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

Should you visit Mamaia or Sofia?

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

Should I visit Mamaia 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: Mamaia or Sofia?

Mamaia

The most popular beach resort in Romania, Mamaia sits on an 8-kilometer wisp of land between Lake Siutghiol and the Black Sea. With plenty of hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and an aqua park, the resort area is a party-goer's destination with endless opportunities for fun in the sun and nighttime merriment.

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 Tours for Seniors to Romania, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bucharest, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria.


Which place is cheaper, Sofia or Mamaia?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Mamaia is $65, 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 Mamaia and Sofia in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mamaia $25
    Sofia $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mamaia $50
    Sofia $82
Compare Hotels in Mamaia and Sofia

Looking for a hotel in Mamaia 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 Mamaia


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: Sofia Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mamaia $27
    Sofia $8.50

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mamaia

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

  • Mihail Kogalniceanu Constanta to Bucharest Driver - Private Guided Transfer : $275
  • Constanta to Bucharest Otopeni airport - private transfers: $253
  • Cernavoda to Bucharest - Private Guided Transfer - Car and Driver: $220
  • Private Transfer from Constanta to Bucarest (OTP) Airport: $176

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia

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

  • VIP Transfer from Sofia to Bansko: $187
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sofia HTL-APT (SOF): $48
  • Transfer from the Sofia airport to your hotel in Sofia OR vice versa: $24
  • Transfer from the Sofia Airport to your hotel in Sofia by VIP Mercedes V class: $66
  • Transfer from Sofia to Stara Zagora: $196
  • Transfer from Sofia to Borovets: $84
  • Transfer from Sofia airport to hotel in Sofia OR vice versa: $20
  • Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko: $197
  • Transfer from Sofia Airport T1 to Bansko: $103
  • Transfer Sofia Airport/city to Plovdiv with a sedan 3+1: $105
  • Private Airport Transfer to Sofia City Center: $31
  • Sofia to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $696

Is it cheaper to fly into Mamaia or Sofia?

Prices for flights to both Sofia and Mamaia 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
    Mamaia $23
    Sofia $18

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sofia

For Sofia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Guided Night Tour & Folklore Performance with Dinner: $49
  • Half-Day Sofia Evening Walking Tour with Vegetarian Dinner: $50
  • Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $98
  • Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $108
  • Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $109
  • Sofia by Night: Private Tour with Dinner: $119
  • Evening City Tour with Folklore Dinner: $119
  • Sofia by Night Panoramic Private Tour with Dinner, Folklore Show: $132

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mamaia $13
    Sofia $6.00

Tours and Activities in Mamaia

For Mamaia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Day Tour: Visit Histria Winery and Ancient Citadel: $87
  • One Day Tour to Constanta (The Ancient City of Tomis): $177
  • Self-Guided Labyrinth in the Rocks Tour near Silistra: $21

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: $116
  • Private Tour from Sofia to the Rila monatsery: $110
  • 3 Caves tour - Saeva dupka , Eyes of God cave & Devetashka Cave: $87
  • 3-Hour Private Bulgarian Food Tasting Tour of Sofia: $83
  • 7 Rila lakes and Rila monastery day tour from Sofia: $99
  • Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15
  • Adventure Tour to Plovdiv and Rhodope Mountain: $109
  • Adventure bike tours in Sofia: $61
  • Adventure bike tours in Sofia: $60
  • Afternoon Delights in Sofia Tour: $76
  • Archaeological tour-From the Neolithic to Modern times in Augusta Trayana: $109
  • Art Gallery Sightseeing Tour in Sofia: $60

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mamaia $12
    Sofia $8.51

Sample the Local Flavors in Mamaia

Also in Mamaia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Unveilling the Essence: Gabai Winery's Captivating Wine Tours: $44

Sample the Local Flavors in Sofia

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sofia:

  • Sofia's Hidden Bars: 4-Hour Pub Crawl: $20
  • Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia: $33
  • Sofia Bar Crawl: $54
  • Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $60
  • Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $66
  • Sofia Exquisite Wine Tasting: $76
  • 1-Hour Private Cheese and Wine Tasting in Sofia : $87
  • From Rozhen monastery and Melnik with wine tasting: $99
  • Private Sofia Tour with Wine Tasting: $109
  • Private Sofia City Tour with Wine Tasting: $110
  • Hisarya, Starosel, and Wine Tasting Tour from Sofia: $116
  • Koprivshtitsa and Starosel Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $141


When comparing the travel costs between Mamaia and Sofia, we can see that Sofia is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mamaia Expensive? and Is Sofia Expensive?.