Should you visit Minsk or Sofia?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Minsk or Sofia, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Minsk
Minsk is the capital city of Belarus, centrally located. Situated on the Svislac and Niamiha rivers, it is also capital of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and was the capital of the former Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1919-1991. It is a modern city dominated by monumental Stalinist architecture with many of its museums, theaters, and other cultural attractions.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Sofia or Minsk?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Minsk is $66, while the average daily cost in Sofia is $57. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Minsk and Sofia in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Minsk is about $66 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Sofia, $72 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Sofia, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $36, such as in a hostel.
Food
In Minsk travelers spend around $22 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
The price of a meal in Sofia can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $16 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $6.40 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Minsk $22
Sofia $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sofia
For Sofia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Online Traditional Bulgarian Cooking Class:
$36
-
Market Food Tour:
$44
-
Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore Show & Dinner:
$73
-
Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show:
$75
-
Private Bulgarian Cooking Class in Sofia with a Local with Hotel Transfers:
$92
-
Private Traditional Bulgarian Cooking in Central Sofia:
$98
-
Hiking The Seven Rila Lakes with option for dinner:
$111
-
Market Visit and Private Bulgarian Cooking Class in Sofia with Hotel Transfers:
$117
-
Private Sofia Evening Tour with Folklore Dinner:
$137
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Minsk is $12 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
To get around in Sofia, the average visitor spends $7.45 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Minsk
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Minsk:
-
Transfer from Minsk Airport (MSQ) or Minsk city to Brest (any address):
$299
-
Transfer from Minsk Airport (MSQ) or Minsk city to Gomel (any address):
$279
-
Private transfer Minsk - Vitebsk city ROUND WAY:
$267
-
TRANSFER: Minsk - Grodno, ROUND WAY:
$267
-
Transfer from Minsk Airport (MSQ) or Minsk city to Grodno (any address):
$266
-
Transfer from Minsk Airport (MSQ) or Minsk city to Vitebsk (any address):
$246
-
Transfer from Minsk Airport or Minsk city to Vilnius (any address, airport):
$218
-
Transfer Minsk Airport - Russian Border:
$218
-
Round Trip Transfer to Borisov Arena Stadium by Minibus:
$217
-
Transfer from/to Minsk airport by 2019 Mercedes Sprinter:
$216
-
Transfer from Minsk Airport (MSQ) or Minsk city to Mogilev (any address):
$207
-
TRANSFER: Minsk - Grodno:
$203
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Sofia to Sofia Airport (SOF):
$14
-
Private Airport Transfer: Sofia Airport (SOF) to Sofia:
$14
-
Sofia Airport to Sofia City Transfer:
$16
-
Sofia City to Sofia Airport Transfer:
$16
-
Airport transfer from Sofia Airport to Sofia City center:
$20
-
Private Departure Transfer: Sofia City Center to Sofia Airport:
$20
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Sofia Airport to Sofia City Center:
$20
-
Private Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport (SOF):
$25
-
Private transfer: Sofia Airport (SOF) to Sofia:
$25
-
Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Sofia City:
$29
-
Private Transfer from Sofia City to Sofia (SOF) Airport:
$29
-
From Bus Transfer to Rila Lakes:
$29
Is it cheaper to fly into Minsk or Sofia?
Prices for flights to both Sofia and Minsk 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.
Entertainment
Minsk's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $20 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
In Sofia, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $5.26 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Minsk
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Minsk are as follows:
-
14 Days Mysterious Transilvania, Ukraine, Belarus & Moldova Small Group Tour:
$4,379
-
2 Castles for 1 private tour from Minsk - Mir and Nesvizh.:
$135
-
2-days: Minsk City Tour + Nesvizh Palace - Mir Castle:
$293
-
2-days: Minsk City Tour - Stalin Line + Nesvizh Palace - Mir Castle:
$434
-
2city in 1day, from Minsk to Lida Castle (city) and the Grodno city Private tour:
$240
-
3-hours Guided Minsk City Tour (Driving & Walking Tour):
$109
-
3-hrs sightseeing tour around Minsk (Private Driving & Walking Tour):
$119
-
4 Castles for 1 private tour from Minsk - Mir, Nesvizh, Kosava and Ružany Palace:
$200
-
4 Castles for 1 private tour from Minsk - Mir, Nesvizh, Novogrudok, Lubchany:
$200
-
5-Day Private Belarus-Ukraine Tour:
$1,742
-
5-Day Small-Group Belarus - Ukraine Tour:
$1,261
-
Authentic Belarusian Experience:
$220
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
-
First Ladies of Belogradchik 4x4 Safari Tour: 30-Minute Route:
$7.46
-
Self-guided tour of Boyana Church:
$8.71
-
Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art:
$8.96
-
Belogradchik 4x4 Safari Tour: The Guardian of the Valley 50-Minute Route:
$9.95
-
Small-Group Alternative Tour in Sofia with Treasure Hunt:
$12
-
Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia:
$14
-
Communist Walking Tour of Sofia:
$14
-
Audio Guide for All Sofia Sights, Attractions or Experiences:
$14
-
Self-Guided Tour in Sofia:
$15
-
Sofia Sightseeing Tour:
$16
-
The Most Affordable Private Sofia Walking Tour:
$17
-
Private & Ultimate Sofia 2,5-hour Walking Tour:
$19
Alcohol
The average person spends about $14 on alcoholic beverages in Minsk per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Sofia, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.46.
Sample the Local Flavors in Sofia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sofia:
-
Sofia Pub Crawl Tour of The Hidden Unique Bars:
$19
-
Tipsy Pub Crawl Sofia:
$23
-
An amazing 3 hours of painting and wine tasting:
$35
-
Sofia Bar Crawl:
$42
-
Sofia Exquisite Wine Tasting:
$47
-
Hisarya, Starosel, and Wine Tasting Tour from Sofia:
$60
-
From Rozhen monastery and Melnik with wine tasting:
$75
-
Rila monastery- Wine tasting - Boyana church:
$75
-
Plovdiv and Thracia Valley with Wine Tasting:
$81
-
Plovdiv and Perushtitsa Day Trip with Wine Tasting from Sofia:
$81
-
Plovdiv, day tour from Sofia and Wine tasting:
$87
-
Private Food and Wine Tour - Sofia:
$91
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Minsk and Sofia, we can see that Minsk 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 Minsk would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Minsk than you might in Sofia.
Related Articles for Sofia
