Should you visit Minsk or Varna?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Minsk or Varna, 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.
Varna
Varna is a coastal city on the Black Sea. It's the third largest city in Bulgaria and many people consider it the summer capital of the country. It's a major tourist destination and it can make for a relaxing escape at the beach if you're in Bulgaria during the summer. It is the only city in Bulgaria that cruises visit, and as such, it's tourist infrastructure has grown. In addition to being a tourist destination, Varna is also a business and university center, seaport, and the headquarters of the Bulgarian Navy and merchant marine.
Which city is cheaper, Varna or Minsk?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Minsk is $68, while the average daily cost in Varna is $56. 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 Varna in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Minsk is about $68 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Varna is $60. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
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.
Varna food costs typically run travelers around $20 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Minsk $22
Varna $20
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.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $8.03 per day to get around in Varna.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Minsk
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Minsk:
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Arrival Private Transfer Minsk National Airport MSQ to Minsk by Business Car:
$44
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Arrival Private Transfer Minsk National Airport MSQ to Minsk by Luxury Van:
$118
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Arrival Private Transfer Minsk National Airport MSQ to Minsk by Minibus:
$69
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Arrival Private Transfer Minsk National Airport MSQ to Minsk by Minivan:
$44
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Arrival Private Transfer Minsk National Airport MSQ to Minsk by Standard Car:
$29
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Business Transfer from Minsk Airport (MSQ) to Minsk city center (any address):
$92
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Comfort Transfer from Minsk Airport (MSQ) to Minsk city center (any address):
$45
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Departure Private Transfer City to Minsk National Airport MSQ by Business Car:
$44
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Departure Private Transfer City to Minsk National Airport MSQ by Luxury Van:
$118
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Departure Private Transfer City to Minsk National Airport MSQ by Minibus:
$69
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Departure Private Transfer City to Minsk National Airport MSQ by Minivan:
$44
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Departure Private Transfer City to Minsk National Airport MSQ by Standard Car:
$29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Varna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Varna:
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Private Transfer from Varna (VAR) Airport to Varna City:
$25
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Private Transfer from Varna City to Varna (VAR) Airport:
$25
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VARNA One-Way Private Airport Transfer:
$27
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Private Transfer from Varna (VAR) Airport to Saints Constantine and Helena:
$29
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Private Transfer from Varna (VAR) Airport to Golden Sands:
$40
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Private Transfer from Golden Sands to Varna (VAR) Airport:
$40
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Private One-way Transfer Varna Airport to Hotel or vice versa:
$42
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Private Transfer from Varna to Golden Sands:
$45
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Private Transfer from Varna (VAR) Airport to Albena:
$47
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Private Minibus Transfer from Varna to Golden Sands:
$50
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Private Arrival Transfer: Varna Airport to Sunny Beach:
$57
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Private Transfer from Varna to Nessebar, Hotel-to-hotel, English-speaking driver:
$61
Is it cheaper to fly into Minsk or Varna?
Prices for flights to both Varna 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 $21 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.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $7.36 per person, per day in Varna. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Minsk
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Minsk are as follows:
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Sightseeing Tour Around Minsk on a Unique Retro Bus:
$13
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Skip the Line: Minsk:Ticket to Museum "BelarusMini" & Virtual Reality Zone:
$15
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Minsk Soviet tour:
$25
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Walking city tour of Minsk:
$25
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walking citytour & visit museum "BelarusMini":
$37
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Sightseeing tour to The Mound of Glory:
$50
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Shared Tour: Stalin Line - Khatyn Memorial Complex:
$50
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Private Sightseeing tour from Minsk - Stalin Line Complex:
$52
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Private tour to "Iron" Felix Dzerzhinsky museum-estate birthplace.:
$53
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Shared Tour: Museum of Old Crafts “Dudutki”:
$58
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Shared Tour: Minsk - Nesvizh Palace - Mir Castle. English speaking driver:
$59
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Private Minsk walking tour (walking, 3 hrs):
$64
Tours and Activities in Varna
Here are a few actual costs in Varna for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Self-guided Retro Museum Varna Tour:
$8.96
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Self-guided tour in Varna Archaeological Museum + ticket:
$9.70
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Audio Guide for All Varna Sights, Attractions or Experiences:
$17
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Pokémon GO Varna Private Tour:
$19
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Private Virtual Tour in Varna with a Local Guide:
$24
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The Ultimate Private Communist Tour of Varna:
$61
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Bulgaria Day Bike Tours - countryside & seaside:
$82
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Unique Boat Trip Experience from Varna:
$86
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Varna - Aladza Monastery - Balchik - Kaliakra Cape Tour:
$187
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Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour to the North of Varna:
$223
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Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour to the South of Varna:
$235
Alcohol
The average person spends about $15 on alcoholic beverages in Minsk per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Varna may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $7.32 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Varna
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Varna:
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Vineyards tour & wine tasting near Varna:
$5.31
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Varna Exquisite Wine Tasting:
$40
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Private Exploration: French Influence in Varna + Walking + Wine tasting tour:
$49
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The Ultimate Private Varna Walking, Culture & Wine Tasting Tour:
$61
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Private Varna Gourmet Tour with Superb Wine Tasting:
$61
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Minsk and Varna, we can see that Minsk is more expensive. And not only is Varna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Varna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Varna 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 Varna.
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