalaman Airport: $98
  • Hisaronu (Fethiye) Hotels to Dalaman Airport DLM Transfers: $87
  • Fethiye City Center Hotels to Dalaman Airport DLM Transfers: $82

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia

Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Sofia to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $687
  • From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $448
  • Private Transfer from Sofia to Burgas (BOJ) Airport: $292
  • Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Sozopol: $292
  • Private Transfer from Sofia to Varna (VAR) Airport: $273
  • Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Kavala: $237
  • Private Transfer Bucharest to/from Sofia: $224
  • Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko: $195
  • Transfer from Sofia to Stara Zagora: $194
  • Transfer from Sofia to Pamporovo: $191
  • VIP Transfer from Sofia to Bansko: $186
  • Bansko Transfer from/to Sofia Airport: $175

Is it cheaper to fly into Fethiye or Sofia?

Prices for flights to both Sofia and Fethiye 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 day
    Fethiye $35
    Sofia $18
Typical Food Prices in Fethiye

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Fethiye:


  • Fruit
    $0.22
  • Soda
    $0.09

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
  • Guided Night Tour & Folklore Performance with Dinner: $48
  • Half-Day Sofia Evening Walking Tour with Vegetarian Dinner: $49
  • Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $97
  • Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $106
  • Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $108
  • 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: $131

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Fethiye $38
    Sofia $5.92
Typical Entertainment Prices in Fethiye

For Fethiye, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Paragliding
    $7.42
  • Gorge Walk entry and photo
    $0.17

Tours and Activities in Fethiye

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fethiye.

  • Fethiye Dalyan Tour River Cruise and Mud Bath: $63
  • Ölüdeniz: Pirate Boat Cruise with Swim Stops and Lunch: $48
  • 12 Islands Boat Tour from Fethiye with Grilled Lunch: $41
  • 2-Day Ephesus and Pamukkale Cultural Tour from Fethiye: $221
  • 2-Day tour Ephesus and Pamukkale from Fethiye : $163
  • 7-HourJeep Safari Adventure in Fethiye Turkey: $31
  • Blue Lagoon Ölüdeniz Tandem Paragliding Experience from Fethiye: $218
  • Dalyan Mud Baths and Turtle Beach Day Tour From Fethiye: $60
  • Dalyan River Cruise by Boat with Lunch and Sea Turtles Watching: $54
  • Ephesus and Pamukkale 2 Day tour from Fethiye: $191
  • Fethiye Horse Riding Experience: $38
  • Fethiye Jeep Safari Tour: $28

Tours and Activities in Sofia

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.

  • Belogradchik Rocks & Venetsa cave/Small group bigger experience: $98
  • Mount Verila Cultural Tour in Bulgaria: $93
  • Private Tour from Sofia to the Rila monatsery: $109
  • 3 Caves tour - Saeva dupka , Eyes of God cave & Devetashka Cave: $86
  • 3-Hour Private Bulgarian Food Tasting Tour of Sofia: $82
  • 7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery Small Group Day tour from Sofia: $93
  • 7 Rila lakes and Rila monastery day tour from Sofia: $98
  • Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15
  • Adventure Tour to Plovdiv and Rhodope Mountain: $108
  • Adventure bike tours in Sofia: $59
  • Afternoon Delights in Sofia Tour: $75
  • Art Gallery Sightseeing Tour in Sofia: $59

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Fethiye $17
    Sofia $8.39

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: $75
  • From Rozhen monastery and Melnik with wine tasting: $98
  • Private Sofia Tour with Wine Tasting: $107
  • Private Sofia City Tour with Wine Tasting: $109
  • Hisarya, Starosel, and Wine Tasting Tour from Sofia: $115
  • Koprivshtitsa and Starosel Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $139


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fethiye and Sofia, we can see that Fethiye 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 Fethiye would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fethiye 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 Fethiye Expensive? and Is Sofia Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Fethiye or Sofia?

Sofia has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Fethiye. When comparing the sizes of Fethiye 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.